Delaware inquirer. (Wilmington, Del.) 1859-18??, 1860-02-11

| lie property ny MI tne nelBuHotri hiu W.
school-boys assembled hera every Saturda,
afternoon for piscatory achievements, amids
boisterous jests and frolic.
n John Strong was bold, out-spoken boy, anc
the nsolent tones of the Squire's son at once
reused his belligerent qualities.
The pond belongs quite as much to me as
it does to you, sir, and shall stay here just az
long as like for all your orders"
"You will, eh ! I'D like to know what right
you, poor beggar of carpenters son, have
to speak to me in that way" and Robert Nor
ton, whose naturally overbearing disposition
had been nurtured by the indulgence of most
injudicious parants-tor he was an only SON
advanced toward the boy whose senior he was
by two or three years. tauntingly cracking a
small ridng-whip which he carriedin his hand.
| The angry blood burned over the face of John
Strong, while the girls shrieked for fear
Come on" he cried, assuming bellgerent
attitude and doubling hist fists, I'm not afraid
of you, Bob Morton, if you are the Squire IS
son, and I'd like first rate to give you lickin'
for that insult"
| 1t was not the right action nor the right an
swer; but the carpenters son forgot, in that
| hour of sore temptation, what many older and
wiser heads than his have done, that il is
neither money nor station which makes the
true gentleman, only the heart that is gentle,
and noble and self-sustaincd and John Strong
certainly descended when he replied to the
taunts of the Squire's son, aggravating rs they
were.
Robert Morton had handsome face, but it
was one of those, despite its dark, clearly cut
features, which your heart never chung to One
which, the more il was studied the less it was
loved and now an expression OF angry pride
darkened and distorted every lineament as he
stood still moment before john Strong, and
then lifting his whip, struck him quick sharp
blow OH the forehead. The next moment the
two boys closed in nm angry scufile. John was
the smaller of the two but exercise had devel-
oped his muscles, and given him degree of
physical power which one would hardly have
suspected from the first glance. He soon sue
cecded in wrestling the whip from the Squires
son, and after Il brief struggle threw him on
the ground, and as Johns temper had COM
pctey oycrmastered Kim, he gave his nntago-
mist scverer beating than he himself, was
aware of.
"rll make you pay for this, old fellow you'll
sec !" growled the boy, as, with bruised face
and stiff limbs, h limpcd away.
40, father, my Johnnie,s sent to Jail shall
never be able TO lift up my head again" and
the poor mother wrung her hands, and tears
scattered themselves over her pale cheeks.
1t was dark day uuder the roof of the lit
tie red house of the carpenter, Jason Strong
The Suuire's son had executed bis threat,
and so worked upon his fathers sympatbies
and Indignation by the story of the wrongs
which lie had received, that he had commence
ed suit against the carpenter, on account OF
his son, and the latter was sent to Jail because
his father could not raise the hundred dollars
which would have paid the boys bonds.
Jason Strong leaned his head in his hard
hands and groaned, while Minnie and Wealthy,
who scarcely comprehcnded, the fearful It'd
ines, crept close to each other in one corner OF
the kitchen, and sidled their little brown hands
int each others and looked with sorrawful
faces upon the father and mother,
"My hoy in Jail, murmured the poor mother,
as she paced, with locked hands, up and down
the room my boy that | loved So and was
SO proud Of, whose little brown head have
rocked to sleep so many nights in the cradle
yonder.'-
90 don't, don't wife, groaned the carpenter,
and his whole frame swayed like sobbing
child's, while the two girls cried softly in the
corner.
And lust at that moment the front gate OF
the redhouse was opened, and man strobe
into the yard, and up to the front door-a man
small and somewhat thin, but having that ram
bling gait and sailors dress which at once in
dcated his nautical occupation.
His ewes roamed a moment over the humble
cottage its messy roof embroidered with gol-
den devices of the sunset; then he lifted the
heavy handle of the brass knocker and gave
such a summons that il must have reached the
ears of any living soul under the low roof.
Minnie put her small, sweet face out of the
front door, looked up eagerly at the man.
uCan YOU tell me, little one, if man by the
name o. Strong halls from this craft z"
The blue eyes dilated with sweet wonder at
the strange language.
~ don't know what you mean"
"Ain't used to sailors yarns, ef, little sea-
bird? ~
sWell, then, can you tell me who lives in
side?n
.IIis names Jason Strong
"The very man I'm AFTER exclaimed the
sailor, setting his foot over the threshold; then
as if a sudden thought struck him, he checked
himself. and looking down earnestly on the
child, he asked, "Won't you tell me your
name?n
am Minnie Blake"
He reached out the strong arm and lifted the
small figure, and folded it up closely, as
mother her newly-found child, to his heart,
and the words came in u SOD 10 ms lips, my
child, am your father.
o there was wonder and joy in the carpen-
ter's honse that night when it was discovered
that Minnie's father had returned to them-he
whose hair they thought had been Dragged
by the salt sea waves for more than three years.
ne had a long story to tell of terrible misad-
ventures by land and sea-of niscarried let
tcrs md years of sickness in a strange land,
and Mt last of restored health--of tidings that
had reached him of the death OF his wife, and
Of his daughters adoption by their neighbor
and his old playmate Jason Strong.
And the carpenter, in his turn, had mourn
full tale to relate of sickness and poverty, and
hopes deferred; but the saddest part OF tue
story was its conclusion.
"a hundred dollarsn growled the sailor,
and he drew out his plethcric pocket book.
sold friend, you took my child INTO your
craft when the storm came down hardest.
Your boy won't lie in Jail two hours longer"
There was double joy in the carpenters house
that night Johnnie Strong was removed
from Jail, for the sailor was as good as his
word, and lawyer was procured to plead the
case Of the carpenters son, who did 1t so ABLY
and eloquently that the boy was acquitted TO
the great establishment and rage OF squire
Morton.
nI'm tired of the seas, old friend" said the
sailor, one evening, week after his return, as
he sat in Jason Strong's little kitchen, with
Minnie on his knee, and her small brown mn,
gers futtering like the wings of newly-fedged
birds in his iron gray hair "and when lay
ont in an old raft one night at sea, and it seem
ed though every wave that went over US wouid
he The last we could stand l made Il solemn
nromise with my own soul that if ever God
brought me to see the shore again, I'd never
leave II to take another voyage for all the gold
| Of the East Indies. And I've got thousand
| doiIaro that the old general gave to me for ty-