The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1867-10-30
MARRYING A CONVICT.

had served twenty five years on board
an East Indiaman, and for the last ten years
had commanded the Belle, one of the finest
crafts ever foated. | was au old sea dog,
who had dwet 50 long on salt water that l
had almost hatred Of dry land.
On the 30th Of October, 1923, L received
orders to put myself in readiness to sail tor
CAYENNE. was to transport seventy live
soldiers and convict | had orders TO treat
this individual well, and the letter | receiy-
ed from the Directory enclosed another,
with a huge red seal, which | was not to
open until between twenty. seven and twen>
ty>eight west longitude-that is: just be-
fore we cross the line. :,
The letter was a long packet, so well
closed upon every side that 1t was lmpoSsl>
Bile to catch tho slightest glimpse OF its con-
tents | am not naturally superstltlous,
but there was something IN the look OF the
letter that did not altogether like, though
[ could give no reason why. However, L
carried it into the cabin, end stuck it un-
der the glass OF little shabby English
clock, which was fastened above my, head.
was busy fixing the letter under the
clock, when, who should come into my cabs
in but the convict and his wife! This was
the first time l had seen either OF them,
and may say, that more preposscsslng
couple never met, The woman was
scarcely more than fifteen, and as handsome
as a picture; while the husband was an in
telligent, lnagnifceutly formed man. on
whose features nature lad never written
william "'". -f"
His crime, to be plain, was the mistor-
tune of being hundred years ahead OF his
age. He and others had attempted some
thing which our Government called treason,
and which it punished with. death. 1t
| therefore, occasioncd me considerable won.
DER that he should be placed under my
charge. But more Of this afterwards.
| He had, as said, his wife hanging upon
his arm. She was as merry as a bird; she
looked indeed like turtle dove, coolng and
| nesting beneath his great wing,
Before month had passed over oul
heads, / looked upon them as my own chill
dren Every morning | used to call them
into my cabin. The young fellow would
sit writing at my table-that is to say, a!
my chest which was my bed. He wouc
often help me at reck konlng, ana soon learn
ed to do better than could. l was amaz
ed at this ability. His young wife would
sit upon une of the round stools In my cab
in, ,ndustriously working at her needle.
One day we were all three sitting in this
way, when said: '..f+t
"Do you know, my young ones, as II
seems to me, we make very family pic
ture? Mind, don't mean to ask questions
but may be you haye not much money tc
spare, and are, both of you, as think, toe
handsome to dig in the burning sun OF Gay
enne. like many poor wretch of a con
yict before you. lisa bad country, take
my word for i. | who have roughec
through the tempest, wind and sunshine
till | have the skin Of a rhinoceioe, NIGH
get along there; but you-pm afraid fql
you. So, if you should chance to have 1
bit of foolish friend hip for your old cap
tain, why, Ill tell you what LII do. III
get rid of this old brig; she's not much bet
ter than an old tub after all; so I'll settle
myself down there with you, If you like
You see have no one in the world to care
for, or that cares for me- want relations
want home, want family. | shoulc
like to make my home with you, my pretty
ones. What say YEP
| They said nothing at all, but kept look
ing at each other, and then at me, as j
| t0ey uouUteu Whothol thSJ ohuS'o'oo0
what I said.
At last the little bird threw her arm
around my neck and cried like baby.
But" said she, suddenly pausing
"you have not looked at the letter with thu
biz, red seal. ,
l felt queer creeping come over my fesl
as she said this.
Hang i'll" ! exclaimed, ''it had slipped
my head entirely.
With cold, dreaded sensation, | wen
to my chest to see where we were. founc
that we had several days remaining, before
we should reach the proper longitude fol
opening the letter. KEN,
Well, there we stood, all three of us look
ing up to the letter as iiit could have spok
en- to us. As it happened, the sun wa
shining full upon the glass of the clocl
case, and tell upon the great staring ret