New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1858-12-25


take smoke after dinner myself, and sometimes
when we have pretty Jolly company on board, the
fog gets so thick that have to bring IN CANDIES 70
see the chandelier Sy--fact upon my honor! But
then don't perceive anything peculiar t9is morning.
had the cabin thoroughly aired for an hour before
you came"
and then taking little Elite by the hand went up on
deek The yacht had already east loose from her
moorngs and was pushing ahead before fine breeze.
Charlie and Captain Benton stood by the tiler en-
gagged in an animated conversation, which as it
seemed 10 be mostly concerning regattas and prizes
and club suppers Mary cared little to JOIN. 80 she
walked forward to the bows and busted herself with
all Ettie's delighted remarks They were
standing now directly out to sea, and Mary was be.
ginning herself to feel the exhilaraton of the air and
The motion; but presently she became sensible Of
rolling and tossing which was not precisely agreeable
Her head grew giddy a peculiar and indiscrbable
faintness came over her, and she began to wonder
whether she was going to be sea.sck.
say, Mrs. Trueman, called out Captain Benton,
who spite of his gossip with his old friend never lost
sight of bis lady guest, (victim l had almost writ
ten), sit seems to ME you are getting very pale Do
you feel unwe T."
. do feel little faint" replied Mary Perhaps
Id better go below
Here, Dick called the captain to his mate,
q stand by this helm minute, while attend to Mrs
Trueman. Ill have you all right in five minutes,
madam" And after CALAMITY assisting her down
the steps into the cabin, he produced decanter OF
>
it to her.
"Just take that madam, said he There's nothing
like good old Cognac for set of unsteady nerves as
see yours are"
" Brandy exclaimed Mary, oh, never! can't
drink it. ! never took so much in my lite-itll
kill me-"
q Nonsense, madam, the merest nonsense it'll do
YOU good. There's nothing like it for sea-sickness."
Mary grew momentariy more giddy, and tan at
last to do somethiDg-dank about half the brandy
and lay down upon the sofa. Sure enough il Quilted
her sea.sickness but burning cheek, and bloodshot
eyes, and a heavy, stupid feeling, bore testimony all
the afternoon to its stimulating effects.
Charlie, meanwhile, was enjoying himself. He had
been trailing q line all the morning. and had the sa-
tisaction of sitting down to dinner of fish of his
own catching.
d Take piece Of this fsh-do Nary" he urged;
" it is delicious"
Thank you. have not any appetite to-day,
Charles. Besides you know am not fond of fish,
q Not fond of fish y exclaimed Captain Benton. els
it possible Why thought everybody loved fl llsh
especially when it came fresh from the sea. Well,
this is bad, for we nautical men depend mostly upon
Neptunes pork barrel for supplies Nevertheless,
it may be that my cook provide a more delicate
dish If you can make dinner upon vegetables, and
whatever may come in for dessert Ill have it attend
ed to at suppertime.H
Mary begged the captain to give himself no trouble,
as she did not feel the least appetite
/" No appetite, hey? Well, that is queer too
never knew it serve man So Look at your husband
there Ill venture to say you never saw him lay in
a heartier dinner than he will to-day. BY about
tomorrow next day expect the ships stores will
suffer- But then suppose women are more delicate,
don't know but ought to have thought OF that be.
fore asked you TO come. There's Elite, though she
seems to be enjoying herself She's got the real girl
in her. She'd make wife for sea.dog any day.
Fortune seemed to favor Captain Benton, for
towards evening the wind increased to gale, the
sky became overcast, the sun sank luridly in the
west and all the omens betokened a wild night,
" You are very Fortunate Charlie, said the captain,
as he TecOnnOtered the weather with his glass Old
Sep has got M one of his pretteBt demonstrations
for you tonight, By midnight we shall have grand
chorus, with thunder and lightning Accomplishments,
and such extras in the way of scenery and powerful
acting Max What doyou-Call him never thought Of
Talk about your Italian opera trOupes and your for
eign prima donnas, the whole screaming cOnCatenta
ton of them cannot hold candle to old Nep, when
he gets fairly walked up"
The captains words were verified, and long before
II the yacht was scudding under bare boles before
stiff gale. You have no fears for our safety, sup
pose2n said Mr.. Fireman to his host.
