The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-12-25

mind wealth had but one use. All the old
warnings were intensified by ten-fold. for the
saddest reason. The Ptarmigan had never
| been heard of since the hour she left Bafin's
| Bay, and the fate OF those familiar comrades
with whom had lived in tho closest conmu-
nien for two happy years was dark enigma
only to be solved by patient labor. The e1pe'
dItlon had not been Of sufficient Importance tc
attract much attention from the. sclentIht
world but when the fact OF the PtarmiSan's
disappearance became known. meeting OF the
Royal Society gave all due consideration to the
case, and promised help to party OF lnvestl-
| CATION.
NV ample fortune enabled me to contribute
largely to the expenses Of the new voyage
while volunteers and voluntary contributions
poured in from every quarter We were away,
| in all, slx years, Ylnterlne sometimes III South
America-oncc in New York, and getting our
supplies cs best we might. We made some
discoveries which the Royal Society received
with civil approval; but or those We went to
seek we found no trace, and | began to think
! that the fate of my old friends was mystery
never to be solved below the stars.
came back to England at thirty-four years
of age, y hardy wandirer, with long brown
beard that seemed lightly powdered with the
Northern snow, and with the strength OF
seu-lion. For the best years OF my life had
| lived in snow-hivss and stone cabins, or slept
at night amidst the white wilderness ot
Ice, in boat my stalwart shoulders had
helped to carry during the day. Heavens
what rough, unlocked cub, what grim sea
monster 1 must have been; and yet Isabel
Lawson loved mel Yes, came back to Eng
| land to find fairer enchantress than the spirit
Of the frozen deep, and to barter my liberty to
q new mistress. Ono OF my sisters had mar
ried during my absence, and 1t was ut her
| country house / took up my abode. The young
sister OF her husband, Captain Lawson, was
here on visit, and thus Imet my fate.
How grew to love her will not ask myself.
She was creature whcm to know was to love.
| How she grew to love me Is mystery have
often tried to solve; and when I had asked her,
with fear and wondering, why was so blessed,
| she told ne it was because was brave and
| frank and tr 1e, and worthy OF woman's love.
God help my darling, the glamour OF the frozen
| North was upon me-, and the mere story OF ths
wondrous world I knew had magic enough to
win mo the hoart OF this angel. She was never
! tired Of hearing me describe that Wild region |
loved 80 well. Again and again told her the
histories of my several voyages, and the record
seemed always to have new charm for her.
| II think l know every channel in Davis
Strait and Bafin's Bay" she said 10 me day
or two before our wedding; 'asd the iccbound
coast, from Repulse Bay to Cape Crozcr, and
! the ice-packs over which you carried your
boats, and the shoals of seals and clouds OF
du cks, and the colony OF White whales, and the
dear lttlo snow-houses in which you lived SO
snurly. Don't you think we ought to spend
our honeymoon at Cape Crozicr, Richard ?"
s'My precious one, God forbid that should
oversee you in that wild place."
s.Be sure, Richsrd, If you went there, 1
should follow you."
And she kept her word.
D eamlike, and oh, how mournful seems the
bright scene of my bridal day, as recall 1t
tonight beside lonely hearth in tho house OF
stranger. My Isabel looked like spirit in
her fairy robe and veil; and 1, to whon the
memories OF the North were ever present,
could well-nigh have tancied sho was clad in q
snow-cIoud. I asked hor if she were content
to have given her young beauty to battered
veteran like me; and she told me yes, thou
sand times moro than ineXpressibly
happy; ., =
said, looking up at me with divine love IN her
deep-blue eyes; ana promised aeain, as had
promised many times before, that the North
should never draw nae away from my beloved.
'You shall be my pole-star, dearest, and
will forgot that earth has any wilder region
than the woods and bills around our happy
home"
Ny darling loved tho country. and loved all
that was dear to her; so I bought small estate
in North Dsvon-a granee and park in the
in that Western shire. The res .oratlon OF the
house and the Improvement Of the park, en-
ploye6 me for moro than ysar-and during
the whole OF that time had scarcely thought
OF the North. With tho beginning OF our Sec
ond year Of happy union, had even less incl.
nation to think Of my old life; for God had
blessed us with son, pure and blooming aud
beautiful as the region la which he was born.
Upon this period OF my life dare not l:E<er
For noarly two years we held our Treasure; and
if ANYTHING could have drawn us nearer to each
other than our lovo had made US long aSo, 1t
would have been our affection tor this Child
He was taken from us. laid my darling IN
his eraye under the midsummer sky, while one
bird was singing high up in the Heaven whero
I tried to picture him. among band OF such
child-angels; and knew that life could never
again be to me what it had been.
For semo time my sorrow was q kind OF STU
Dora dull, dead hoaviaess OF tho soul, froM
which nothing could raise me. IsabcPs grlcf
was no less intense, no less bitter; but IL was
more natural and more unseltish. She grow
alarmed by nay state OF mind, and cntreAtcd
me to try = chanee OF scene.
s'Let US 20 ts London, Richard" she said
81 shall bo 8 ad TO leave this place, beautiful
and dear as 1t is"
Her pale faeo warned me that she had sad
need Of change; and for her sake rather than
nv own, took her TO London. whore We hired
a furnished house in western square.
Being in town, and an idle man, with no
London tastes a.d no friends, it is scarcely
strange that I should attend tho meetings OF
the Royal Society. Tnc fate OF Franklin was
vet unknown, and the debates upon this sab
isct wers at fever heat. A new expedition was
lust being 6ttod out by the government, and
there could be no better opportunity for Il vol
unteer bsud, which might follow in the track
of the government vessel.
Iu tue rooms OF the society l encountered
an old com1ade. and he c1ertsd his utmost
powers OF persuasion to Induce me to JON
himself and others in a nortLv ward Cruise 10
search for franklin and Tor our lost c)mpaa-
ions Of the Ptaruigan. The proposal 1attered
ne moro than l cau describe, and caused ms
the first thrill OF pleasure had known since
my sons death. But [ remembered my pro-
mise.
Twas nv habit to tell my wife everything;
and told her OF the debates at the Royal So
ciety, and OF this meeting with an old conf
rade.
bat you will keep your promise, Richard" ?"
sha asked with sudden look OF fear.
''Until tho end OF lie, nay darling, unless
you should release me from it."
20 Richard, that Is not likely; am not Ca
pablo of such . sacrifice"
went again and gain to the Royal s ocety
and Idined at club with my friend N Ityn,
who made nae known to his friends, those eager
volunteers who painted for thu icy winds OF the
Arctic zone, and languishcd to tread the fro
z.n labyrinth OF po.ar seas. l listened to
thea, talked with them, and the demon OF
the North resumed his hold upon me. My
wife saw that some low influence WAS at Work. (;
that my home lie WAS 10 longer ali III al TO me-
Ope day. after much anxious questioning,
she bcgulled me OF my secret. The cd ysard-