Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1853-12-07
SEIEC T. MISCELLANY. Y.
THE PILOT's LOVE STORY.
] BE HEzEKIAH R1NeBoLT.

The pilot was advancing to that age when
grasshoppers are considered burdensome--and it
was his delight. when he had the ship snugly an
chored amidstsa aeets of oystermen, who were
likewise seeking shelter, to roast and open al
part of the cargoes by the cabin stove, and as he
presented the sayory food to the ladies to arnuse
and torrify them III tales of1ove and shipwreck,
in both of. which lnisfortunes he never failed to
represent himself as a prominent hero.
One evening the last yster had been swallow
ed the steward had cleared away the shells, and
the pilot leaned buck in his chair with a placid
countenance, combining the satisfaction Of the
epieure withsthe memory of some touching Incl
dent of the past. In our previous conversation
some slight allusion had been made to the clergy,
and this touch had awakened a string in the dis
cordants piano of his mind, which still vbrated
whenethe subject had given place to something
ssPoor Sue Withers!'
"Poor Sue Withers. we'll hope she's been
happy!'' e=:,ss5e3 - =.
.What. pilotl'' =
The quick tone in which this interrogatery
put had the effect upon him which the falling of
apair Of tongs produces upon sleeping cat. He
started, rubbed his eyes, and then composing
himself again.. said = z
ministers arn'tto be trusted. especially tin
Grant ones. Man and boy, forty years Eve oys-
tered, steamboated, weod-coasted, and piloted on
this bay; and for the FIRST half of them there
wasn't a happier chap, than me- If there was a
corn shuckin' along shore anywhere, was there;
and if there was to be wedding, folks thought it
couldn't be done without Charley Mellon to kiss
the bride and raise the floor dust Chesapeake
Bay,couldn ha' got along without me, no how.
Icould ha' married both sides of it all the way
down, barrin' old Sim Keats darter, at Naplis,
who owned right up (and was the only gal ever
heard ON that would do such thing) that she
wasstoo mortaiugly to get married to any body,
though think she might have made herself use-
fu 80 q farmer to scare away the crows. After
syar9s.she became a school marin, and never had
10 use use a stick. She just looked ataem, -
aYou may think Twas braggin' of myself, but
wasn'sso Ask Foxweli, or Green, or Johnson
or Tom Kelly, and anybody else as knows me-
ask every body. And yet, | don't know why the
yals took such a fancy to me, want uncommon
beautiful, though was perhaps the handsomest
man ON the bay. Some folks says retains my
good looks now--what do think, Miss D--e'
-aWhy,' replied the young lady, with much can
dor, whatever you may have abeenzi in times past
MFR. Mellon, you can scarcely be considered al
Adonis, now;o but wishing to soften the blow
she added, Sin your maturer years there may b
some of the Apollo left."
s.sThank ye, masam returned the pilot, neve
knew Donas-one of your eastern shore folk
iikeiy-and as to there bein' anything appalling
IetaKe--I know the young LADIES' understand
wasn't brought up this Bay for nothin.'
No, ah, poor Sue Witherss But there is on
thinglI Iwant to know. Does the Church pervid
for their ministers widows and orphans! I nev
er dared to ask the question in Baltimore, for fea
they'd suspect me; but should, ob / should dear
lyike to know! 8 81 as & s.s's. .zs.aa s. sas
The last part of this speech was delivered il
i manner sufficiently pathetic to have draw
tears from the eyes of 9 female oyster, and di
not fail o produce its effects upon the two ladie
., "a