Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1857-05-22
AN ANCIENT MARINERS FIRST LOVE.

lived to be nearly eighty years Of
age. An acquaintance Of his heard
him, short time before his death,
tell the following story of his first
love. Thus, he says, II came about.
We were wont to meet ut the house
Of q mutual friend, where he was al
ways q welcome guest came and
went as he listed, and had his ham
mock swung In chamber where the
temperature suited him best for ho
loved cold, clear atmosphere. In a
word, he was the centre Of as charm.
ing n household group as shall be seen
any day. Blooming faces shonc upon
him, merry songs greeted him as he
took his place beside the cheery hearth
in these cold evenings in spring. One
bright-haircd creature with rosy lips
claimed him ever as her own, seated
him beside her on the velvet couch,
called him "her dear boy" which
delighted the ancient mariner beyond
oil things, and at last drew from him
the tale referred to.
/ had been reminding him Of avery
old friend now dead, and of whom
we hadheard nothing for many years;
as l spoke tide of early recollections
swept up and filed the old mans
eyes with tears. "Ah !" said he, "he
was q very kind friend to me; we
had beon schoolmates, and then we
went to sea together. After while
wc parted, and / entered tho royal
navy; when / next saw o., ] was
commander on board the -. He
was on the quay at Greenock when /
sailed in, and little thought that the
vessel carrying q penant was COM
mandcd by Johnnie Ross. landed,
and went up to him with man who
knew us both.
co." said the latter, "do you re-
member little Johnnie Ross p
Well, answered o.; "and u
precious little scamp he vast
"On this, observed Sir John, 1--WE
shook hands, and renewed our nc
quaintance, and l had reason to be
glad of il; for he repeated, 90.
was very kinu 10 me:
"Now about Margaret, said the
bonny creature beside him.
"Ah she was noble girl When
first knew her she was ten, and |
about twelve years old. We used TO
walk homo together from the school,
and ut first were very happy; but
before long the children began to
watch us, and we were obliged to
make signs TO one another about
meeting. | mind we'll how shame
faced we were when the others caught
us making signals before breaking
up and ono day the master saw us,
and IL was on that occasion Margaret
showed some spirit and courage us
mado mo never forget her.
Il had got out of school" no con-
tinued, after short pause, "and was
waiting for her, never needing the
children laughing at me, us / stood
watching for the sight of her bonny
face, for she was very fair" can
by no means describe tho pathos of
the old mans tone as he said this
When ! began 10 think she was In
trouble, and kept in, / hid myself
till the place was clear OF ither folk,
and then crepit round and lSeclxod
In nc the window ofa sldo-r0om whore
scholars IN disgrace were put some.
times. Poor Margaret was indeed
thero, sitting upon box, very forlorn
and crying bitterly. She frightened
up at seeing my face In the window.
pane, and smiled whom | told her |
had boon waiting for her. Then ]
declared ] would be rcyongcd on our
hard master, and went Mt once 10 the
school-room 20 carry out my plan
this was easy, for there was no one
thoro.
"Just over tho masters desk was n
shelf, OH which stood u large Ink bot.
tic, and near to this again was the
hat with which the dominic always
crowned himself when ho assumed
the seat of authority. | mounted the
desk, took piece Of string from my
pocket, tied the ink,jar and hat to-
gothor, thon, descending from my
perch, left tho room, and ran round
again TO the sido-window 90 prepare
Margaret for the result of my device.
Then | ran homo 10 dinner, and re.
turned TO school in the afternoon.
was late. All the children were
in the room and Mt the masters desk
stood Margaret, with scarlet checks
but triumphant eyes, just receiving
the last blow OF tho leather strap on
her open hand. The punishment oi
my mischicvous revenge had been
visited upon hor. Streams Of ink
discolorcd the masters face; and books
and desk, on which last lay the bro
ken ink,jar, were saturated with It
The master himself was furious and
the moro so that Margaret had borne
tho infiction like q ahoroine, in perfect
silence, resolutoly refusing TO give NJ
the name Of the delinquent, whose
accomplice she was accused Of being
She looked at me as she moved def
antly away, and the expression ofhei
eye warned me not 10 speak. II was
indeed, too late. / hurried from the
room before i was observed; Marga
ret walked proudly after me; and foi
the last time we took our way hom,
together from the school.
cannot do justice to this story al
told by tho old navigator. Nearly
seventy years had passed away, and
yet the memory of his child-love was
still the green spot in his heart. The
J pathos, too, was enhanced by th,
, Scottish accent, which dignified, so tC
f speak, a little history, that finely illus
trates the exquisits poem Jeanie Nor
rison
: "I'vc WANDERED East I've WANDERED west.
I've borne weary lot;
But In my wandcrngu fhr or near,