Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1850-03-01

gone TO California! Why, Napoleon ) conscriD-
ton was tritle to this! If we had the power,
we would have 60 aItc: slightly the words of the
pretty French song)--we would have
NO bubber-mcn abroad
N b.abbcTins maid, al home
That our readers may have a tolerable idea of
the ntolerabe Prvations of the ladies Of Nantucl,-
ct, we will state the condition OF the TWO classes,
wives and maids. (Of widows there are very
iew-they put for the MAMA soon as their weeds
have faded.)
The wives Of Nantucket (the great majority of
them we mean) are for three wears ana SIX months
out Of every four, Cape Horn widows" That
Is, their husbands are round the Horn in pursuit
ofthe whale. The hardy young Natucketer takes
unto himself wife, presses ON her lips the seal
OF flyman, and then goes on board Whalcr and
departs, ere yet the honeymoon has Wancd. If the
ship IS lucky, he returns in three years or there
abouts, 10 embrace his wife bless the little one.
who has already learned to say papa, settle his ac-
counts at the grocery and dry goods store. visits
his cousins and his wfcs cousins in the Vine
yards, and then look out for another lay. He
may stay ashore for four or even six months. and
then there Is another gloomy hiatus in the poor
Wites life. He returns to give his blessing to
another little one, already near three wears of age
and anon is of again; and the best wears of his
me "a hNS'IdtSs diiu his VIE lS-tl IdDe Horn
widow. We submit that this is bad enough.
Now, to The sill more distressing condition of
the maids. There are lots oflikely Young Nan
tucketers 2fcat, brave spirited lads, who if they
return from fortunate voyage, viii be sure to
give the parson enough to dc. But then. the dan
gers of the seas, and the temptations to which ie-
lows are exposed i'll the Sandwich Islands, and
at other places where the vessels pat in for wa
ter and fresh provisions! Alas the poor girls SIGH,
aud feel a heayiDess at their heart when the gale
roars! and when the sun shines, they think OF the
fascinating FayaWays in those romatic, spice
cented islands ofthe distant seas where the orange
tree is always in biossom-and they wonder and
wonder, until with wondering they grow faint
and Responding. One who lows 10 minrla bis
tears with sad-at-heart, should hear the Ossianlike
wall Of the Nantucket damse, when she tor
lures herself with jealous doubts. Maretzock
must set it to music:
Il have vision and it is of the night! The
sea shells no longer murmur sweet music to
mine ears--thcir voices are hoarse. the melody
is broken with grief The ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS -
am not a murmTng maid wiring their locks
in the salt sea. | see Reuben, my beloved, his
head rests in the lap of Ochria, the maid of the
yellow skin. She plays with his knottcd hair,
she points with proud look of triumph to the
broken harpoon he has cast away. Now size
smiles and holds to his lips the green cocoa nut
and wo is ne! he drinks! Ala, for the light
that has gone ont under the chowder pots of
Siasconset! Alas, for Reuben, the cocoa nuts
have got him :"
Oar emotions compel us to break off, but if
we have succeeded in touching sympathetic
chord in the hearts Of young bachelors we i'm
plore them 10 delay not moment bat fly to the
sorrowing maids of Nantucket. A good steam
er leaves New Bedford three times week for
the Island. SUNDAY Dispatch.