Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1853-09-08
Ole storp Geller.
THE BRIDE OF THE WRECK.

THE BRIDE OF THE WRECK.
was a lonely sort of bachelor, and had
never yet known what young men style the
tender passion Of passion had enough, as
my old man yonder can tell you. broke his
head twice, and his arm once in fits of il. but
ne always seemed to love me all the better,
and he clings to me now very much as two
pieces of the same ship cling together when
drifting at sea. We are the sole survivors of
a thousand wrecks and of the gallant com
pany that sailed with us two years ago, no
other one is left afoat j had been a sailor
from my boyhood, and when j was twenty
five, / may safely say no man was more fit to
command vessel, among the mariners of
England. And at this time my uncle died
and left me his fortune. had never seen
him, and hardly knew of his existence, but |
had now speaking evidence of the fact that he
existed, and that he existed no longer was
young, strong in limb, and think stout in
heart, and was possessed of a rental of some
thousands per annum. What bar was there
to the enjoyment of the goods of life! No
bar, indeed, but felt sorely the lack of means
of enjoyment was sailor in every sense.
My education was tolerable, and / had read
some books, but my tastes were nautical, and
pined on shore. You will easily understand
then, why it was that built yacht and spent
most of my time on her. She was fine
craft, suited to my taste in every respect, and
l remember with sigh now, the happy days
l have spent in the Foam. | used to read
considerable in my cabin, and occasionally,
indeed weekly, invited parties Of gentlemen to
cruise with me. But the foot of lady had
never been on the deck Of my boat, and be-
gan to have an old bachelors pride in that
fact. Yet, confess to you, a secret longing
for some sort of affection different from any
had heretofore known, and restlessness when
men talked of beautiful women in nv pres
ence.
One summer evening i was at the old hall
In which my uncle had died, and was entirely
alone. Towards sunset was surprised while
over my book, by the entrance of gentleman
hastily announced, and giving indications of
no little excitement
Your pardon, sir, for my unceremonious
entrance. My horses have run away with nv
carriage, and dashed it to pieces near your
park gate. My father was badly injured. and
my sister is now watching him. have taken
the liberty to ask your permission to bring
him to your residence
OF course, my consent was instantly given,
and my own carriage dispatched to the park
gate.
Mr.. Sinclair was gentleman of fortune,
residing about forty miles from me and his
father, an invalid, fifty years or more of age,
was on his way, in company with his son, to
that sons house, there to die and be buried
They were strangers to me, but made them
welcome to my house, as if it were their own,
and insisted on their so using it.
Miss Sinclair was the first woman who had
crossed my dOor-stone since | had been the
pOssessor of the hall. And well might she
have been loved by better men than /. She
was very small, and very beautiful-of the
size of Venus which all men worship as the
perfection of womanly beauty, but having a
soft blue eye, strangely shaded by jet black
brows. Her face presented the contrast Of
purity of whiteness in the complexion, set off
by raven hair, and yet that hair hanging in
clustering curls, unbound by comb or fillet,
and the whole face lit up with an expression
of gentle trust, complete trust either in all
around her, or else in her own indomitable de-
termination. For Mary Sinclair had mind
of her own, and far-seeing one, too She
was eighteen then.
Her father died in my house, and attended
the solemn procession that bore his remains
over hill and valley, to the old church in
which his ancestors were laid. Once after
that called on the family, then avoided them.
cannot tell you what was the cause of the
aversion had to entering that house, or ap-
preaching the influence of that matchless girl.
believe that feared the magic of her beauty,
and was impressed with my own unworthi-
ness to love her or be loved by her. knew
her associates were of the noble, the educated,
the refined and that / was none of these
What then could | expect but misery, if
yielded to the charm of that exquisite beauty,
or the graces which knew were in her soul
A year passed, and was very boy in my
continual thoughts of her. | persuaded N.Y.
self thousand times that did not love her.
and thousand times determined to prove il
by entering her presence. At length threw
myself into the vortex of London society. and
was lost in the whirlpool
One evening, at crowded assembly, was
standing near a window in recess. talk
ing with lady, when felt strange thrill.
cannot describe it to you, but its effect was
visible to my companion, who instantly said.
you are unwell, Mr.. Stewart, are YOU notp
Not at all, madam-why did you ask r.
Your face suddenly became flushed and your
hand trembled so as to shake the curtain
Ii was inexplicable to myself, but / was
startled at the announcement of Mr.. and Miss
Sinclair. / turned, and she was entering, on
her brothers. arm, more beautiful than ever.
How escaped, do not know, but did so.
Thrice afterwards | was warned of her
presence IN the same mysterious way, till /
DeIieVeo that there was some mysterious link