Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1836-11-24
III c
OLD FASHIONED ELopEMENT.

& In the month ofJune 1882, the shin
Fame, Capt. Jones, arrived at New
York, from London, and moored al
one of the docks, in the North River.
Her commander, Geo. Jones, whom |
will pass over lightly, was an English.
man, rough, untutored, and boorish.
vet he was a thorough bred seaman,
and a perfectly fitting man to com.
nand the hardy crew under him.
The chief mate, Charles Barton, the
hero of the present sketch, was the on.
" and cherished son of a wealthy plan
ter from one ofour slave holding states,
then deceased. He had been educated
in the most liberal and expensive man.
ner by his fond father, who spared nei-
Their pains o expense to perfect him
in any thing he wished TO acquire. At
an early age and while at college,
Charles acquired unfortunately, as
his father thought,) a passion for the
sea, which grew with his growth, and
strengthened with his strength, until it
became absolutely too strong for con-
troll, AMI he determined to indulge it.
He was of a noble high spirited nature,
very handsome for a man, brave and
generous to a fault, and wlthal, his
whole existence was but made up of
Omance He was never happy, new
er c%ontented, except he was engaged
in some enterprise in which he could
call forth and exercise to the full extent
all his powers and energies.
He disappeared suddenly from COL
lege, and after wandering around the
world for three or four years, while his
father and friends mourned his death,
returned to his native land in time to
receive his fathers forgiveness, and
take possession of his estate and for
tune, to the great disappointment of a.
bout fifty cousins. His passion for the
sea, however, did moi leave him, and
having received an offer Of the berth
of chief mate of the Fame. he left all
his affairs in the hands of a trusty "a
gent, and again went to sea, and as
such do we now find him in New York.
The vessel had been in4 or 5 days
and the cargo was nearly discharged.
1t was a warm sultry day, and the men
who had been at work all the morning,
we're at their dinner in the forecastle.
Capt. Jones was walking backwards
and forwards on the quarter deck smo-
king, and Charles was seated aft with.
out his coat, apparently in deep tho't,
his eyes fixed upon the deck.
ais the Captain on board 2" inquired
a soft melodious voice, which caused
Capt. Jones to stop suddenly, and turn
round to gaze upon the querist.-
Charles arose, and for a moment was
utterly paralyzed.
The person who had asked the ques-
ton, yet unanswered, was a girl about
Is, handsomely clad, but of a beauty
and loneliness that battles my powers
of description. Her hat, which was
small, but halfconcealed the finest head
Ofglossy jet black hair in the world,
which played in wavy ringlets over a
neck and shoulders of surpassing white
ness and beauty. Her forehead was
high and white and smooth as Parian
marble. Her eyes were large and
dark, and they shot forth an expression
which could not or cannot be- defined
by me. 1t was so wild, so singular,
yet so ~beseeching, SO appealing, that
one could not look upon her or them
without feeling an emotion of pity, and
almost reverence.
lis the Captain on board ?" repeat
ed the young lady, as the Captain and
his officer in silence Toasted their eyes
upon her charms.
"Yes, ma'am," replied Capt. Jones,
putting his segar, and walking close to
her with u lewd, loose air, they call
me Captain, for want of better.
"Will you marry me, sir +" inquired
the lady.
"Well-I'm id if that amt a
good one-marryyou! Why, my dear
| have a wife in Liverpool now, and |
don't know how many children, SO /
can't marry you for goou, Out We no
kind of objections to marry you while
/ stay here"
The proud lip of the fair girl curled
with prouder scorn, and her bright eye
flashed with redoubled b%rilliancy, as
she gazed for one single instant upon
the rude boor. She curbed her feel
ings, however, and turned from him,
with an expression on her bright beau
tiful face, that made him puff his segar
with redoubled fervor, and to hide his
shame he retired to the cabin.
She turned to Charles--he was STAN
ding neal her, his bright Intelligent
eyes intently fixed upon her. One look
suficed her. She saw that he was nc
second Captain Jones.
"Will you marry me, sir 7" she as
ked, with a firm, steady voice, Blu
downcast eyes. 80.