The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1862-05-23


! the proprietor rejoincd. Z" lies getting to be
nuisance"
With the air Of man in q trance 30 com
plciely were his thoughts occupied, the Colone
bowel to the proprietor AMI left the =" dogsery,
burrying down street leading 20 the river
Ssiicnly, as he was thus hastoiiins onward, HI
saw over the door Of a warehouse . sign, bear
ing the name Of a firm, Halcolm & Cradles.
The Colonel started and his face brightencc
With a look Of energy and resolution.
| "Ill see him |" he said, and call him to ac'
count; these mysteries are not gathering around
me without purpose
lie entered tho store and passed. along between
an array Of boxes, barrels and bales, towards
the small and dingy counting-room In the real
Of the building.
"Coree ono dollar per pound !" he heard
voice saying. "Tea five dollars ditto Salt
dollar per penny's worth, and everything else In
the import line In proportion. Who would moi
run the blockade for such profits "
The person thus soliloquizins was Squire
Cradles, Capt. IIalcoms partner, a hard.iaced
| anil tight-fstcd merchant Of the village. While
no was glccfully rubbing his hands together, the
Colonel entered his presence.
"Ah Colonel Wayne, Of Wayneeville,
believe" said Cradles, arising and bowling
d" Know you by sight, Colonel, although we've
never had accounts. What can do in our line
for YOU today"
~ wish to SEQ your partner. Mr.. Halcom.'
Sorry" Cradles rejoncd, but Captain Hal
com has gone, ana will not be back to-day, as nc
In. ur.,cn, business elsewhere. The fact Is were
about TO run tho blockade with flect--a reg lar
| fleet, Coonel--carrying between three ana iou'
thousand bales of cotton, and worth nearly h'n
| a million Of dollars We've found planters u
furnish the cargocs, which we've nearly sakeD
| in, the first dark night II 500 the fleet o" io'
Liverpool. This, ! tell the Cnpn, is running "''
blockade with a vengeance y
| Tho Co,o,ol howell lie saw that CraiIos hau
neither heard the rumors against his ioy"''' m''
been prcjuliced by lInlcom against h''n' "'
signal o, an empty whisky bottle on tho mel
| cbon,,s desk. coupled with his flushed Manner
.,vcd Ia explain the confidential nature y
his observations Rcmarkihg that he ~o"''
emil AGAIN the Colonel withdrew and proceeded on
bis w,v IN the river. When he reached the
priucipal wharf, near the railroad depot he paus-
ell AMI stood looking at the shippine'
Between Blyth island and the main-land, AMI
| only short distance below the villasc,a medium
sized briv was living at anchor. Sho was ioadeu
with thirteen hundred bales OF cotton anu
owned Jointly by lialcom and Cradles INV
business had formerly been coastIpg' 'oi
which she wa. peculiarly adapted, oeinH -
light draft and n fast sailor but she had later!
been employed in moro lucrative commerce,
bringing cargocs of coffee and other produces
from the West Inlcs. She had made several
| voyages already since the institution OF the
| blockade although not without rick and danger,
once ;stting aground on the North Breakers, in
| the attempt to enter the harbor one stormy
| night, and at other times barely escaping the
blocl ading squadron. This was Halcoms Ia
voritc vessel.
| In the immediate vicinity Of this brig lay se,'
er,l smaller vessels, also laden with cotton conn
ri,inga couple Of schooner', small brig and two
| sloops. Some Of thcm had lain idle all summer,
| the owners not daring to run the blockade, and
the rest had been shut up for longer OF shortai
pcriod. The whole Of them formed the eottot
lee, or which Cradles had spoken to tho Colonel
| They were nearly ready for sea.
| Anchored in the stream a short distance above
the town was small silc-whscl steamer, wlicl
had been unused for several months. Bcln,
small. AMI unable to move with0p. bctray inl
her whereabouts ly her smoke ana noise, the pro
pric,ors a the cotton aect had declined to char
Ter her.
All Of these vessels appeared deserted, save
the brig just mentioned, showing no sign' o.
life.
"lf coull only reach her, the Colonel ex'
| claimed, ms he gA"d at the steamer, "pCrhap,
my engineering skill could be put to some use
| To his ,;rca, surprise and joy, in hi. searcl
along the each, the colonel soon found small
boat slowed away under temporary pier which
hnd been used in loading the cotton. The hand
lie Of an oar wa. visible, and he took it for grant
| Of Tint its fellow could be found when wanted
Looking around in every direction, and seeing
that no one was observing him, he stepped Into the
frail craft and pushed of from the shore, just as
the first shades Of twilight descended OH the
scene.
II was at this very instant that the colonel
thought of Coral with pang. lie reflected that
he had been absent from her nearly a whole
| LAY.
Finding that the current bore him rapidly
down the stream, whom he wished to proceed in
the opposite direction, he hastily seized the oar
anl cndeavcrcd to row towards the steamer.
As he mafs gg} little ,,rgTss,,. 4e s9oq became
anxious, and Was further disturbed by discover.
Ing that the oar he had seized was the only one
| In the boat
An exclamation Of alarm escaped him, and
he again thought Of Coral while tho shades Of
night deepenel. Getting nervous and excited
lac excrted himself 20 much that the oar sud len
ly snapped in twain.
"G9Ql Heavens : he exclaimed, nearly fall.
DOR N'' GUAM
The pieces of the broken oar hoated AWAY. and
the boat driftrd rapidly down with he current
The Colonel did not Immediately realize tho
oStcn, Of his misfortune. Not TIL he had vain.
ly searched the boat for a seat or a piece OF
was 10 Startled by )Yll realization Of the fac
that ho was being carried put TO SEA. lie loSksS
towards the town. and trenihled at the though
sS, sS .'' Coral would feel at l1' r.s!0Dss'
Evidently the tides going out, Tho .oliloqui1
{ lie made another effort to check the pro,r..
n | oil the boat with his hands, but without an
, perceptihle result lie was soon below Blyth
Island, where the river began TO widen ont Lcrnr
: | ha IN rtant "a