The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1867-09-20
Misffllaneous.
MARRYING A CONVICT.

HAD served twenty years on board
an East 1ndaman, and for the last ten
years had commanded the Belle, one OF
the finest vessels ever floated. was an
old sea captain and had dwelt so long on
salt water that | had almost hatred for
the land.
! On the 10th of October, 1924, receiv-
ed orders to put myself in readiness to
sail for Cayenne. | was to transport
seventy-flve soldiers and aoonvict. |
had orders to treat this individual well,
and the letter | received from the Di-
rectOry inclosed another with huge
red seal, which was not to open until
between 26 and 2S degrees west long-
tude; that is, just before we were abuut
to cross the line.
The letter was IL long packet, so well
closed on every side that it was impos-
sible to catch the slightest glimpse OF
its contents. am not naturally super
stitiOus, but there was something in
the look of the letter that did not alto
gether like, though could give no rcas-
on why. However, | carried it into
the cabin, and stuck it under the glass
of little shabby old English clock
which was fastened above my head
I was busy fixing the letter under the
clock when who should come into the
cabin but the convict and his wife :
This was the first time | had seen eth.
er of them, and l may say tn at more
prepossessing couple ! never met. :.
The woman was scarcely more than if
teen, and as handsome us IL picture
while the husband was an intelligent,
magnificently formed man, on whose
features nature. had never written vii
| lain.
His crime, to be plain, was the mis-
fortune of being n hundred years ahead
of his age. He and others had ATTEMPT
ed something which our government
called treason, and which it punished
with death. 1t therefore, occasiC ned
me considerable wonder that he should
be placed under my charge-but more
| of this afterwards.
lie had, AS | said, his wife hanging
on his arm. She was AS merry as bird
she looked like turtle dove cooling and
Nesting between his great wings.
Before Il month had passed over oul
heads, looked upon them us my owr
children. Every morning | used tc
call them into my cabin. The young
fellow would sit, writing at my table
that is to say my cl.est, which was my
bed. He would often-help me at reck.
oning, and soon learned to do it better
than | could. | was amazed Mt hi,
ability. His young wife would sit up.
on one of the round stools in my cabin
working at her needle.
! One day we were all three sitting il
this way when | said:
DO you know my young ones, rs il
seems to me, we make pretty family
picture: Mind | don't mean TO ask
questions, but maybe you have not
much money to spare, and you are
both of you us | think, too handsome
to die in the burning sun of Ceycnne
like many poor wretch before you.-
It's bad country-a bad country, take
my word for it. /, who have roughed
it through tempest, wind and sunshine
till I've got the skin of rhinoceros
might get along there; but you-I am
afraid ofyou. So, ify you should have II
chance of foolish friendship for your
poor old captain, I'll tell you what
I'll do. I'll get rid of this old brig
she's not much better that an old tub
after all so I'll settle myself down with
you, if you like. You see that | have
not living soul now, to care for, OF
! that cares for me. / want relations, !
want home, | want family. ] should
like to make my home with you, my
young ones; What say yc?
They said nothing at all, but sat
looking, first at cack other, then at me,
as if they doubted whether they un.
derstood what said.
At last the little bird threw her arms
around my neck and cried like baby.
But" said she, suddenly pausing,
"you havn't looked at the letter with
the big red seal"
"llang it "I exclaimed, sit had slip
ed my mind entirely,
With II cold dreadful sensation went
to my chest to see where we were.
found that we had several days remain,
ing before we should reach the proper
longitude for opening the letter,
Well there we stood all three of US
looking up at the letter as if it could
have spoken to us. AS it happened
the sun was shining full upon the face
of the clock case, and fell upon the
great staring red seal of the letter.
could not help fancying ii looked some
thing like n monster, an ogre's face
grinning from the middle of the fire
it looked horrid. "Could not one fan
cy," said to make them laugh, 'it'i
great big eyes We're starting out of ii,
head ?
:" All, my love-" said the wife, 81
looks like bloOd.u t