Plymouth advertiser. [volume] (Plymouth, Ohio) 1853-1988, 1855-09-29
Wistt'lantous.
THE BRIDE OF THE WRECK.
A BEAUTIFUL STORY.

I was a lonely sort of bachelor, and had new
er yet known what young men style "the pas
sion" Of passion had enough as my old mate
wonder can tell you. l broke his head twice and
his arm once in fits of it; but he has always
seemed to love me all the better, he cIings to me
now very much as two pieces of the same chip
cling together when drifting at sea. We are the
soe survivors of thousand wrecks, and of the
companies that sailed with us two years ago, no
other one is left afoat. had been sailor from
my boyhood, and when | was twenty We | may
safely say no man was more fit to command ves-
sci among the mariners of England. And at this
time nv uncle died and left me his fortune
had never seen him, and hardly knew of his ex-
istence; but had now speaking evidence of the
fact that he existed no longer,
l was very young and strong in limb, and think
stout Of heart, and | was possessed of the rental
of some thousand per annum. What bar was
there to my enjoyment Of the goods of life No
bar indeed, but felt sorey the lack of means of
enjoyment. | was a sailor in every sense. My
education was tolerable and | had some books,
but my tastes were nautical, and pined on shore.
You easily understand, then, why | built me
yacht and did spend much Of my time on her.
he was fine craft, and suited to my taste in
very respect, and | remember with sigh now,
he happy days [ have spent in the "Foam."
used to read considerable in my 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 bachelors pride in the
fact. Yet [ confess to you secret longing for
some sort of affection different from any l had
heretofore known, and restlessness when men
talked Of beautiful women in my presence.
One summer evening, was at the old hall in
which my uncle died, and was entirely alone.
Towards sunset | was surprised, while looking
over my books, by the entrance Of gentleman
hastily announced, AMI giving indication of no
little excitement.
"YOur pardon, sir, Tor my unceremonious en-
trance. My horses have run away with my car
riage and dashed it to pieces your park gate.
My father was badly injured, and my sister is now
watching him. I have taken the liberty to ask
your permission to bring them to your residence
OF course my consent was instantly given, and
my own carriage dispatched to the park gate.
Mr. Sinclair was a gentleman of fortune, resid-
ing about forty miles from me, and his father, an
invalid, fifty years or more of age, was on his way
in company with his son, to his sons house, there
to die AMI be buried They were strangers to
me, but made them welcome to my house, as if
it were their own, and insisted on their using it,
Miss Sinclair was the first woman who had
crossed my doorstone since | had been possessor
of the hall; and we'll she might have been loved
by better men than l. She was very small and
very beautiful-of the size of Venus, which all
men worship as the perfection of beauty, but hav-
ing soft blue eye, shaded by jct-black brows,
her face presented the contrast of purity Of white
ness in the complexion set off by raven hair, and
yet that hair hanging in clustering curl, unbound,
by comb or fllet, and the whole face lit up with
the expression of gentle trust and complete coni-
dence either in all around her, or else in her own
indonitable determination for Mary Sinclair had
mind of her own, and far seeing one, too.-
She was nineteen then.
Her father died in MY house, and l attended
the solemn procession that bore his remains over
hill and valley to tn. old church in which his
ancestors we're laid. Once after that called on
the family, and then avoided them. [ cannot
tell you what was the cause of the aversion felt
to entering that house or approaching the infu
encc of that matchcss girl. [ believe that
feared the magic of her beauty, and was impress
ed with my unworthiness to 1--we her or be loyet
by her. knew her associates were of the II ,hle
the educated, the refined, and that was none O
these. What then could expect but misery, i
yielded to the charms of that exquisite beauty
or grace which knew were in her so1l
A year passed and l was the very boy in m,
continued thoughts of her persuaded .nysel
thousand times that did not love her, and
thousand times determined to prove it by enter
ing her presence. At length threw myself int
the vortex Of London society, and was lost in tn
whirlpool
One evening, at crowled assembly, wa
standing near window in a recess, talking wit
lady, when felt a strange thrill. l cannot de
scri be it, but its effect was visible to my com
panion. who instantly said =.
"You are unwell, Mr.. Stuart, are you not
Your face became suddenly flushed, and your han
trembled SO as to shake the curtain"
! was inexplicabls to myself; but I Yss startls