Evansville weekly journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 184?-18??, 1848-01-07
THE PIRATES WIFE.

10 her he might be gentleaess--
Late in the wear 1926 | was lying in the har
Dor of Charleston, advertised to sail for Ha-
vana. The day before clearing, a handsome
young Spaniard came on board, and introduced
himselfas Senior de Soto, asked me IN excellent
English, when | was to sal, and i'll could take
another pasenge
Il sail to morrow and can accommodate two
or three more passengers, | replied.
Il think, Captain he said after a pause, that
| will take passage with you. have been
lately in command of a Florida wrecker,
and by one lucky chance have made doubloons
enough to stand one winters frolic in the Ha-
vana. 1t is not often that an honest wrecker
meets with a windfall,' he added with a
laugh.
And pray what was it, Senor? I asked.
20, rare good ~fortune,' he returned promptly
i was out about six weeks ago, when one
morning, after a terrible storm, | discovered al
ship on the reef, in a most dangerous situation.
Her deck was crowded with men, and | saw
at a glance that the vessel could not hold to-
gether four hours. / ran under her stern and
made a bargain with the poor wretches to take
them off,
Made a bargain / exclaimed with horror
made a bargain to save the lives of your fell
low meni
TO be sure, why not?' he returned with al
reckless laugh, i was a poor wrecker. 1t was
all in the way of trade.
The vessel was from New York, and | saved
the lives of her crew and passengers, at a round
price a head. So much money disguised me
with the wreckers life; / abandoned it, and
have been enjoying myself between New Or
leans and this place since. Now III go to Ha-
yana, and ask my fathers blessing, and see
whatluck | shall have at the gaming table du-
ring the winter
All this was said in a manner, which not
less than the words, betokened the heart-less-
ness ofmy new acquaintance, who as | subse-
~quently learned was the son of rich merchant
Of Havana, by whom he had been discarded.
Young De Soto paid his passage, and the next
day we sailed.
/ had six other passengers, two OF whom, a
wealthy Cuba lady and her daughter, were re-
urning from a 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 counter
nance were regular and symetrical, while he
eyes told eloquently of a gentle, ~coniding 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 wIsisieca$ieHa aeycrel times
and like all young married ioiks 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
/ in robbing the brig Mexican from Salem, con-
filming the crew below, and firing the vessel
Happily they were rescued by a 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 scaffold. 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
ing nv name called, | turned and saw gazing
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-hesh
there seemed to be none.
Captain - she said in broken English
and with a trembling voice-Captaln you dc
not remember me. | am Mrs. De Soto, YOU
passenger from Charleston for Havana, ten
years ago..
liz an instant the whole truth flashed upon
my mind. The name of the respited pirate was
De Soto, the bold wrecker, her husband. len
tered into conversation with her, and learned
from her own lips the efforts she had made tC
AsaEe 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 hel
r behalf, they certified that they owed their lives
to her husbands bravery-carefully conceallns
f the fact that before he threw them a rope, he
E had been promised a large amount for ever,
t man rescued. With these certificates she has
tened to Washington. and asked General Jack
son the life ofhe husband. The heart of tn,
stern old chieftain was moved by the wife
: prayer, and he gladly availed himself of tn
= only ground for interposition-the suppose'
= services rendered by De Soto to American cit
liens in distress-and the pirate received
pardon.
Two years ago was in Havana, and met ID
Soto in a coffee house. He was in comman
of a steamboat running between that port an
Matarsas. Iasked for his wife.
She's been dead these three years. He re
piled with Indifference, as he picked up Gu
and challenged an acquaintance to a game {
biIliards.-N. 4. Universe.