New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-10-13

quarter, and by her impatient gestures, as she
forcibly disengaged her hands from his, it was
evident she was urging his immediate departure.
At last he yielded to her entreaties; they en-
braced each other tenderly, and separated, the
lady speeding along the avenue toward her
home, and the gentleman, after q moments hesi-
tation, walking gaily toward me, whistlng as
he came. | at once stepped into the broad path,
and we rapidly neared each other Captain
Charles Hubert-it was he--was somewhat
startled at seeing me, and made kind OF irreso-
Lutte pause as if to speak, but his half-forrned
purpose did not hold, and with defiant toss Of
his head, twrl of his cane, and louder
whistle, he passed on.
walked slowly toward Vale Lodge, where |
\ found my father, as l expected, profoundly i'm
nersed in the game Of backgammon with Mr..
ToIlemacbs Madame Tollemache was busy
with some accounts at SIDE tapiie, md Made.
moiselle Virqinie was sitting as demurely ana
| TRANQUILITY at the pianoforte as if she had just
come il from church or prayer meetins-only
when she approached the table to bid us rare
well, the light Of the candles showed me, tnough
no one else noticed it, that her eyes we're iull OF
| tears, and there was a trembling sadness IN her
&c rood night which sounded on my ear like the
echo OF recent and painful agitation. Boy as as
| was, and apart from any silly, selhsh senti-
ment, | felt deeply grieved-shocked may say.
The proud, sensitive, beautiful girl had, L fear-
ed, ventured upon q slippery and dangerous
| path, in which one false step were ruin. did
not, however, feel that had any right to be-
tray her secret, and, except to my father, who
uttered not @ word of reply or comment, did
not breathe a syllable of the matter to living
soul.
| rose the next morning very late, and, with
more vehamence than ever, entreated my father
to redeem his promise Of sending me to sea. no
matter in what ship, scarcely in what capacity.
Well, wel,'' he half ironically replied, " II
see what can be done You're not fit for CIV
ilized shore life, that's very csrtain perhaps,
however, a strict man of-war captain mag be
able to drill you into sense as we'll as seaman.
ship; and ifrI mistake not, Commander Pens.
hurst is just the man for such task
s' Commander Penshurstn
cay, cousin to the proprietor of this estate
he commands his maiesty's sloop of war Cnrlew
just arrived at Port Royal. He will be here to-
morrow, and think it not unlikely that he may
obtain you midshipmap's warrant
jumped on my feet, and clasped my hands
with ecstacy. ''My dear father! do you really
think SO 70
why, yes, know him well, and l think he
would even strain point to oblige me. sec
by the papers he has had smart boat atfai1
with an armed Spanish SLAYER off Cuba in whicl
several Of his crew, including MILDLY, los
) the number of their mess The prize has beet
stiG lItO ildfttDh Dy llt NllSet
Commission there, aud he has brought three o
her hands-Englishmen and said to be desert
ers, to Jamaica The Curlew will remain hert
ten days or fortnight, some repairs being ne
J cessary You are aware, Tom he added
gravely, GO that she is attached to the African
, slave squadron y
Certainly, | was aware of that but whel
did a madcap greenhorn, eager for novelty ant
adventure, stop to calculate the danger of tn,
| ha UGC hnnt | JUaG on,
tranced by the sudden brilliancy of the prospec
opening before me- As Mademoiselle Virginie
ny dominant thought, remember, with regart
, to HaO terrestrial angel, was one of exultatiol
, at The modification and fegret she must infali
| bly, experience when, dazzled with my new uni
form. she became aware what promising youn;
5 Nelson she had slighted and passad over for
rascally slave nonger!
, Commander Penshurst was punctual to hi
appointment, went over the plantation, and ex
2 pressed himself extremely pleased with the con
dition of his relatives estate This was favor
t able opening, and my father made the reques
agreed upon. Captain Penshurst was fine
looking, dashing officer, in the early prime Q
: life and as my father spoke, his dark hawk
| eye measured me from head to foot, in w;s
e that sent the hot blood to my toe and finger
n ends in a gallop, 6 Humph! by no means a
II ill-favored young fellow, Sutchffe. this son
n yours. though it's rather late; l can, however
t give him an acting warrant, which / dare sa
: the ADMIRAL will confirm The sooner, there
r fore. he gets his sea toys on, and reports hmse
0 on board, the bettor.''
These words decided my destiny. and thre
1 days afterwards [ stepped, handsomely rigge
: out, upon the Curlews deck. | was kindly re
!, ceived by Lieut.. Armstrong, Il strict discipline
Y rian, but kind hearted, gentlemanly man
though he did, in sailor phrase, come in at th
: hawse-holes. The CurleH was a powerful vesse
: of her class, carrying eighteen guns, four G
n which were carronades, upon flush deck, be
: sides large nine -pounder brass swivel gu
1 about midships, and had prime crew of Oh
S hundred and seventy five men and boys. Th
Y required repairs were nearly completed an
: but few days would elapse, | was informed
a before we again steered for the southwest {
!, Africa.
o The Fair Rosamond was still at her moorings
at no great distance from the Curlew, but quit
a ready for sudden start, having cleared at tn
7 custom house some days previously for the Cap
= Verde Islands, and thence to the Gambia an
S Rio Grande, in quest OF palm ola commo
# dodge OF slnvers in those days, because of afford
t ing them an excuse for taking on board larg
e number of empty casks destined to hold til
n water necessary for the crowd of human being
n they expected to bring off Keen eyes on boar
: the sloop were frequently bent upon the Fai
S Rosamond: and it was the opinion of most {
# BEFORE though not within such easy speakin
: distance, and when not painted in quite sue
e fal-the raj style as at present We saw yer
G little OF Capt. Penshurst-business or peasur
: kept him almost constantly ashore; but the ser
: vice of the ship was carried on with order an
p dispatch by the lieutenant in command, and til
y Curlew was reported ready for sea some tim
+ before it was expected she would be- obtaine
: leave to go on shore for the purpose of biidin
e my friends goodby, and on reaclng home wa
|, not a little surprised to find my father, togge
It smartly, off for a grand dinner party at tn
}, Tollemache's, and that was to accompany hin
= lie almost laughed out, as |, on hearing th
e frizzled up my hair with my fingers, and glance
d complacently at my new uniform, in miro
y opposite. 'You silly jackanapcs,' he present
st ly broke out, ''what chance can q beardle:
e STRIPPING like you'' (this was libel as regarC
! beard) 'have against a man wearing two gol
i cpaulettes?" | made no reply to this courteor
d speech-one reason being that did not compr'
1t hend it; but short time after setting foot
Vale Lodge it was perfectly ineligible, Cap
&c Penshnrst was there; and it was plain as day
y light that he and the enchanting Virginie wei
y acknowledged, contracted loyers--so rapid
i'd the growth of sentiment and passion in those h
lie tropical climes. Mr.. and Madame Tollemacl
lg were also evidently aware Of, and gratifed wit
n their daughters important conquest-the Ca
Of tain of the Curlew had wealth as well as soci
is rank to bestow-whilst l, for more reasons th
H. one, was exceedingly ill at ease.
s. How about the moonlight meeting with t