The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1867-06-11
Marrying ACen,iet.

noated, ! was an old sea-dug and had
daelt 50 long on salt water that | lcll
almost hatred FOR the land
On the 20th Of October 1924. / re-
coiyod orders 10 put myself in readiness
to sail for Cayenne. was 80 transport
seventy Eve soldiers and convict |
bad orders to treat TINS individual we'll
and the letter received from the Di-
rector enclosed another. with a huge
red seal. which | was not 10 open until
between q and 2S deg. west longitude.
thnt is, Just before We were about to
cross the hne.
The letter was long packet, so clos
ed ON every side that IL was impossible
to catch the slightest glimpse fits con-
tents | am not naturally superstitious
but there was some thing in the look OF
tho letter that did not altogether like,
though | could give no reason Why.
However, carried II into the cabin,
aud stuck it under the glass of a little
old shabby English clock, which was
fastened above my head. ! was busy
fixing the letter under the clock when
who should come into my cabin bat the
convict and his wife This was the
first time had seen either Of them, and
| may say that a more prepossesslng
couple j never met The woman was
scarcely ffteep, and rs handsome as 0
picture; while the husband was an in.
telligent, magnifcently formed man, on
whose features nature had never writ
ten william.
His crime, to be plain, was the mis-
fortune of being hundsed years a.
head Of his age He and others had
attempted something which the govern
ment called treason, and which it pun
ished with death. 1t, therefore, occa-
stoned me considerable wonder that he
should be placed under my charge
But more OF this afterwards.
He bad, as ! said his wife hanging on
his arm. She was as merry ms bird
81 looked like turtle dove. cooling
and nesting beneath his great wing.
Before a month had passed over our
heads, looked upon them MS my own
children. Every morning j used to call
them into my cabin. The young fellow
would sit writing ut my table, that is to
say, at my chest, which was my bod 80
He would often help me at my reckon
ing, and soon learned to do better than
could. / was amazed at his ability
His young wife would SIT upon one Of
the round stools in my cabin, working
at her needle.
One day. we were sitting in this way,
when i said
do you know, my young ones, as it
seems to me, we make very pretty
family picture? Mind, don't mean'to
ask questions, but may be you have not
much money to spare, and you are, both
Of you, as think, too handsome to dig
in the burning sun of Cayenne, like
many poor wretch before you. It's q
bad countrya bad country, take my
word for it. |, who have roughed it
through tempest, wind and sunshine,
till I've the skin of rhinoceros might
get along there: but you-Im afraid
for YOU So, If You shonld chance to
have a bit of foolish friendship for your
poor old captain, I'll tell YOU what III
do. III get rid Of this old brig; she's
not much better than an old tub, after
all so I'll settle myself down there with
you, if you ike. You see / have not a
living soul in the world to care for, or
that cares for me. / want relations,
want a home, / want family. | should
like to make my home with you, my
pretty young oues What say ye?'
They said nothing at all, but sat look
ing, first at each other and then at me,
as if they doubted whether they under
stood what | said.
At last the little bird threw her arms
around my neck and cried like baby
"But, said she, suddenly pausing,
"you haven't looked at the letter with
the big red seal
"Hang it, I exclaimed, ''it had slip
ped my mind entirely"
With cold, dreadful sensation, /
went to my chest to see where we were.
| found that we had several days re-
naming before we should reach the
proper longitude for opening the letter
Wei, there we stood, all three Of us,
looking mp at the letter as il it could
have spoken to us. AS it happened, the
sun WAS shining full upon the face Of
the clock-ease, and fell upon the great
staring red seal Of the letter. / could
not help fancying it looked something
ike big monster an ogre's face, grim
ming from themiddle ofthe FIRE; ii look
ed horrid
Gould not one fancy, said !, 10 make
them laugh, "its great big eyes were
staring out Of its head 2
"Ah, my love, said The wife, ''it looks
like blood
Pooh, pooh = said her husband.
taking her arm under bis, ''it looks ike
letter of invitation 10 wedding
Come, come leave the letter alone If it
troubles yol Lets 80 10 our room aud
prepare for bed "
And of they went They went upon
deck and left me with that beast Of
letter. ] remember that l kept looking
at it as smoked my pipe: il seemed 10
tx its great red eye upon mine, fasci-
mating me like the eye of serpent It
was red, vide, raw, staring like the
nav Of fierce wolf / took nay great
coat and hung il over both clock and
letter, and went upon deck 10 finish my