Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1868-04-10
Jack Osborne's WOOlng.
A TALE OF THE sEA-ooAsr.

A TALE OF THE sEA-COAsT.
A lovely afternoon The sun was
shining brightly forth from an uncIoud-
ed sky upon the deep blue waters of
the ocean, which leaped and frOlicked
in the very jOyousness of spirit; it
seemed stirred up by the cool breeze
blowing in upon the land. The exact
locality matters not. 1t was somewhere
on the southern part of the cliff-bound
coast of England. The scenery was per-
feet of It's kind. On one side, inland,
We're waving woods, green fields, and
sparkling rIvuIets, with lowing herds
chewing the cud beside them. The lof-
Jy turf covered downs were dotted over
with numerous flOcks of sheep, while on
the other side the high cliffs and dark
rocks projected out into the sea forming
a succession of small bays and inIets,
in which so much consists the pictur-
eSque beauty Of that part of the coast.
On the summit of the sunny downs
walked a young man in the dress of
naval officer, and by his side, resting on
his arm, was a girl worthy TO be the
presiding goddess of a scene so lovely.
She was deiicately fair, with light hair,
just tInged with an auburn hue, and
eyes of azure, pure as the sea she gazed
on, and her costume simple in the eX-
treme. The couple had proceeded up
along a valley from a little cottage
which lay ensconced snuglv amidst
grove of trees, and protected by the high
ground between iC aud the sea from the
Wintry gales which blow from it. They
had walked on for some distance with
out speaking, when the young lady
turned her blue eyes toward the youth,
apparently to inquire the cause of his
silence. Whether the soft tranquility
Of the scene influenced him, or the gem
tie gaze of those bright eyes, il is diff
cult to say; but he immediately opened
his mouth aud commenced a series OF
expressions 50 incOherent that the maid
Ell herself did not appear to compre-
hend them, till he concluded one suf-
fcIentIy explicit to leave no doubt as
to the meaning of the rest. It was,
Fanny, love you. viii you marry
me9"
The words, however, did not, it seem
ed, give the fair girl the satisfaction it
might have been expected they would
have done, for instantly and uncOh-
sciOusly withdrawing her arm from that
OF her companion, she answered: 81
am sorry, Jack, very sorry, to hear you
Say this. ] thought you knew that my
regard for you was as a sister for
brother, as 1 fancied yours was for me
such as would never allow the
thoughts of marriage enter your head.
You know that 1 am romantic, as it is
called, and yOu ought to know that /
am never likely 10 give my heart to any
mar, except I can look up to him and
respect him as being superior to myself
except he has done some gallant deed
to win my admiration as well as that
of the world. No, Jack, utter not those
words again forget that you have pro-
nounced them, as soon shall, and we
shall be as happy in each others soei-
ETY. as we have hitherto been, without
thinking of such folly" She ceased and
turned away her head.
"Ehen are you never likely to return
my devoted, my unwavering a6ectiou2''
exclaimed the young seaman in tone
of anguish. 'Or-Oh pardon me for
the question do you, Fanny, love an
other ?''
''No, indeed, Jack, [ do not" she an
swered with slight laugh-perhaps il
was q little forced. 81 will answer
your rather impertinent question With
The candOr you deserve. My heart is
free as the breeze which plays upon the
ocean. This must satisfy you. You
must be conscious that you have done
nothing to euchain it. You are n very
good seaman, and a very respectable
officer, l have always heard. You can
haul ropes, 80 alOft, hand, reef, and
steer, and possess all other sorts OF nau-
teal accom- mpiishments, dare say; but
YOU have never boarded an euemy's
ship, stOrmed a fort, nor even seen
shot fired in anger, that I know Of; you
never jumped overheard to save a MAJ.
VI even q III IOhR Ii TX LAAD41h6Ys tLlt1J all
aware Of; in fact, J ack. you have dou,
nothing to win a young lady's heart
Ike mine, at all events; and If my sex
would but exert their prerugatiVe, you
would receive the same answer TO
like question from all am sorry {,
give you pam, cousin, but speak Wha'
/ feel and think. If woman never gave
her heart except to him who had " on II
by some noble deed of valOr, generosity
charity, or seif-sacrifce, there would be
fewer useless characters in the world,
and we should hear no more complaints
of the degpneracy of the age. And now
Mister Jack, l must go home.
They spoke not another word till they
reached the garden gate of the little cot
tage in the valley. The young lady
then put out her hand, saying quietly:
Good by, Cousin Jack. We par
friends, as we always have been: 50 g
home, and forget all about it."
Before the young sailor could answer,
Fanny Ashford had disappeared in d
turn Of the shrubbery.
Poor Jack Osborne did not, however,
follow her advice, for instead of return
ing to his home, which was some miles
along the shore, he fingered long in Inc
ighborhoOd of the cottage, whence he
c0ud obtain a sic BIT even of the light in
her window. He had not the determIna-
tion to tear himself from the spo5. He
thought over all that had occur ed, and
ne Ielt Lhat ne could not i've WlthOut
her. So completely occupied was he
with his reflections that he did not OBJ
serve the entire change which had ta-
/ ken place in the weather since the sun
4 had set. he was aroused from his rev.
erie by hnding his hat blown off his
head by a violent gust which came in
/ from the sea, and had it not caught in
/ a black berry bush close under his lee,
he would probably have been compelled
! to return without it. TAe dark clouds
were chasing each other apidly through
the sky, the wind whisiltd loud and
/ mouTnfully E; indeed he soon discovered
/ that furious gale was blowing, though
/ he still continued wandering around
the same SPOT, the weather in con-
sOnance with his feelings, till some
/ heavy drops of rain warned him of the
/ folly of bis behavior. Slowly and un-
willingly he commenced his homewHrd
way. He had not, however, proceeded
I far when his ears were startled by the
/ dull reports of guns fired at intervals.
/ They seemed like signals of distress
! fired from a ship at sea. He listened
attenfively, then hurried to the edge of
/ the nearest cliff. There he stood for
! some time strainiDg his eye to pierce the
darkness, till he was certain he could