Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1867-06-15
SELECTED STORIES
THE CAPTAIN AND HIS CHARGE.

nE Jar AIN ANU ME SnHnoEs
1 had served twenty I've years ON
board an East lndianmnn, and Tor the
last ten years had command the Belle,
one at the finest crafts that ever float
ed. l was an old sea dog, and had
dwelt so long on salt water that | ielt
almost hatred for the land.
On the 10Th of October, 1921. I re-
ceived orders to put myself an readiness
10 sail for Cayenne was TO transport
seventy five soldiers and "A convict. l
had orders TO treat this individual well,
and the letter l had received from the
Directory iuclosed another, with huge
red seal. which 1 WAS not 10 open untIl
between y and d deg. west longitude;
that is inst before We were about to
cross the line.
The letter was a long packet, So well
closed on every side that 1t was impos-
sible to catch the slightest glimpse Of
ats contents. / am not naturally super
stitIous, but there was something IN
the look of the letter that 1 did not
aitOgetber.hke. though L could give no
reason why. However. L carried At into
the cabin, and stuck ii under the glass
Of little old shabby English clock
which was fastened above my head. /
was busy fixing the letter under the
clock, who should come into my cabin
but the convict aud his wifel This was
the first time | had seen either OF them,
and 1 may say that more proposes
sing couple 1 never met. The woman
was scarcely more than fifteen, and as
handsome as a picture; while the hns-
band was an intelligent, magniticently
formed man, On whose features nature
had never written "villain. .
His CRIME, TO be plain, was the mis-
fortune of being hundred years ahead
of his age. H. and others had attempt
ed something which our Government
called treason, and winch it punished
with death. 1t, therefore, OceasiOned
me considerable wonder that be shOuld
Ice placed nnder my charge-but more
of tins afterwards.
He had, as | said, ms wife hanging
on Inns arm. She was as merry as a
bird, she looked ike "A tnrtle dove
cUOing and Nesting beneath las great
wing.
Before a month had passed over Onr
heads, looked Hpon them as my own
children. Every morning | used to
call them into my cabin. The young
fellow WoHld sit, waiting at my table,
that Is 10 say, at my chest, which was
my bed He NouId often help me at
reckoning, aud soon learned to do bet
ter than could. 1 was amazed at his
ability. HIS Young wife would sat upon
one of the round stools IN my cabin,
working at her needle.
4 III
this way, when l said:
DO yOu know, my yOung ones, as 1T
seems to me, We make a very pretty
family picture? Mind, 1dOn't mean
To ask questions, but may he you have
not much money to spare, and you are,
both Of you, as 1 think, too handsome
to dig IN the burning sun of Cayenne,
like many poor wretch before yOu.-
It's bad cOuntry-a bad country, take
my word for it. /, who have rOughed
1t through tempest, wind aud sunshine,
tIll I've got the skin Of "A rhinOcerOs,
might get along there; but you'll ann
afraid Tor yOu. 30, If You should
chance to have a bit OF foolish friend
ship for your poor old cap tain, IN tell
you what IIl do IN get rid of this old
bng; she's not much better than an old
tub, after all; SO I'll settle down there
with You, if you like. You sec | nave.
not "A living soul IN the world to care
Tor, or that cares Tor me. l want rela-
tiOns, want "A nome, want family.
1 should like to make my home with
yon. my pretty yOung Onesl What say
YEP"
They said nothing at all, but sat look
ing, first at each other and then at me,
as At they doubted whether they under
stood what said.
At last the little bird threw her arms
around my neck, and cried like baby.
"Bnt, said she, suddenly pausing,
''yOu haven't looked st the letter with
the big red seal.
Hang itl'' 4 exclaimed, sit had slip
ped my mind entirely"
With a cold, dreadful sensation, L
went to my chest to see where we were,
/ found that we had several DAYS re-
manning before We should reach the
proper longitude tor opening the let
ter.
Well, there we stood, all three OF us,
looking uD at the letter as If It could
have spoken TO u.s. Asst happened, the
sun was shining full upon the face of
the clock case, and fell upon the great
staring red seal of the latter. could
not help faueying 1t looked something
like big monster, an Ogre's face, grin
ming from che middle of the fire; sit
looked hOrrid.
Gould not one fancy" said 1, to
make them laugh, sits great big eyes
were starting out of its head?"
"Ah, my love. said the wife, sit
looks like blood"
"Pooh. poOhw said her husband, ia
king her arm under his, cit looks like