The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1856-07-17
from the New York Sunday Times.l
Welded AND WIDOWED.

One beautiful summer morning, about
fifteen years ago, the inhabitants of the lit
tie town Of New Madrid, on the Mississippi
river, beheld q gorgeous pageant moving
up that magnificent stream, which in so
many respects has tho appearance Of an
Immense inland arm Of the ocean. The
spectacle to which Ialude was a steamboat
on her first trip-one Of those vast floating
palaces just then. beginning to adorn the
western waters, like visions of enclantment,
5-zin grace; airy and symmetrical as the
gliding moon-in speed, swift as tho ante
jlope in its native wiIds--in action, ohedient
to the hand at the helm rs anything pos
sessed Of life and will This vessel stopped
but a few minutes at the wharf Of the town
previously mentioned, and two persona
went on broad, with trunks, bandboxes, and
other equipments, which plainly indicated
that they were starting ON a journey ofsome
distance or duration.
Ono of these was a youth who could
scarcely have passed his minority; and yet
he might, obviously, aud without presump'
ton, lay claim 10 all tho essential elements
of developed manhood, in form, in features,
IN activity and strength, and, more than
all, in the cool sell: possession and calm bra
very of his hearing. All his gestures demo
ted confidence in himself, and courage in
relation TO tho whole universe besides. As
he walked, his feet str,icl, the earth boldly
+ aud proudly, seeming to say, "'This belongs
to me!"-not like those men whose soft al
-snost shrinking, steps appearto be a sort of
timid apology for daring ia touch the world.
Every ilashihg glance Of his bright blue
eye was revelation of mental aud moral
power and noble herois,n Of heart, while
his cpuntenancc cyinceI, AT The same time.
magoaiamity, mercy, and the choicest
eial virtues He was dressed in q suit oil
6!ack-ricl,, but not gaudy, such as WAS
then. and still is, usually WON ty tile
wealthy class Of planters i'll the southwest.
Ills companion was young girl, not
more than sixteen years Of age; and never
did that sweet spring time of life produce n
more beautiful hower-ii, indeed, she could
be called a Terrestrial creation, and were
not rather a rose dropped down ont of
heaven by tue angels as sample of the
blooms in Paradise. She was, indeed, love.
1y beyond all description, SO that no words
can give any idea of her con9uering charms.
Nor could her likeness be adequately linn
drawn by sunbeams fresh from a cloudiess
sky. Tho unity of grace, the magic Of
wondrous power which she wicided over all
hearts that came within the sphere OF her
influence, did not consist SO much in the ex
Inisite iininh of any QUO special part, as in
4he blended, unspeakable beauty of her
whole coun.cnance, iiradiated by eyes dark
as night, yet luminous rs the evening star,
3 and wilhal inexpressibly sad, as If foresee
ing in the dim distance some horrible fate
Chat could not be Stunned.
Who were these two young travellers
thus commencing their journey, aud with
or were they bound! AS this is narrative
of facts, without the Intervention of fictitious
incidents, no coloring. of mystery is neces-
sary, aud the answer may as well be given
hero as in the sequel. The youth was the
son Of General Thornton, planter Of i'm
mensc wealth on the banks ofthe Mississip-
pi, not iar from New Madrid; and the girl,
who had previously answered TO the name
of Eva Sims, had beea governess of the
young misses in the faunily, having come
from st. Louis for that purpose. She had
no other riches save an excellent education,
q stainless character, the rarest virtues OF
the heart, and her marvellous and match
Jess beauty. Then followed almost as a
,-natter of course the old story. Alfred
Thornton, with all the volcanic violence of
his nature, and without consulting parental
taste OF Judgment, fell suddenly in love
with the charming instructress of his sisters.
The general, bis father, chided, reasoned,
stormed, threatened, and finally turned the
l. <Nft Al Il IF
doors. bat all in vain-for the infatuated
youth went forth with her, and the same
day they were welded and sailed for tho
Upper Mississippi.
At the time the newly y-marred pair calne
on board the Reindeer, as the splendid
steamer before noticed was called, tue YES
sci had been already crowded to such de-
gree that they would not have obtained .
room, but for the voluntary courtesy of a
gentleman who resigned his own for their
use. The passengers were Of the most hete
rogenous, not to say contradictory deserip-
ton, consisting ofmerchants and mechanics,
planters from the burning plains of the
south, and pedlers from the frozen SHOWS OF
Maine and Vermont; rude boatmen, tho
children Of river life, and perfumed beaux,
that scorned everything touched with the
smell of labor whether on land or water;
but still, above all classes, that of the gam.
blers predominatcd, both in numbers and
impudence. 1t Is well known that some OF
these sharpers literally live OH the western
steamboats,, changing from one to another
az savages shift their hunting grounds, and
that they have no other home; but II ID
very seldom that SO many OF tho same law
less profession moot together IN one CABIN