Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-07-19
6 bOitt giteratnrt.
The Bride ofthe wreck
a THRILLING SKETCU.


A THRILLING SKETCH.
WAS lonely sort ofa bachelor, and had
never yet known what young men style The
passion had been sailor from boyhood,
and when was twenty-five, | may safely
lsay no man was more fit to command a YES
sci 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 speak
ling evidence of the fact that he existed no
! longer.
One summer evening | was at the old
hall in which my uncle had died. and was
entirely alone. Towards sunset was sur
prised while looking over my books, BY the
entrance Of a gentleman hastily announced,
aud giving indications Of no little excitement.
Your pardon, sir for my unceremonious
entrance. Ny horses ha%e ran away with
my carriage, and dashed it to pieces near
4 your park gate. My father was badly in
jured, and my sister is now watching him.
have taken the liberty to ask your permis-
sion to bring him to your residence
Of course, my consent was instantly given,
and ms own carriage dispatched to the park
gate.
Mr. Sinclair was gentleman of fortune,
residing about 40 miles from me and his
father, an invalid, so years or more of age,
was on his way, in company with bis son to
his sons house, there 10 die and be buried
They were strangers to me, but made them
welcome t. my house as fit were their own.
and insisted on their using it.
Miss Sinclair was the first woman who
mad crossed my door stone since [ had been
the possessor of the hall And we'll might
she have been loved by better men than |.
She was very small and very beautifuI-of
; the size Of Venus, which all men worship as
the perfection of womanly Beauty, but hav-
; ing soft blue eye, strangely shaded by Jet
! black brows. Her tace presented the con-
trast Of purity of whiteness in the complex
ion, set off By raven hair, and yet that hair
hanging in clustering curls, unbounded by
comt or tillet, and the whole face lit up with
an expression of gentle trust and complete
! confidence, either in all around her, or else
" in her own indomitable determinations For
Mary Sinclair had mind Of her own, and
a tar-seeing one too. She was 19 then
Her father died in my house, and I atten-
!, }, ded the solemn procession that bore his re-
mans over hill and valley, to tue old church
g in which his ancestors were laid. Once after
taasa 81 aa Tie aHe45ion h lad TO eafe7ng that
e house. or approaching the influence Of that
e matchless girl | believe that | feared the
e magic of her beauty, and was impressed
: with mV own unworthiness to love her or be
/ beloved bv her. knew her associates were of
e the noble, The educated. the refined, and that /
IS was none Of these. What, then, could expect
/ but misery. if | yielded to the charm of that
ID exquisite beauty or graces which l knew
ID we're in her soul
g. A year passed, and | was very boy in
: nv continued thoughts of her. persuaded
Lh myself thousand times that did not love
I'd her and thousand times determined to test
le it by entering her presence. At length |
y threw mvselfinto the vortex Of London so
Id ciety, and was lost in the whirlpool
~ One evening, at crowded assembly,
w was standing near the window in a recess,
1t talking with lady. when felt strange
g, thrill. ! cannot describe it to you but lis
Sc effect was visible to my companion, who in
IS, stantly said
You are unwel, Mr.. Stewart, are yor
Sc not Your face became suddenly flashed
ast and your hand trembled so as to shake The
ed curtain
mt 1t was inexpIicable to myself, but wa
IDS startled at the announcement of Mr.. an(
1e, Miss Sinclair. I returned and saw she wa
| a entering on her brothers arm, more beauti
'he fuI than ever How [ escaped I did nc
old know, but did so.
lsh Thrice afterwards l was warned of he
ars presence IN this mysterious way, till belle,
= ed there was some link between US two
pit all unknown but powerful character. hay
ed. since learned 10 believe the communion
nee spirit with spirit, sometimes without mat
rial Intervention.
Inc heard Of her frequently now as engage
ere to marry Mr.. Waller, man whom kne
Jam well, and was ready to do honor as worthy
Its her love. When at length | saw, as | SUI
apt posed, very satisfactory evidence Of The tru
Of the rumor, left London, and met the
'nce no more. The same rumor followed me
vain letters, and yet was mad enough to drea
zee Of Mary Sinclair, until months after awo
She TO the sense Of what fool I had been.
'rses Convinced Of this, went on board my vac
u about midsummer, and for four weeks neV
q set foot on shore.
One sultry day, when pitch was frying
thy the deck, in the hot sun, we rolled heav
you in the Bay Of Biscay, and passed the aft
IS at noon under sail or the larboard quar-
quld deck Towards evening [ fancied sto
r the was brewing, and having made all ready
it, smoked on the taffrai till midnight, q
me then turned in. Will you believe me,
your that strange thrill through my veins as
5h at lay in my hammock, and awoke with It
teen minutes before the watch on deck {
med, led suddenly to the man a. the helm, 7
Let port helm asail on the lee bow. Stes
ering so.'
ist to | was on deck in an instant and saw t
folly a stif1 breeze was blowing, and small scho
Ills in er showing no lights. had crossed our f
dead foot within pistol shot, and was now b
slave ing up to The northwest. The sky was clo
81. and dark, but the breeze was very stea
and | below again. and after endeavol
ituess to account for the emotion had felt, in
IN be- reasonable way, at length fell asleep,
oath. the rocking of my vessel, as she few be
,e the the wind, gave just motion enough to
swore hammock to lull me into sound slun
nd no But dreamed all night Of Mary Sinclai
I dreamed Of her,. but it was 10 unple9