Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1871-01-04
THE CHRONICLE.
r CATAsTROPHE.

Mediterranean Sea, near the Close
Of a dreary November day, and sky
and waters were black with the gloom
of the sudden and furious tempest
before which q small sailing vessel
was scudding under bare poles her
build and rigging proclaimed her Sar-
dinian. She was y GUf captain
Varino master, on her way from Gag
IiarifO Palermo.
She had on board two seamen, and
W passengers.
THESE passengers were English
men, who had procured passage on
The Gull to Palermo, whence they
intended to embark by steamer 10
MarseiIles, the following day.
While the Captain and his assist
ants were attending to their duties,
and expressing spprehensions rs
TO their safety, the two English
men stood apart, leaning against the
low bulWarks, and surveying the wild
scene around them.
These men were both young, appR-
rently Of the same age, about three
and twenty, but evidently they were
not of the same station in life.
One, the more striking Of he two,
was a~ristocratic in his bearing, tall,
slender and handsome, with q frank,
smiling mouth, a pair Of fearless blue
ewes, set under a wide and massive
forehead, and tswny hair blowing
back from his face. Noble, generous
and kind hearted, he had an adven-
tur0us disposition and dauntless cOur-
age.
He was Guy Tressilian, the only
son and heir Of Sir Arthur TresSiliRn,
Baronet, Of Tressilian Court, Eng
land.
His companion presented a remark
able resemblance TO him, being also
tall and slender and fair, with tawny
hair snd must0che, but he had not
the frank smile, the bright, fearless
look, or the JOYOUS spirit that charac-
terized young Tressilian. Young as
he was, he had seen much Of the dark
side of life, and his experiences had
been such as to develop in him some
Of the worst qualities Of his nature.
He was Jasper LOwder, Guy Tres
siliRn's hired travelling companion
and bosom-friend.
The meeting and connection Of the
two had q touch OF romance. Young
Tressilian had spent four years in a
German university, whence he had
been graduated with honor. On le8y-
ing the university, in obedience TO
his fathers written command, he had
undertaken a tour Of the countries
including the Mediterranean Sea, in
company with n OF mis- late tutors.
This gentleman being unexpectedly
promoted to p~nofessorship, abandon
ed Tressilian at Baden, leaving him
to find another travelling cOmpan-
ion.
On the evening of the very day aftel
this desertion, as Guy TreSsilian was
sauntering through the streets Of Ba.
den, he had been assaulted by q trio
of his own countrymen, all more Of
less intoxicated. 1t was apparent thai
they took him for another, and in.
tended to wreak vengenee upon him
Without allowing him to speak, they
forced him to defend himself. Guy
was getting the worst OF the conflict
when q stranger anne running TO hi
assistance, and in a few moments TIM
two had put the rufIians to flight.
This stranger who came so oppOr
timely to Guys assistance was JaspeI
Lowder. His resemblance to young
Tressilian awakened IN the latter
romantic interest. He questioned
Lowder, learned that ne was Door anC
ATOM in the world, and took him witt
him to his hotel. Believing that In
similarity of features indicateda SINH
lsrity of tastes and natures, he engag
ed LOwdeT rs his travelling cOmpan
ion, and the past year they had spen
together more like brothers than hkl
employer and employed.
This storm is irregular Levanter, ,
said Lewder, clinging with bOtt
hands to the bulwaIks. do yOJ
think the craft will stand it, Tressil
lamp"
"Oh, yes" answered young Tres
iIsian, wiping the salt spray from hi;
face. "The Captain knows the Sicil
ian coast perfectly. In two hours, o.
less, we shall be in the bay Of Paler
mo. In three hours we shall be- domi
ciled in the best rooms of the hOte
Trinacra, with the best supper which
Messer Ragusa can furnish And to
morrow, at nOOn,n he added, "wS
shall embark for Marseilles in q Mes
sageries steamer"
"And from Marseilles you will pro
coed to England and to TresEiliaT
Court said Lowder, with some bit
terness. "And what is to become
ofme? have had q year Of unalloy.
ed happiness, and now comes back the
drudgery, the hopeless toll, the ankle
ties of the Wretched old life. NOJ
picked me up St Baden, poor adven'
Iurer seeking to gain a living by teach
ing English, and the same destiny il
open to me now"
Tressilian turned his handsome face
upon his companion in surprise and
safectionate reproach.
AJzsper!n he exclaimed, "yOu talk
strangely. Do you suppose I have
called you friend and brother so long,
and loved you so well, TO lose you
now ? I meant to have written to my
father concerningyOuand your future,
JASPER, but his sudden recall, reeeiv-
ed YESTERDAY, causes me to return
home without writing. I shall tele-
graph from Marseilles that you viii
some home with me. And you will,
will YOU not? You will not abandon
me my friend? will charge myself
with your future. 1 will see that you
obtain the position TO which your tai
ents entitls YOU. You have no ties to
keep you on the Continent pa
A strange expression passed over
Jasper LOWder's face.
mo, I have no ties" he said husk-
lily.
'sAnd you will 20 home with me 81
what will your father say to me
coming? 81 demanded LOwdeT. HE
aEill think your generosity Quixotic.
He viii dismiss from his house the
hired companion who dares 70 resem-
BILE his son"
A sudden lureh of the little vessel,
wave sweeping over the deck, in
terrupted the sentence.
You wrong my father said Tres
silian, his blue eyes kindling, when
the vessel had righted. "He is the
noblest man in the world He vii
welcome my friends as his own. You
will love him, Jasper, ss.I do, when
you know him.
HE doesn'tseem very fiectionRte, y
remarked LoWder. you have been
away from your home for five years,
and he has butjust recalled you'll"
Young TressiIian's cheeks flushed,
As Lowder saw in the lurid glow that
momentsrily lighted up the tempes-
tuous scene
You know, or can guess, the reas-
on, Jasper" he said, with something
of an effort. my father has a ward,
the daughter Of an old friend. All!
hear that wind shrek! The gale is
increasing
Yes assented LoWder. "And the
wards Miss Irby-the gOlden-haired
Blanche OF whom you have talked
en- -nueh and with Uhon VIM bavn