, 1864-02-13
[FROM WILSON'S TALES OF TIE BORDERS. !
Bill Stanley.

ltWaS year OF TWO DelOre the snort peace
Of Amiens that two young seamen were sit
ting in a public house, in North Shields,
which shall please to speak of as the sign
Of the Old Ship; and its landlord shall
call Mr.. Danvers. The name of one sailor
was William Stanley, the other Jack Jen-
kins. Jack was but plain fellow, though
no lubber; but Bill was glorious young
fellow-the admiration Of everybody. Al
though only the son Of poor laundress,
who wrought hard to bring him up, while
boy, he had cOntrived to get knowledge
and bOOk-learning enough to have been made
commodore Of college. may here tell
you, too, that old Danvers had daughter
called Mary, one of the best and prettiest
girls on all Tyneside. She was Bills con-
sort on all occasions; and they were true to
each other as needle is to the pole. Jack
and he were friends and shipmates; and,
while sitting together,
~ say, Bill" said his comrade, "as we
are to sail upon long voyage tomorrow,
what say you for run up to Newcastle to
the theatre tonight? You shall take Polly
Danvers, and shall take my old woman"
For Jack was married.
at is of no use thinking Of it," answered
he; Il am brought up here as though it
were my last mooring."
"Whew! wheww whistled the other
"with pretty Polly for chain cable. But
don't ask you to part company with each
other. So let us make ready and start"
"No," added Stanley; "thc best play
| nd kh., hnaN NJ, L.
to me tonight like land-lubber sitting
smiling and piping upon Ante on the sea-
banks, while was being dashed to pieces
by the breakers under his feet"
"What are you drifting at, Bill?" said
jenkins; "your upper works seem to have
hoisted moon-raker."
~ am unhappy, Jack" said he, earnest
ly, sand the cause presses like lead upon
my heart. 1t throbs like'fre within my
forehead. For more than twenty years
have been tossed about as a helmless vessel,
without compass or reckoning. 1t is hard,
jack, that j can't mention my mothers
name, but the blush upon my check must
dry up the tear that falls for her memory.
Three months ago, as you know, / came
home with the earnings Of two years voy-
age in my pocket, and found-O, ship
mate! when expected to have flung my
savings into my mothers lap, 1 found her
dying in miserable garret, with scarce q
blanket to cover her! She had been long
i'll; and the rich old rascal called Wates
(who came to this part of the country some
years ago) seized all but the straw on which
she lay for his rent. thought my heart
had burst as flung myself on the ground
by her side. A mist came over my eyes.
l neither knew what / saw nor heard. l
felt her cold arms clinging round my neck.
She spoke-she told me my fathers name
Comrade! it was the first time l had heard
it The word father pierced my heart like
dagger, and, in my agony, knew not
what she said. l started, entreated her
to repeat it again. But my mother was
silent! she was dead the arms Of a corpse
were fastened round my neck! With the
breath which uttered the name she had not
spoken for more than twenty years, her spirit
fed-and IL cannot remember it"
"Vast there, Bill" cried Jack, wiping a
tear from his eyes; [" that is tragedy enough,
without going to the play for it. But, for
the sake Of Mary Danvers, the prettiest girl
on Tyneside, (not even excepting my old
woman) cheer up, my lad"
"If that should cheer me-" said he, al
believe it is the principal cause why l am
sad to-day"
"Why, then, said Jack, "don't you take
an example by me, and run your frigate to
church at once? You will find plain gold
ring is precious fast anchor"
"But what" replied Stanley, " if the old
commodore, her father, won't allow me to
take her in tow?"
"He won'tp cried jenkins; "that's a
good 'un! Old dad Danvers won't allow
you to splice with her! What's his reason ?
I'm sure he can't say but you are as sober
us the chief Judge Of the admiralty"
"To-night," replied Stanley, in tone Of
agitation, che found her in my company,
and called, or rather dragged her away; ;
and, as they went, heard him upbraid her
bitterly, and ask her If the meanness Of her
spirit would permit her to throw herself
away upon-upon-" William became
more agitatcd; the words he had to utter
seemed to stick in his throat; and his friend
jenkins exclaimed
"Upon better man than ever he was in
his life! But what did he say, Bill-upon
what was she going to throw herself away 7"
upon bcggar's nameless bastard he
said" groaned poor Stanley, striking his
hand upon his brow.
"What dye say" cried jenkins, clench-
ing his fist. Had the old fellows ribs not
been removed off the first letter, this hand
had shivered them! Flesh and blood! STAN
ley, how did We endure ii"
III started to my feet" said he; "my
teeth grated together; but / heard her gen.
tie voice reproving him for the word, and il
fell upon my heart like the moon upon the
sea, Jack, after storm. My hand fell by
my side. He is her father, thought | /; and,
for the first time in his life, Will Stanley
brooked an affront."
Just as he was speaking, gentle tap came
to the door. "Good night, Jack" added
he; al understand the signal; the old cruz
ser is off the coast, and now for the SNUG
Cling trade"
may tell you that the reason why old
Danvefs was so averse to his daughter keep
ing company with Bill Stanley was, that
~ "a II. .,sl1osx