Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1861-12-13
VOL. XLIII.
FIRST LOVE OF an ANCIENr
MARINER.

{ eighty years OF age. An acquaintance Of b
heard him, short time before his death, te
the following story of his first love. Thus
says, it came about:
We were wont TO meet him at The house {
, a mutual friend, where he was always a we
come guest; came and went as he listed, an
had his hammock swung in chamber wher
the temperature suited him best; for be love,
a cold, clear atmosphere. In a word, he wa
the centre of as charming a household groul
ds shall be seen any day. Blooming face
shone upon him, merry sorigs greeted him as b.
took bis place beside the cherry hearth in thos
cold evenings in spring. One bright-haire,
creature with rosy lips claimed him ever as be
own, seated him beside her on the velvet couch
called him "her dear boy" which delighted tn,
ancient mariner above all things and at las
drew from him the tale referred to-
l had been reminding him of a very ole
friend, now deadj and of whom he had heart
nothing for r1any years; as spoke, tide o
carly recOIlectiohs swept up and filed the ole
mans eyes with tears. "Ahr' said be- @he was
a very kind friend to me; we had been school
mates, and then we went to sea together. AT
ter a while we parted, and entered the royal
navy; when next l saw o., was commander
on board the -. lie was on the Quay al
GrceuocIl when sailed in. and little thought
that the vessel carrying royal penant was
commanded by Johnnie Ross. 1 landed, aud
went up TO him with a gentleman who knew
Us both.
90" said the latter, "do you remember little
johnnie Ross?s ra~
Well answered O.; "and precious little
scamp he was!7
ION this" observed Sir John, eve shook
hands and renewed our acquaintance, and
had reason to be glad Of it; for 0. was very
kind TO me"
"Now about Margaret, said the bonny crea-
ture beside him.
"Ahi she was noble girl! When first
knew her she was ten, and l about twelve
years old We used 10 walk home together
from the school, and at first were very happy;
but before long the children began TO watch
US, and we were obliged to make signs to one
another about meeting. [ mind well how shame
faced we were when others caught US making
signals before the breaking up; and one day
the master saw us, and it was on that occasion
Margaret showed such spirit and courage as
made me never forget her.
81 had got out OF school, he continued, after
a short pause, "aEd was waiting for her, never
needing the children laughing at me- as | stood
watching for the sight of her bonny face for
she was very fair.' ! can by no means de-
scribe the palhos OF the cd mans tone, as he
said this. when l began to think she was
in troubles nad kept in,' hid myself till the
place was clear Of ither folk, and then cree
pit round and keeked in at the window of
sidc-room where scholars in disgrace were put
sometimes. Poor Margaret was indeed there,
sitting upon box, very ioFlorn, aud crying
bitterly. She frightened up when she saw my
face in the wi1dow-pane and smiled when |
to d her had baen waiting for her. Then l
declared would be revenged upon our hard
master, and went at once to the schOOi-room to
carry out my plan; this was easy, for there was
no one there
just over the masters desk was 4 shelf on
which stood large inl5-bottle and near to this
again was the hat with which the dominic al
ways crowned himself when he assumed the
scat of authority. | mounted the desk, took
piece of string from my pocket, tied the ink
jar and the hat toy lcr, then, descending from
my perch, left the room, and ran aroul d again
to the sidc-window 10 prepare Margaret
for the result of my device. Then ran home
to dinner, and returned to school in the after
noon.
81 was late. All the children were in the
room; and at the masters desk stood Marga-
ret with scarlet cLecks but triumphant eyes,
just receiving the last blow of the leather strap
on her open land. The punishment of my
misehievOus revenge Lad been visited upon her
Streams of ink discolored the masters face;
and books and desk, on which last lay the bro
ken ink,jar, were saturated with it. The
master himself was furious; and the more so
that Margaret had borne the infiction like a
heroine, in perfect silence, resolutey refusing
to give the name Of the delinquent whose
accompliec she was accused If being She
looked at me as she moved defiantEy away,
and the expression of her eye warned me not
to sp ak. 1t was indeed TOO late. l hurried
from the room before was observed: Marra-
! ret walked proudly after me; and for the last
time took our way home together from the
school"
Il cannot do justice to the story as told by
the old navigator Nearly seventy years had
passed away, and yet the memory his child
love was still the green spot in his heart The
Pathos, too, was enhanced by the Scottish ac-
cent, which dignifed, so to speak, little
history, that finely illustrates the exquisite
poem, Jeanie Morrison:
e.I've wandered cas-, I've wandered west,
I've borne weazy lot;
Bat in all my wan, c-ngs far or nca~,
Ye never were forget
Fhe rount that first burst frae this heart
Sgill travels s way;
And channels Ieepe- as 4 rims
The luve o. fe's young day.
He said all this, and much more than l can
do justice to. The whole picture of the twa
bairns-.'twa BARNS and but ae heart''-rose
before me, as, blushinr, frightened, and silent.
they ''cleelzit thegither hame" after school.
''Ta7s then we luyt each itbc: w,eIs
Twas then twa did part;
Sweet time, sad time. .-twa btirls at schuIc,
Twa BARNS and bat hcart.''
Il saw thir twa BARNS with their heads bent
DER ae braid page" with one book between
them the girl intent upon the lesson, the boy 5
lesson in that fair cbiId's eyes:
'sThy look was on thy lesson
But-my lesson in thee -
lie and Margaret met but twice arterward
/ He dwet most on the FIRST OF these meetings.
81 was travelling, he said; "in Scotland, when
the coach stopped to take up passenger The
moment the door opened, | knew her at once,
bHt-she didna remember me;'' he sighed as
! Le said this. "Then," he continued, 81 told
| her who was, and reminded her of old times,
/ thirty years before, and of that story of the
nk-bottle and the beating she had got for my
sake. She had almost forgotten it, but never
| had" Margaret, the mother of large iami-
J ", is now an aaeA woman, and probably