Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-02-20
THE BRIDi OF THE WRECK

Il was lonely sort of bachelor, art
had never yet known what young mel
style the passion OF passion [ haC
enough, as my old mate yonder can tel
you. | broke his head twice, and hi.
arm once, III fits of it: but he has ALWAYS
seemed to love me all the better, and he
cllngs to me now very much as two
pieces of the same chip cling together
when drifting at sea. We are the sol,
survivors Of thousand wrecks, and OF
the gallant company that sailed with Us
two years ago, no other one is left afoat.
| had been a sailor from boyhood, and
when | was twenty-five, | may safely sar
DO man was more fit to command a YES
sci among the mariners of England. And
at this time my uncle died and left me hi,
fortune. | had never seen him, and hard
~ knew - his existence: but had now
speaking evidence of the fact that he had
existed, and equally good proof that he
existed no longer.
was very young and strong in limb,
and | think stout in heart, and | was
possessed of rental of some thousands
per annum. What bar was there to nv
enjoyment Of the goods of life? No bar,
indeed, but | felt sorcly the lack Of means
of enjoyment. was sailor in every
sense. My education was tolerable, and
| had read some books. but nv tastes
were nautical, and [ pined on shore.
You will easily understand, then, why if
was that built yacht and spent most
of my time on her. She was line craft.
suited to my taste in every respect, and
remember with sigh, now, the happy
days | have spent in the Foam" |
used to read considerable in nv 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 I began to have
an old bachelor pride in that fact. Yet.
[ confess to you secret longing for some
sort Of affection different from any | had
heretofore known, and reStlessncss
when men talked Of beautiful women in
my presence.
Zone summer evening was at the old
hall in which my uncle had died, and was
entirely alone. Towards sunset was
surprised while looking over my books.
by the entrance of gentleman hastily
announced, and giving Indications of no
little excitement.
Your pardon, sir, for my unceremo-
NOUS entrance. My horses have run
away with my carriage. and dashed it to
pieces near your park gate. NV 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.
MIR. Sinclair was gentleman Of for
tune, residing about forty miles from Inc:
and his father, an invalid, fifty years or
more of age, was on his way, in compa-
ny with his son, to that son s house. there
to die and be buried. They were stan
gers to me, but made them welcome to
my house as if it We're their own. and m
sisted on their 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
rlen than L. She was very small and
very beautiful-of the size of Venus.
which all men worship as the perfection
of womanly beauty, but having sof
blue eye, strangely shaded by Jet black
brows, her face presented the contrast OF
purity of whlteness in the complexion.
set OFT by raven hair, and yet that hair
hanging IN clustering curls, unbound by
onrnh Or tillnt and no Ii
with an expression of gentle trust and
complete confidence, 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 nineteen 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 L called on the
family, and then avoided them. L cannot
tell you what was the cause of the aver
sion had to entering that house, cr ap-
preaching the influence of that matchless
girl. | believe that | itared the magic OF
her beauty, and was impressed with my
own unworthinesS to love her or 10 be
beloved by her. knew her associates
were of the noble, the educated, the re-
fired, and that | was none Of these.
What then, could I expect but misery, if
| yielded to the charm of that exquisite
beauty, or graces which | knew were in
her soul -.r- .-s -... ..-..
IA A year passed, and was very boy
in my continued thoughts Of her; per-
suaded myself thousand times that |
did not love her, and thousand times
determined to prove it by entering h,r
presence. At length [ threw myself into
the vortex Of London society, and was
lost in the whirlpool. 20 -
''One evening. at crowded assembly,
[ was standing near the window in a re-
cess, talking with lady, when l felt a
strange thrill. I cannot describe it to
you, but its effect was visible tony com.
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