Tri-weekly journal., 1848-01-01

turning from summers visit to the States.
The daughter was one of the most beautiful
creoles ever saw. She could not have been
over sixteen years of age. Her figure was
slight and graceful, the features of her counte-
nance were regular and symetrical, while her
eyes told eloquently of gentle, confding and
affectionate soul. De Soto and her mother had
met before, and ere we had been twenty -four
hours at sea, the young lady and himself were
walking the quarter deck, chattering away in
Spanish with delightful familiarity, as though
they bad been acquainted with each other for
years. Before we reached Havana they were
lovers; before / sailed from that port they were
married. Young De Soto had made his peace
with his father, by feigning repentance, and
the two families had in consultation decided
that it would be best to let the young people
have their way. | visited them several times
and like all young married folks they seemed
and were really happy. For the gentle young
wife's sake prayed that her influence might
prove strong enough to subdue the bold, reck-
less, venturous spirit of her husband.
Nine years after the period alluded to, thir
teen Spaniards were tried in Boston for piracy
i'm robbng the brig Mexican from Salem, con-
filming the crew below, and firing the vessel
Happily they were rescued by passing ship;
the pirates were apprehended on the coast of
Africa six months after BY an English cruiser,
and sent to boston, where eight of them were
condemned. Only six, however, suffered death
on the scafIold. The seventh committed suicide
in prison-the eighth, the mate of the vessel
was respited, / had read the account of these
pirates, but the subject excited but little of my
attention.
In the month or June, 1915, Twas passing
along Chestnut street, Philadelphia, when hear
Il
at me a lady dressedin the deepest mourning
Her face was CHASTITY pale, and the skin seem
ed to be drawn tightly over the bones-Aesh
there seemed to be none.
Captain - she said in broken English
and with trembling voice-Captain you do
not remember me. am Mrs. De Soto, your
passenger from Charleston for Havana, ten
years ago.
In an instant the whole truth flashed upon
my mind. The name of the respited pirate was
De Soto, the bold wrecker, her husband. en-
tered into conversation with her, and learned
from her own lips the efforts she had made to
save her husbands life. She had travelled from
New Orleans to Boston in search of the per-
sons, whom her husband had saved, for money,
from death on the Florida reefs. By advertis
ing in the papers, she found many of these
persons, and exciting their sympathies in her
behalf, they certified that they owed their lives
to her husbands bravery-carefully concealing
the fact that before he threw them rope, he
had been promised large amount for every
man rescued. With these certificates she has
tened to Washington, and asked General Jack
son the life other husband. The heart of the
stern old chieftain was moved by the wlfe's
prayer, and he gladly availed himself of the
only ground for interposition-the supposed
services rendered by De Soto to American cit
liens in distress-and the pirate received
pardon.
Two years ago was in Havana, and met De
Soto in a coffee house. He was in command
of steamboat running between that port and
Matansas. Iasked FOR his wife.
She's been dead these three years. He re-
piled with indifference, as he picked upa cue
and challenged an acquaintance to game OF
biliards.--N. y. Universe.