Fears mo, indeed the winds might as soon
attempt to swamp q Mother Carey's chicken as the
little Syren when it blows off shore. 1t may drive
us out to a few leagues further than we had in
tended; but it's oil in lifetime you know, my boy.
Our cargo isn't likely to depreCate in value if we
don't get into port just at the right moment.n
After that Charlie had no further fears, and the
grandeur Of the scene delighted him. Not so poor
Mary, sitting alone in her cabin for Captain Jack
assured her that he needed her husbands assistance
upon deck With the roar of the tempest in her ears
and her children crying at her side her fears magni
fled the danger thousand fold, aud she wrung her
hands in actual distress The nurse, an ignorant Irish
girl was on her knees all night telling her beads and
mingling with her prayers wild cries for help, and
inverted blessing upon al who had been instrumental
in getting her into such sCrape. Bad luck to
them, all intirely I"
ooh, it's terrible gale, madam" she exclaimed,
in to Marys entreaties to be calm. "n all my
voyage across from old Ireland never seen the likes
of it at all, at all. Sure an it'll be by good mercy
that we liver see the shore again.
As may be imagined, this did not tend to soothe
Mary's fears. Presently, hoWeyar, Bridget's tune
changed, and 1.-THE most awful sickness ntrelys
came over her. She grOaned and called on ST. Path
rick and ST. Payter and all the saints in the calendar
for help. Poor Mary who could not keep her feet
one moment upon the floor of the cabin, attempted
to assist her, but it very little she could do and
the matches were fastened down, SO she could call no
help from above.
.fSure and wasn't it brandy the captain gave ye
when yerself was sick " groaned poor Bddy, "and
didn't see him put the bottle in the little cupboard
lOrnnst the door ~
After dozen efforts Mary was successful in reach.
ing the door of the cupboard and producing the bot,
tle gave it to Biddy leaving the doses to be proper
toned by her own discretion. The consequence was
that Biddys distress was soon over and she lay snor
ing heavily upon the floor of the cabin, rolling to
and fro with every lurch of the vessel
At length morning dawned the squall was over
and the gentlemen descended to inquire after the
comfort OF Mary and the children.
ooh such nightN said Mary. "Hasnt it been
terrible2 Is the danger over now 2"
"Danger!" laughed her husband, "there hasn't
been the least danger any of the time has been
splendid night. ] should have called you up to see
the storm, only | knew the rain would wet you
through wouldn't have missed the experience fol
fifty pounds just begin to understand the fasrina
tion of the ocean. POUNDS! if | hadn't WiVe, be
lieve I'd be a sailor myselfn
But HASN'T it been terrible storm" said Mary
land hav'nt we been near going to the bottOmE
Both the gentlemen laughed her fears to scOrn, and
when she reCOunted the trials Of the night and pointed
to Biddy's helpless form, Captain Benton was nearly
conyulsed with laughter.
"W Well, well, said he, just to see the difference
between men and women Here were Charlie and
having glorious time on deck, smoking our cigars
and delighted with the storm, never dreaming bu
that you were comfortable enough below while all thu
time you were nearly going into tits, and making
yourselves and each other as miserable as pDssblea
=" Well said Mrs Trueman, " | have only one re
quest to make, and that is that you will put me OF
] haven word to say. Ion may stay here Il weeh
if you like, bnt and my children will keep sh0r
hereafter Won't you take us home as soon as pes
sible!N
" Certainly, madam, certainly" replied Captain
Benton, it is pity though to cut Charles sport
short. Why, he is only beginning to enjoy himself
" / have nothing 70 say about him. replied Mary
it only put me and the children on shore, that is al
| ask
Captain Benton complied with the request so read
ily as almost to leave room for the suspicion that
was happy to be rid of his fair guest and Mary trH
to her word consented to her husbands return to tn
Syren without murmur, nor could she deny, whe
he came home at the end of the week, that he wa