The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1870-01-06
CAPTAIN MELCHER.

CAPTAIN MELCHER.
Every body said that Captain George
Melcher had but one fault. In the
shadow of this, all lesser foibles were
unseen, against the dark background of
this his virtues stood out in bold,
straight relief. All but this one was
enough, as those who love him know
but too we'll. AS we'll build your house
upon the sand as fix your heart either in
love or friendship upon man with
such temper. "u .r s..~# !"
Ifa blind boy Of rheathen mythology
did not account for all the oddly assort-
ed pairs in the universe, how could we
see ony reason in half the matches that
are made? Captain Melcher was i'm
mense, his wife petite. Acknowledged
master Of his mother tongue, he could
reveal to you such depths in his passion
ate nature as would bind you to him for
life. She was undemonstrative. AHsr
few and fifty chosen words were pearls,
but they dropped but seldom from her
beautiful lips; only in her full brown
eyes was the depth and tenderness of
her nsture 'mirrortd, and such. eyes! No
wonder George Melcher struck his col
ors the very first evening their soft
beams flooded his soul. From that day,
although others pitied her, Mary Lisle
was happy woman, for from that day
she knew daily and hourly that she
had inspired a.passion sueA as few men
are capaklepf feeling. Nothing 1sld
adaN1ee4y express his love; II sb&a lad
been queen Of tie Indiesshe could not
have erscted, ruels Tonnage. And per.
haps thersS is poibEns NOR more touching in
his generous de voti.,n than The mighty
efforts he made, for t,er sake, 10 @.abdue
his uf,happy temper. But alas! no earth
ly fovecould inasterd that. We have
heard place, unromantic
people describe ouA of thQse. .scenessin
wkiek W C.4a4G's anger woaNa i,se
like = %hpsyicaues ss~espio og AvyAy thesfe-
strarrtss sct cburttsy the nylits of hospi-
tality, 1t other times SO sacred in his
eyes, and for a etst,se SO inadequate that
he would for days after be humbled to
the dust in his, own eyes. Nobody
dared contradict him then aud
the first time Mary Melcher rose
from her seat in roomfui of subdued
and silent guests, and walked up to
him when in one of his terrible passions
they looked with fear and trembling to
see tie gathered storm fall full upon the
defenseless head SO generously interpos-
ed to shield another. She did not speak !,
but lifting her soft eyes to his fiery ones
she let him look down into her pure and
loving soul, until the evil spirit seemed
cast out and the strong man stood pale
aud trembling before her, as if, in the
awful struggle between good and evil in
his soul, nature stood appalled,.
Yes, Mary he said after long in
terval, then crossed the room and eX-
tended his hand to the very man he
could have murdered before, with a
manly Il beg your pardon, sir
Thank heaven she will make an an
gel of him yet" mentally exclaimed his
first mate, u man who adored the cap
tain and suffered agonies whenever he
saw him under the dominion of this
evil temper. But he hoped too much,
though if love could have conquered,
Mary Melcher had enough of it in her
heart, and withaI, a rare and exquisite
tact which kept her from presuming
upon her power.
Some years after their marriage Cap.
tain Melcher parted from his Mary for
one of his long voyages. He accom-
plished all he wished after many irk-
some delays, and saw himself on his
way homeward with Il cargo that would
gladden. the hearts Of the owners, as his
always did. They were so near the de
sired haven that hope of reunion had
almost changed to certainty, when, alas
tor US, who set our headstrong will
against the Infinite pleasure as if we
could accomplish anything without
Him, George Melcher was suddenly
stricken down with yellow faaer
caught nobody lsnews when or where
and after few days To the inexpressi
bic griS af His men and the anguish o
his mates, who loved him like brothers
he was stretched out in his coffin colo
in death. The tall form now prone
looking like the maje site mast of his
own good ship the Nary Melcher
broken, not bowed by the storms O
life against which it had stood so proud
~. Days pass, for head winds luffiet
their hopes of coming mto.port, aud HI
Jones, the first mate, began to sbe
strangely nervous about carrying out his
determination of carrying the captains
body home tn his wife. In his perpiex
ity they hailed ship, homeward bound
also. '''rhs Mary Melcher,' shouted
Jones in answer to the stranger. Cap
tain George Melcher bound for Boston
Cargo all right. Captain dead. Shall
bring his body home Two hot tear,
gushed up from his loving soul, that ht
dashed away before he stnDde back, r
1 \ F ~