The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-01-27

was in pecks O trouble, and wanted to leave
here instantly But | persuaded him not, and
now he is going to take my nephew, Jamie, tc
live wi hin, and they will be on the place to
keep you company and protect you while I'm
away"
Tou going away, Richard for what reason
You must not leave me'
"Oh, yes, | must, then. Ma duty is ma all
done yit. l am just going to seek after Mr.
Jaisper, and breeng him home till ye, for its ma
opeenion he's wanted"
Mrs. Fleming turned those great sad eyes OF
hers full upon him, and now for the first time
they were swimming in tears while Ruth, tot
tering to her feet caught the old mans brown
hard hand In hers, and pressed it to her lips.
:" My God!" said Mrs. Fleming, what have
| done to deserve such devotion Oh, Richard
it a mothers gratitude can repay you she
could say no more, but gave way to unrepres
sible tears, while Ruth, weeping, trembling
murmured:
"Oh, bring him home, bring him home once
more, Richard, and l will bless YOU
Madam and young leddie," said Richard
tbs no hardship to serve such as We are. Nay
! It's blessing enough in itsel. | shall ma come
back until such time as can bring Mr. Jasper
wi me'
/ This sturdy, true hearted old gardener, with
genuine Scotch pride, boosted of having &C
quired his humanities y in Marlborough. Did
he get that great hopeful heart of his in Edin-
borough? Was that tender, patient thoughtful
ness OF his one of the fruits a man can gather
upon the six $ forms of the well-hogged High
School? Nay, old man, the High School may
teach thee much, but, for these rare qualities OF
thine, the world claims them, not scarborough
The very next morning. well provided with
money and credit, old Richard set out on his
quest. Jasper, in the letter enclosing the pawn
ticket, had written that he was en- route for Cal
lfornia. His first object, then, was to find out
what vessel sailed on that particular Friday 1t
was easy enough for him to learn that the only
ship for El Dorado on that day was g the miss
ing clipper" Just like him In what other
vessel would this poor Jasper embark when a
missing clipper was at his command? Rich
ard went to See the underwriters, and asked
leave to inspect list of passengers. The name
was not there. Whose name was it he was
looking for? All there was Jasper among
the crew. See here Observation-Disclosures
sailed before-$l2 per month" Shipped the day
! before sailing. Old Richard raised his hands in
horror. The idea of Jasper, Mrs. Jennings son,
the millionaire, doing dogs work before the mast,
at twelve dollars month 1t was something that
his conservatism and natural respect for order
and position would not permit him to understand.
But there could be no doubt about it. One of
the clerks in the office was present when he
shipped, and remembered him-particularly his
white hand and his arstocratic manner. Had
they no news of the vessel, good or bad p? No ;
she was spoken off the east coast of Patagonia,
but nothing more was known of her. 1t was
feared she had foundered off the Horn. They
had written to their California agent to send
down the coast in search of information, and
were expecting news daily. They would not
advise HIM, however, to encourage any extrava-
CANT hopes. When ship is not heard from
for year, sailing that voyage, there was but
little chance they would ever hear from her.
This little hope, however, was enough for
Richard. He dispatched brief note to the
Hall, saying that he had positive news of Jas
per having sailed for the Pacific, whittier he
was also about TO proceed forthwith. The next
day he started for California, via the Isthmus
OF Panama 1t was a very wearisome VOYAGE
for the old man, the tossing steamer, the boat
'tt L. IL - 81, ;l s,,", onn ''Is
was inspired with high purpose, and the man
who gives himself up, body and soul, to any
great purpose, thereby acquires powers of en-
durance otherwise undreamt of. 1t seems as
if the angels in such one recognise kindred
spirit, and hasten to buoy up his frame, sus-
tain his heart, and, with tender guardianship,
elevate the trail humanity into some equality
with the great spirit that informs it.
At San Francisco, he learned that the ship
had been wrecked on the coast Terra del Fue-
so, and the crew and passengers all massacred
by the savage. excepting the first mate, who,
though terribly manged. and cripple for life,
had managed to save himself The under
writers agent had seen him, and learned
all the particulars. Had he enumerated those
drowned and slain? He said that all save
himself were lost. Did he see them die? per-
sisted the stout-hearted Richard, who had an
indomitable skepticism in regard to misfortunes,
and grand confidence in Mr.. Jaisper's star.
Where was this mate ? He was in Honolulu.
Enough. Writing home. again. and telling
them to keep up heart until he himself should
despair, the old man took passage in the first
vessel for Honolulu. Still steadfast, he would
have engaged balloon for voyage to the
moon, had it been necessary. His hopes were
slight indeed, when he landed among the Kan
akas and sought put the mate, but they acre
hopes, and, as sudh, impeling forces to him.
Tins mate, when found, but the mental
and bodily wreck of a once fine, hearty, fellow,
not intelligent, bat brave, and working excel
4 lenty when kept in harness. This was but
family indicated in the hulk that Richard found,
with face SCARED horribly and limbs all rack
posure. He had gotten himself a wife here
and little hut near the Ocean, and a pipe.
Here Richard saw him, lying on his back on
a grassy turf, within sound of the sea, and his
dusk wife by his side, tenderly keeping off the
insects. Halfasleep in body, and his mind all
a-dreaming taking rest, as it were, after the
horrible things it had gone through. Still ~
ing there placidly on his back, with halfclosed
eyes, the cripple listened to Richards interrog
atOries, and then began to speak, in his far-otf,
dreamy, gentle tones, of having been first Off
Ger to proud Clipper, and how she sailed the gal
lantest craft that ever bowled on before gale !;
how terrible storms disabled her at the Cape,
and how she cast away, crumbling upon
the black rocks. " like this 'baccy crumbles to
ashes in my pipe, shp-mate 1" and how the
Captain, like a brave Viking of old, went down
with his ship and how the~rest, as they were
building them sort of raft, were set upon by
the savages, some killed, and some captured !;
and how they were beaten, and tortured, and
roasted, and driven about, until they were all
dead, despairing, and he himself alone remained
to tell the tale, which happened because of a
woman" always loved the woman, matey--
they're all heart said he, Internationally, press
ing his hand upon the wrist of his smiling Kama
ka maiden-a woman, who took pity on him, and
got him away by night, and showed him the
way to where some white men were hunting
seals and how they had taken him of, and
left him kindly at this place, where, please the
Good Master, he meant to abide the rest of his
days; and that was all, and as he was dry, would
Oaha fetch him some of that cocoa-nut liquor,
which, albeit twas not so good as rum, was
nh nttCh N hax-a III, b., N Il