Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1853-11-25
EBENSBTRG, FRIDAY, NOVRNBER % 1863.


! Sed into deep and intense love.
The knowledge that their inmate was, or had
been a seaman, gave him an additional interest
in the eyes of both Margaret Evan5Iaie and her
mother for they had a and dear relative,
son to the one and brother to the other who had
followed the same profession, but who had been
lost at sea- it had never been ascertained exactly
how. He had been captain and principal owner
of the vessel he sailed in-thc Minerva, of Fair
haven-whch never returned from the voyage
/ on which she last proceeded. Nor had any thing
ever since been heard of either the vessel herself
or of any of her unfortunate crew. Little wonder
was it. then that the widow S heart should warm
to Capt Stanley, who 50 strongly reminded her
of her long lost and most beloved son. Little
wonder that Margaret Evandale should associate
with this person the tenderest recolections of an
adOred brother, and should thus riyct the attach
ment she had formed for him on other grounds.
In as far, too, as his bold and beisterous ma
ture would admit, did Capt. Stanley, in turn, be-
come attached 10 Margaret Evandale, Yetit
was odd that such All attachment should have
sprung up between them, for they were of the
most opposite tempers and dispositions imagina-
ble-Margaret being gentle and timid, Stanley
/ fierce and mpetuous. Such apparently ncon-
gruous associations, however, are far from being
uncommon, and may serve a wise purpose in the
correcting improving of each other.
In the meanwhile time passed on. The pa
tient was now conYelcscent, and could walk
without the aid ofcrutch or stick Still he con-
tinued an inmate of Mrs Evandales cottage, and
exhibited no signs of an intention to leave it.
A short time longer and the mystery, such as
it was, at any rate, explained. Captain
Stanley formally proposed for the hand of Mar
garet Evandale An old friend ef the family was
consulted on the occasion. He saw no reason to
doubt, he said the Captain respectability and
still less to question the independence Of his cir
cumstances, and the consequence of these opin-
ions was the favorable reception ofStanleys suit.
\ day was fixed for the celebration of the we'd
ding. Three days previously the bridegroom
presented the bride elect with massive gold
locket set round with briIliants and Of singular
ly exquisite workmanship one side containing
his own portrait done in miniature on small
ivory plate, the other containing lock of his
own and of Margaret Evandales hair, neatly in
terwoven into small dianondshaped plaits.
Proud of the Invo token, Margaret haStened to
show it to her friend MaryWaltcrs, who was to be
her bridesmaid Mary tall, gentle, pen
sive-looSing young woman of about eight or nine
and twenty. Her countcnance was beautiful
though pale and sad, and she always wore deep
mourning. She had done so for the last eight or
ten yeaTs-cver since it became certain that the
Minerva must have been lost and that her COM
mander and his unfoptunate must all have
perished along with her. Mary had been betroth-
cd Capt. Evandale, Margaret s brother, and they
were to have been married on his return from
the fatal voyage which he had been destined new
er to complete.
On the locket being put into Mary Walters
hand, she started, grew pale as a corpse, and,
sinking into chair, asked her freind, in a faint
and almost inaudibIe voice, if she knew where
Captain Stanley had fallen in with it, Margaret
Eyandale, in great surprise at her frind's emo
ton, replied that she did not but supposed ne
must have bought it.
"No, no, Margaret, he could not; at least,
think he could not" said Mary Walters. He
who owned it would not have parted with it for
money-no, not for all the world wealth and
how it should have been rescued from the depths
of the ocean, cannot conceive.
Z. Mary, dear, what do you mean 90 inquired
Margaret feaIfully, thinking ef'friend had lost
her reason.
Z. III tell you what I mean Margaret, !" said
Mary Walters, with that semblance of coInpo-
sure often induced by intense feeling that
locket was my last gift to your brother. gave
it to him the day he left this to proceed on
his last fatal voyage. ! know it we'll, although
the original portrait has boen removed and an
other put in its place. 1t was brought from In
dia by my father, who bought it ola soldier who
had been at the taking ofSerngapatam, where he
had douptess or iIiUilIlvl
1t is of India manufacture and if futher proof
were wanting to establish its identity, shall find
it here And opening the locket with facility
that showed perfect familiarity with its mocha
nism, she raised the potrat it contained with the
point other scissors, and pointing to a small cir
Gle filed up with intricate lines, which en-
graved in the centre of the thin plate of gold that
divided the loclet into two compartments, said,
q Here it is. These apparently unmeaning lines
from the initials of your brother name and mine
r. E. Robert Evandale) and N. W. Mary
Walters.) They were engraved by friend of
mine, and made purposely intricate, that they
might not be too readily made out. But can
trace them exactly" And to Margaret Evan
dales unutterable surprise, she did so with the
point of needle, bringing regularity out ofapPa-
rent confusion, and making the letters appear
quite distinct aF ~
Mary Walters now enreated her friend to in
quire of Captain Stanly without moments de
lay where he had purchased the locket, and de-
string at the same time, leave to retain posses
sion of it until some account oft was obtained
On being asked regarding the trinket, Captain
Stanley evinced good deal ofsurprise, and not