New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1853-07-19
NUMBER 115,

with domestic discipline, and a perfect savage
when the regulations Of his table were infringed
Or disregarded. 1t must be acknowledged that
slha household duties we're that day not per-
LOT -, rhled with her usual precision and alacrity
| enc astonlshe1 her father by iischarging the
Whole contents Of the pepper castor in his 51uii-
10" anu reached the climax of her own lismav
aH' NJ endurance, By filing his pine from a
bag oi gunpoWder which unl1c.ily hung near
the sack II cut tobacco
For Gods sake" sputterel the old man az
he threw the pipe to the ground, content vopr-
self, Nina, by smashing the crockery, po;s5ni,,a
the cookery, as you have done all the morning
but do not blow off my head"
The weariest day will, however, have an end.
and although Nina thought her tedious occupa.
pations were interminable, the setting sun saw
the last task duly finished, and she herself at
liberty to turn her footsteps whithersoever in
clination might direct 1t did not need long re-
Election to decide that the hillock where she
wasted her morning, and which had received
the appeilation Of 50 COiiine de iongue rue, y
was decidedly the most agreeable point for an
evening promenade There the inhabitants Of
the little hamlet on the Mernefau were wont to
congregatc when the toll Of the day was ended
and give and receive all the gossip which might
diversity the monotonous course Of their exist
ence. There the old men (mostly foreigners)
would fight the battles and rehearsc the love
tales OF their youth to the ears of an admiring
au hence, ami often recount such apalling tales
OF the crimes and vices Of cities and cvlizel life,
that their simple hearers would cross themselves,
and thank the Virgin and all the saints that their
lot was cast on the banks Of the remote Msrmen-
tau. There too, the women would bring their
children the men their eternal fillles and
under the contrasting shelter Of discord and
harmony, cries and reels many love VOW was
whispered in the willing ear Of some blushing
maiden; many an incipient Irritation nipped in
the bud by the stern Interference Of ofhcious
mamas and medlling papas.
As Nina approached, men women, and children
were gathered in one cluster on the top Of the
hillock, and from their eager gestures and rapid
vociteration, seemingly intent upon some object
of interest
"Comc here, Nina, cried one, as soon as she
was perceived; there is a vessel near the mouth
Of the river, pursued by another craft which we
are sure is the Oriole'
'The Oriole !" cried Nina, AMI she sprang to
the summit of the hill where her well practised
| eye soon discovered the truth Of their con-
| lectures.
"Eh Jiea,'' said one of the patriarchs who,
not being able to see q stones throw before him.
determined to strike out some new subject Of in
tercst which would enable him to play his part
in the general agitation, . Eh bien I! l always
mistrusted that Oriole, ever since her surly crew
refused to let me come on board. can swear
she is pirate, and they knew an old sailor like
me would find out all their tricks. .4h mes gar
| CONS, when | was in the great sea-fght between
| theLion and the Terror
| ''Oh hush now, grandfather, cried one of
the young men, almost knocking the speaker
| down in his eagerness to catch good view Of
| the vessels: keep your old stories until we have
nothing better to do than to listen to them. We
are going to see fight now ourselves, do hope
and believe"
/ ~ IL. IL
wards, and were, for few minutes, lost to view
by the thick clumps Of trees which grew at the
mouth of the river, and when they again emerged
to sight the distance between them had visibly
decreased. dull, heavy sound then came
! booming over the waters, leaving the brea thless
| spectators no longer in doubt Of the nature of
| the pursuit they witnessed. The women shrieked
| and hastened off: the men secured from the mo-
| lestation even Of pirates, by their poverty and
harmlessness, FASTENED down to the little cove
which We have already mentioned, and that lay
| not two miles from the scene of enga cement and
Nina, hardly knowing what she did, found her.
self beneath the very oak where she had prom
i ised to await her lover. There her courage to
tally failed, and not daring to look even towards
the Gulf, she sank down with beating heart
to gather from the comments of those around
the progress of the fearful drama so unexpected
| ly enacted in their midst. One loud, deafening
report, as if a hundred clnnons had been fired
at once, made her spring 10 her feet, and for q
moment she reeled and pressed her hands to her
brow, for her very eye balls seemed scared by
the awful spectacle which met them. A thou.
sand burning fragments quivering in the air
dancing on the pillows, and lighting up the dus
ky shades of evening with lurid glare was al
that remained Of the gallant vessel but whicl
one Wildly asking the question, Nina, rush
ed to the waters edge, and for one mOmen
breathed freely, as the lofty masts Of the Oriol,
met her eye, with its snowy sails cleaning il
the red light, and gently swelling to the SC;
breeze which waited it onwards. But as sh
still looked and wept in very joy, and thanke,
Heaven for Icons safety, little tongue of fam
which she had taken for the reflection of som
burning brand upon the white sails, visibly an
stealthily increased until with one quick flasl
it had caught masts, spars, and Shrouds, in il
grasp Of ire, Nina looked for one moment
half unconscious, at this scene of terror an
then suddenly springing to boat that lay nea
the bank, she cast Oft the rope which secured il
What are you doing, Nina =" cried twent
voices.
Leon is on that ship she uttered in firm
clear tones, g and am going to save him..
Come back, my chld,' cried her father, : Il
one can approach that vessel with safety
lie is there, was her only answer, :" he
there, and | will save him or die with him
Not alone then, Nina cried fine lookin
young man, stepping IRON the crowd.
= DO not be frightened, uncle, said he turn
ing to l. 'Estrange, who stood wringing his hand
the very picture Of impotent despair - wi
bring her back to you again and seating hin
self by her side he took the oars from her tren
bling hands, and pulled rapidly towards I'll
burning vessel.
Nina bent forward, mute and rigid her heav
ringlets thrown back from the fair brow whic
seemed contracted by some sudden pang I'll
eager eyes distendcd to their utmost size, an
, fixed almost unwinkingly upon the one obiet
OF her fearful interest, and the tumultuou
throbs of her heart, distinctly audible to he
sympathizing companion.
= See there !" cried she, convulsively graspin
his arm, and pointing to a large skiff which ha
hitherto been concealed from view by the lit
point they had just rounded. And as it AZ
preached she recognized the familiar faces
many Of the Orioles crew, but the one believe
, form, her straining vision could nowhere lii
Cern.
. Is Leon amongst you =" she uttered in toni
50 faint and trembling that her cousin W,
obliged to repeat the question before it could |
heard
No was the response of all at once; W
are the sole survivors. lie was wounded earl
9 in the engagement, and when the Ecu Folk
, blew up we could find him nowhere
+ Quick as lightning, Nina turned TO her cousi
who, with plying looks, was in the act of turr
ing the boats head to the place they had jus
c quilted.
: son, on, Alphonse " she shrieked ' as 20