The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1868-03-28

after that, a captain; some day, captain
) and ownrr-the grand climax of sea.
faring mans ambition. And to Bell
} the fact that her husband was a sailor,
threw romance about him which a
landsman could not have had. Their
| life passed on to pleasant sort of waltz
music, and neither drealnt of any change.
| Yet change came. Jack left his
young wife for voyage, understanding
as she could not how the little hoard
melted away and would continue to melt
like snow under a sunbeam, and the
voyage was disastrous one, ending in
shipwreck. Many were lost, and Jack
was only rescued at deaths door with a
broken limb, and {. miserable experience
of starva ion and consequent cannibal-
ism. Indeed, Jack himself came near
making meal for two maddened mess.
mates, who afterwards wept like babies
at the remembrance of their horrible
thoughts.
| Jack had good constitution, and re-
covered. His roses came back, and his
hair, long and lank, when they took
him from the floating raft, curled close
to his handsome head again, But he
came back to Bell with wooden leg
and knowledge that his sailor life was
over, and that he should never now as
pire to the title of mate, and master, and
owner
Bell loved him all the more, and pitt
ed him, and cherished him; and, had
they been rich, their lif- might have
glided on to the old waltz musc-a lit
tie sadder. but no less sweet. But, alas,
they were not -ich; but growing very
puor.
&c. as the money grew less, thu CON-
forts fell away. They left the pretty
rooms to which he had taken her, for
very humble place and poor Jack, salt
to the very soul and unfit for any lands
mans work as fish for a parlor-osahe,
humbled himself and said nothing
that aching place where his dreams a.
the Sea and of advancement lay covered T
up, and sunk into the vacant place left
by an old boatman who had piled bis
trade at the wharf anet along the shore
of the town where Jack had been born
and bad lived all his life.
He h strong arms Eets land was a
wonderful oarsman, aAsksAsaid not
starve. u their life &EsE pinchiug
lite of the po and it came soon to the
face and the coarsest dress; and
Bell, who had been used to dainty food
md elegant attiss. suffered more than
he sailor who N Nv what hard.tack I
vas and was used tdseughing it.
He never knew hd bitterly she re- \
'ined until coming upd her day dream i
le heard those words u
"Lifo is worth nothid to me if I ;
She wept on his shoulder, he held
Ter to him, and sobbed out at ut:
Rlt was more than she could, bear. a
t washable. Their housemaid at
home had bsstalsihes. 1t vas horri-
,lle to look out Of the .wiadow and hear
he sailor awi3ass4da Awith their k,
or scolding then >p, or 1
'eatiug down the Ash gers, tEs - =
rom whose tin horns filled the streets X
rom dawn until sunset. Was such O. h
ife worth anything; and she could not n
id herself of it for an hour, for he-
lothes We're not fit to wear where peo- p
lie were we'll dressed; and she would
ot be seen by her old friends now" "
So she sobbed And Jacks hand p
noothed Der fair hair, and his ips r.
'ached Der cheek; and by and by, be
'hispered m
Il wish had never met you, lass ~
r wish I'd drifted by without sig 81
Al for, dye see, this is all my fault
nd you'd be safe jn harbor now, if you ii
adn't sailed out Of it with me. Only
couldn't forsee the future. lass; aud I b
fought to make you captains wife ii
and by an owners lad y 1t would
ave been better for you, if Jem and y,
i'll bad made meal of me. I've come
think. Rid of me, your father would
Ike you home well-it may happen m
et.n -
And then Bell put her arm about bis m
'ek and whispered, j." that she did not ~
gret her love for him.
But Struggle as she might with it,
e words that hid been said Of her fol- he
would recur to her mind, and she =
lew that she did regret something. 1t M
rs hard to help it. .ras~H
Jack knew it also. He eat his hum th
g supper sadly, and went out again. ba
is days work was over, but he wanted hi
De alone. -,-~--.-~a4 | ga
He limped down to the shore~whexa q
was lonely, and washed the higKessslI slll
the sobbing waves, and stood looking p
(. It'll
:" | meant to make her captains TO
ly." he muttered. -.,uuuua1I
. meant ta a. dflks a. ma ~
,re a should have everything the
eohid have given her." the
ID There's house with sea-view,
lookout top, that / meant to buy ov,
for rigging, why no lady in the in
d should have been sprucer. No ha
nder she trets; soiling her white hands wa
b dirty work, and going shabby, tw'
!. What right had 4 to turn pirate, the
tow her away from her moorings, fisl
then make shipwreck Of her. Yes. by
would be better to lie down below,
ongst the wrecks, great deal better. a t
Q must think me an enemy; I've on eve
done her harm; who love her better one
in my life.. E wo
Then he looked sea-ward again mood. fro,
!, @ 4. go Ma
\ terrible storm was coming; his for