The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1866-10-19

"Not exactly, mate" said my friend,
finishing the rum, "the strange part has to
come"
SO, repenishing his glass and reflling
his pipe, he continued
Well, every one of course, was very much
cast down at this, but poor Ellen partlcu-
larly. However. for many months she Kept
a brave heart, always telling the Captain
that she knew William would return, and
that they would be happy yet; and, dye
see. no one liked to tell the poor thing diff
ferent, although but very few thought
they'd ever see him again At any rate 1t
! was clear DR.. Paul didn't, for after while
he began to pay his addresses TO her. and
this time more in earnest than before: but
it was no use. Ellen would have nothing
to say to him at all.
Now, about two years after they had
pressed poor Will, when it was getting on
towards the winter time--there had been
good deal of dirty weather about, AID sew
eral vessels had been lost on the coast there
was report that several crews had been
paid off, and then Ellen made up her mind
more than ever that William would return;
when one day neighbor comes III and says
he has heard that a vessel like the Spitfre
that was the one William went out in
Udu EOut uONH Va tAS 1S1iAyS aIA ~ " -
feared all hands had perished; he had Il,
| he said, from a party who was told so BY
Paul, who had learned it when he went over
to Davenport the day before on s,me matter
OF business.
This was bad news for the poor lass, but
| l believe she still hoped and prayed for her
sailor sweetheart, and all along kept telling
| the captain that he would live to see her and
1 jnM bx;y Ix,,I f.
but about a fortnight after this Paul comes
/ in, in a great hurry, and shows the captain
| a bottle which he said had been picked up
on the Cornish coast, no doubt having
drifted in and in it was paper saying
that the Spitfre couldn't live the night
through and praying that whoever found
the bottle would for Heavens sake send it
on to Captain Meredith, of Cawsand, with
the last prayers of poor William Randall.
! This was dated back to about the time
when the Spitfre was said TO have gone
down: and SO now there seemed to be no
| hope at all, and SO poor Ellen seemed to think
at last for she got paler and weaker every
day, and moved about like one who had
nothing to live for. To make things worse,
the captain had got into debt, and difficult
ties got bigger and bigger Well, one day,
all of q sudden. the doctor goes to him and
offers to marry her out of hand, promising
to discharge all the captains obligations,
and stating his long and strong attachment
! mad induced him to make the proposal. The
| captain, as you may believe, didn't much
/ fancy Paul for son-in-aw, but at last be
| relented, and pressed by his debts and
troubles, urged Ellen to accept him The
poor lass refused, for long time, but when
she found her fathers welfare and liberty
depended on it, and besides, had lost all
hope Of seeing Will Randall again, at last
she consented.
But you don't mean to say that they
were married! interrupted.
In two or three months they were, and q
pretty couple they must have made she
with her tall figure and pale face, and hs
with his red head and bow legs, shambiine
along by her side. They were married Al
Millbrook Church, ton the hill, sir, ano
Will Randalfs old master read the service
They said Ellen didn't cry or faint, or have
any nonsense of any kind but went through
her share calmly and quietly enough, While
the doctor seemed all abroad. - Now, i
seems this very evening, just abou, DARK
when the captain had gone gu, to smoke his
pipe, that Paul who had gone up stairs
heard terribly loud scream, and rushing
back into the room where he had left Ellen
finds her tainted dead away on the floor
and William Randall himself kneeling by
her side,
William used to say afterwards that he
never could forget Pau's face when they
saw one another for the first time; he uset
to dream of it, he said; he had many ane
many time seen the faces of strong mel
who had been struck down in the heat ant
g 1,1 Il J l.
in other ways; but Paul's face he said re
/ minded him only Of picture he had seen
when quite lad, Of the devil which ht
remembered had frightened him then, bu
which he had forgotten till their eyes me
that night When Paul recovered his sur
prise he said not word about the marriage
but when William said he had just left Ply
mouth and hadn't seen soul in the village
yet, he suddenly seemed delighted at meet
ing him again, and insisted on their drink
ing together.
lie led Ellen into another room, where
he told VIII mother would attend to her, ant
shortly after returned with two glasses O.
stit grog, which he put on the table between
them. Now, Bill, old mate,' says he
"we'll drink to your return home. -" Blu
what about Nelly, my poor girlg" says
s.mother will soon bring her round. ane
meanwhile, let's drink the grog; but first 0
all let's shut the door and be snug, eh ?
So Paul shuts the door, and coming back Il
the table, says: "Now, Bill, here's TO YOU
jolly good health, and no heeltaps. ant
they both emptied their glasses. William,
says Paul after awhile, how DO you feel +?
"Quite well, Paul, my hearty, thank ye,
says Will "Do your says Paul grinning
/" then you won't for long Will Randall,
says he, getting white and trembling
"we've had long account to settle, an,
now it's done" "What dye mean" asket
Will in surprise, as you may be sure, "Tv,
never injured you" eyes, you have
says Paul didn't you step in between
me and the girl | had set my heart on
Didn't the neig hbors jeer and mock me ant
drive ne almost mad. And didn't | swea
to be even with you, come what might. Ane
am am When you were pressed say
be, getting worse, :. ! put the gang on you
brought the account which made then
think you were dead and, now you hav,
returned alive, to find the woman you loved
the wife Of the man you both despised ;
"It's shameful lie, cries Will, and ! can
believe it," .It's true" says Paul, "fol
we were married this morning. but, true
or false, it's all the same 10 you, for | tel
you Will Randall" and Paul turns very
pale and rubs his hanus, "you are poisoned
You drank the brandy, and in an hours tins
you are a dead man."
calm and low, and looking the doctor fairly
bu. you've made one mistake ! heard o
| ,r;o III N tbo anI I Ln n