Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1858-04-02

ever.
Years passed away, and nothing was
heard of Jack Wilson. An American
vessel arrived at Boston from Bombay,
and brought intelligence that the frigate
| Freebooter had lost more than half her
crew by the cholera, which broke out on
board. Katharine fully believed that if
served, he would have returned to his
home, or have found some means of COM
municating to her the grateful intelli-
gence. And she reluctantly acquiesced
in the general belief that Jack Wilson
had fallen victim to a system of re-
lentless tyranny, adverse to the precepts
of civilization, the laws of nations, and
the laws of God. And deeply did she
lament the loss of her husband, and bit
terly did she rail against a government,
which could look quietly on, while its
citizens were ruthlessly seized, when
peaceably pursuing their avocations upon
the high seas, and carried into slavery of
the most cruel and degrading kind.
Katharine was still beautiful-and be-
ing regarded as a young and blooming
widow, the heir-expectant to handsome
property, it is not surprising, that eligible
opportunities were offered her of again
changing her condition in life-but she
could not Danish from her mind the re-
membrance of her gallant sailor-and
when she looked upon the countenance
of her son, and saw there the living mi
mature of his father, she would give free
vent TO her tears-and declared that she
could never wed again. Even the suit
of Simon Ell well, whom she had always
esteemed for his good qualities, and who
still cherished the affection which he had
entertained for her before her marriage.
was kindly but decidedly rejected. In
deed, Notwithstanding the proverbial
volatility and Inconsistency of woman, it is
highly probable that Katharine Wilson
would never have married again, if hel
! father had not been attacked with {
severe and fatal illness, which decided
her destiny. On his death-bed, feeling
= the destitute condition Of his daughter
left upon the wide world without a pro
tector, he besought her, as his last re
q quest, to give her hand to his friend an,
q neighbor, Simon Elwell. 1t is strang
= what a propensity for matchmaking
e often manifested By persons who are abou
y quitting all the sorrows and pleasures c
n life-it is sometimes productive Of gooC
. but is often the cause of many years {
e affiiction to the living. In this cast
.r however, it seemed likely to conduce
= the happiness of both parties. Simo
I, loved Katharine with an ardent affectio
g and Katharine, although love was OIL
of the question, respected and esteeme
,f hin-and if she had been required
~ choose again partner for life, wouI
20 probably have preferred him to any
~ her admirers. They were married
J the chamber Of the dying man, who
last moments were solaced with tie +
- Election that he had secured the hapr
~ ness of his child.
It was about sixteen years after Il
I'd commencement of our narrative, tn
III one cold morning in December, a poc
;" forlorn-looking object, miserably clad
d. the garb of mariner, was seen adva
III cling with tottering steps, on the ro
leading from Boston, towards Dover,
he H. This was Jack Wilson-but he {
he not resemble the Jack Wilson whom
ad have introduced to my readers. A 10
led series of suferings, and exposures il
ed tropical climate, and hardsh!ps, had {
ra- stroyed his constitution, and brought
tly premature old age. His figure was
18th longer erect and graceful, youth
ile Apollo, but bent with infrmities-
The complexion was no longer ruddy,
la- very emblem of health, but bronzed
lor exposure to the sun, sallow from disei
ant his features were no longer regu
ain and handsome, exciting the envy of {
her sex. and the admiration of the other,
18th his -visage was disfgured by hide
sed scar, caused by sabre cut which he
l received on boarding a piratical proa,
elf, the coast of Sumatra-his hair was
site longer dark and glossy, but grizzled
red, thin-and his countenance no Ion
ler, beamed with good humor, as if he W
and at peace with himself and all the wo
,ar- but was clouded with care and sorrow
His noble spirit had been broken v
.ha- the lash, and smile had been a stran
rely to his features for many long day
her After an absence of several years
ess- was about returning to his native ho
IDLY He had become so accustomed to mis-
Z. 4,ra tbat he no longer anticinated