The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-12-19
Misfsllanauns.
THE MARINERS SON.
A Tale by o Lawyers Clerk.

About the year l79S, James Bradshaw and
William Drysdale, both invalided masters Of
tho Royal Navy, cast anchor for the remain
der Of their lives at about twelve miles dis
tancc from Exeter, on the London road
Bradshaw named his domicile, an old-fash-
ioncd struggling buildius. Rodney Place, in
honor Of the admiral in whose great victory
he had fought. Drysdale's smaller and
snugger dwelling, about half a mile away
from Rodney Place, was called Poplar Cot
tage, and about midway between them stood
the Hunters Inn, roadside public-house,
kept by one Thomas Burnham, q stout-hsar-
cd, jolly-bellicd individual, the comliness Of
whose rubicund figure-hcad was considera-
bly, damaged by the loss Of an eye, Of which
however. 1t is right to say, tho extinguished
light appeared to have been transferred in
undiminished intensity to its fiery, piercing
fellow. The retired masters, who had long
know each other, were intimate as brothers,
notwithstanding that Bradshaw was much
the richest Of the two, having contrive1 to
pick up considerable amount Of prize mo-
ney, in addition to rather largo sum in
herited from his father. Neither did tho
difference Of circumstances oppose, in Brad
shaw's opinion, the slightest obstacle to the
union of his niece and heiross, Rachel Elford,
with Edward Drysdalc, his fellow veterans
only surviving offspring. The precedent con-
dition. however was that Edward should at
tain permanent rank in the Royal Navy, and
with this view a midshipman's warrant was
obtained in 30 for the young man, then in
his eighteenth year, and no was dispatched
70 sca.
Tho naval profession proved to be, unfor-
tunately, ono for which Edward Drysdale
was altogether untitled by temperament and
bent Of mind, and sad consequences followed.
He had hcen ut sea about eighteen months,
when news reached England of o desperate,
but succc~fal, cutting out affair by tho boats
Spf the ffigato 10 which he belonged. Hi'
name was not mentioned in the official report
but that could hardly have been hoped fol
-peithsr was 1t in the List Of killed and
. wounded. A map Of tho coast where the
fight took place was procured tho battle
was fought over and over again by tho two
veterans, and they were still indulging in
theso pleasures Of the Imagination, in the
parlor Of tho I" Hunters Inn," when the
landlord entered with q Plymouth paper in
his hand, upon ono paragraph ofwhich hi
single orb Of vision glarcd with fery indig
nation. Itwas an extract from letter writ
ton by one Of the ftigates officers, plainly
intimating that Midshipman Drysdale hat
shown tho white feather in the late brusl
with tho enemy. and that he would be sen
homo by tho arss opportunity. Tho strok
ofa,daggcr could have been nothing compar
Cd with the sharp agony which such an an
nouneoment inflicted on tho young man
father, and bradshaw was for fsw moment
equally thunderstruck. But ho quickl
rallied. William Drysdale's son coward
Pooh tho thing was out Of na.ure-im
possible; and very hearty wcro. his maledic
lions, avsscly echoed by Barnham, will
whom young Drysdale was q great favOrite
Of tho lying lubbsr that wrote the lestcr, an
the newspaper rAscals that printed 10.
But 10 was bat too true! On tho thir
evening after the appeannce Of the alarmin,
paragraph tho two mariners were sitting Il
the porch Of Poplar Cottage, separated onl..
BY flower ssrdcn from tho main road, con
vsrsing upon the sad and constantly recur
ring topic, when the coach from Londc,
came in sight. Ayouthfal 6guro, in nava
uniform. on the box-ssAt. rivsssd THAR a.
tsntion. - 10 did hat Of Rsehsl Eliord, VII,
II go.