St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1859-07-14
Romantic Sksttk.
From the Boston Olive Branch.
THE LEE SHORE.
BY JOHN II. UNDERWOOD.

None but the brave deserve the fair. ~
One fine morning in early autumn
the ship Cornucopia, which had been
lying at Charleston, s. c., let go her
hawsers from the wharf, sheeted home
her topsail and stood out of the har-
Dor then squaring her yards and set
ting successfully her courses, to gal
liant sails, royal and studding sails Oh
both sides, she bore away before the
wind, and soon disappeared from the
view of those who were watching her
on shore.
The Cornucopia was bound to a
European port, and carried several
passengers among them were Mr..
Lemaire, her owner, and his daughter
Eugene, "a lovely girl of eighteen.
The father and daughter remained
on deck until the shores of South
Carolina had entirely melted away in
the "dim distance astern, dividing
their attention between the land they
were leaving, and the operations of
the busy crew around them.
They seemed to have an intimate
acquaintance with the chief mate OF
the Cornucopia, who had charge OF
the deck, for whenever his duties
called him to that part Of the ship, he
addressed them familiarly, while the
meaning glances that were exchanged
between him and Eugcnia when her
fathers attention was, for moment
diverted, were an indication that some
secret understanding existed between
them.
As our story relates chiefly to the
persons already mentioned, a few
words of explanation are necessary,
that the reader may know something
Of their precedents and the relation i'll
which they stood to each other.
Mr.. Lemaire was a wealthy mer
chant of Charleston, and though Il
kind-hearted and liberal man in most
respects, was exceedingly aristocratie
in his ideas, but his daughter, Eugenia
had inherited all his nobler qualities
without sharing his prejudices in re
gard to birth and rank, and was be
loved by all who knew her.
Richard Warner had been for some
months the chief-mate Of the Cornuco
pia. Two years before, he had beer
quietly pursuing his studies in New
England college with the intention o
qualifying himself with some one o
the learned professions. He had near
Iy completed his college course, whel
the sudden death of his father in EN-
barrassed circumstances had put al
end to his hopes in this direction AM
compelled him to labor for the sup
port of his mother and sister.
Before entering college he had mad
two sea voyages, partly for the bene
fit of his health and partly becaus
he really loved sea life. He ha'
made rapid progress in learning sea
manship, and now that his prospect
in life had 80 suddenly changed, turne
to this as a means of support, and
sure though difficult road to success
and fortune.
He easily procured situation a
, an inferior officer for the first voyage
} and performed his duties SO faithful
and well, that he was speedily promo
ted to the position of chief.mate, an
in this capacity had joined the Corn
copia in northern port, whence sh
had Immediately returned to Charlie
1 ton.
The commander of the ship was s
. much of an invalid as to be at time
incapable of attending to his propt
duties, but as he was happiest whe
at sea, and was, moreover, an excel
ent seaman, and an old friend of NJ
Lemaire's he had been allowed to r
tain his situation, on condition tn,
he would always employ capab
and efficient mate who could take cor
mand of the ship on an emergency.
While the Cornucopia remained
5 Charleston he was more feeble tha
usual, and much Of the care and re
possibility of the ships affairs hs
deyolyed upon Warner, who was TIN
C thrown into direct communication wi
Mr.. Lemaire
: The merchant was much pleas,
with the manner i'll which the your
1T man attended to the concerns of t
X ! ship, and finding him to be gent
= man of education and refinement,
vited him frequently to his house, a!
extended to him the cordial hospitali
for which Southerners are so celebl
ted.
If 1t is not necessary to relate he
I'd Mr.. Warner and Eugenia became