The Republican journal., 1871-07-06
BELFAST, MAINE, THURSDAY, JULY g. 1871.

attributed to condolences only; and, in
any event, he was quite certain, for in
this he could not be mistaken. that he had
invoked the aid of no evil genius; and he
had no reason to suppose that messengers
OF that character ever went abroad upon
such errands unlimited or unbidden He
therefore allowed his mind to go to rest
upon the subject, mentally resolving to
avoid in future even the appearance of
evil, and to essay no more experiments of
the kind
But thetears and importunites Of women
who can withstand? Hearts of sterner
stuff than that of our youthful hero, and
OF more experience, have often been sub
dued by such appeals; and that he should
have been induced to swerve from his de-
termination can therefore be no matter
of surprise. In temporarily changing his
residence from the valley of the Tunxs
for the shades Of Applebury, he had vain
ly imagined that the little unwelcome
notoriety of his achievement would have
been left behind. But, mistaken in that
snpposition, he had, in consequence of
his first experiment, been forced into a
| second, the fame of which was widely
bruited about, to his still greater annoy
ance; and he was soon involved in a third
| trial, the result of which was still more
\ astounding.
General Carlos Wilcox, u respectable
merchant residing in a noighboring town,
and1man of no inconsiderable importance
in that community, had fitted out and
treighted for the West India market n
ship with q cargo Of unusual value. The
supercargo had instructions, in certain
contingencies, to attempt sundry specula
ions, by trading from island to island
over the wide American archipelago. In
| the lading of this vessel the owner had
incurred heavy responsibilities, which her
return from q prosperous voyage would
alone enable him to discharge But, al
though he had received early information
of his ships safe arrival, and of her de-
parture from the first port of destination,
ye- for q long period there was no further
intelligence from her. As time passed on,
demands for heavy payments came upon
him which he was unable to meet; and
he was consequently obliged to entrcat
for delay. Still there were no tidings
from the ship, and his situation was daily
becoming more critical, while his mind
was full of embarrassment and perplexiiy.
While matters were in this situation,
the merchant, almost driven to distrac-
tions by the difficulties accumulating in
his path, was persuaded, against his bet
ter judgment to seek the assistance of
the young student of Dir. Elliott at APP
pletury, now universally considered the
smartest young man of those parts. 1t
was believed he could solve almost any
mystery, short of the origin of evil, and
discover every hidden thing, excepting
kidd's money Indeed, the latter was
nardly an exception; some of the know
ing ones had begun to think of obtaining
his assistance in searching for these nu-
merous pots of treasure which the great
freebooter was supposed to have imbed |
led in the island coves and along the in
dentcd coasts of the Sound. To the APP
plcation of General Wilcox himself, how |
ever, the young student respectfully but |
firmly refused his assent, laborng ear
nestly to convince him that he had no
particular skill of the description which |
a good-natured, though gossiping world
had attributed to him, assuring him that |
the facts cited to disproye this avowal |
We're merely circumstances OF time and |
chance which happen to all.
The wife of the merchant, however, |
was not to be put off in this manner. |
The affairs OF her husband was approach
ing a crisis, and the return of the ship |
couIu oniy saw Liz f",,,, ,.n;n Should |
the vessel already be lost they might as
we'll yield at once to the opportunities OF |
their creditors, who were becoming more |
clamorous with every hours delay; each |
being eager in the event Of bankruptcy, |
to be foremost in sclzlng upon the prop |
erty of the insolvent. The lady, there
fore, rode over to Applebury, and renew |
ed the application with 50 much energy |
and persuasive eloquence, Us to wiring n
reluctant consent from the young astrol- |
oyer that he would make another attempt |
to read what, if not exactly the future |
was at least the unknown.
Accordingly, during the ensuing night |
it being starlight, he resortcd to his |
slate and his rules as before; and af- |
ter laboring through Il great number
of Figures the results enabled him to |
frame 2 history of the voyage, which |
promised golden returns to the harrassed |
owner. Punctual to her engagement, |
and eager for an answer, which she had |
the fullest belief would end her suspense, |
however painful might be their destiny, |
the lady returned to Applebury the fol-
lowing morning. Our hero thereupon |
very reluctantly informed her of the re-
suit of his midnight vigil, but cautioned !
her at the same time not to place the |
least reliance upon the prediction. ''Your |
ship" said he, according to my poor
figures, is perfectly safe, and now on her !
homeward voyage. She touched at sew |
eral places among the West India Is
lands" (specifyIng their names), ''pros-
pered in all her speculations and in the |
exchange OF her commodities. She then |
ran down upon 1he coast Of the Spanish !
Main, and mas been successfully engaged |
in trade, and is now returning with twen
ty-two thousand dollars in doubloons, be- |
sides Other merchandise of great value. |
On Tuesday next at two o'clock past me-
ridian, the killingworth will enter the |
harbor, whose name she bears, in safety. |
But the supercargo is dead of the yellow |
fever, and two men will return fatally |
sick of the same disease" With this re-
ply, which she believed would be fulfill |
ed to the letter, the lady returned with |
feelings mingled with melancholy and
gladness. The supercargo was young
man of enterprise and high promise, and
her kinsman. But the fortunes of her |
husband would be restored.
The period intervening between the |
preulctlOn ana the Illne assigned IOf It's
fulfillment was one of intense anxiety, |
not only to the distressed and doubling
merchant and his wife, but young Stone.
If the fortunes of the former hung upon
the fate of the ship, the feelings of the
latter was deeply interested in the result
of his third and most important expert
ment; for he now felt a strong present
ment that his calculations would be real
lied; he began to doubt whether he had
not been engaged in matters Of unlawful
and fearful import, and he reproached
himself that feelings of shame and diff
dence had prevented him from taking
counsel Of his friend and guide DR.. Elliott.
The day-for under such circumstances
of uncertainty and anxiety seems to
fly with leaden wings-appeared long in
coming; but it arrived at length, and
was truly one of bright and sunny prom
Use. The merchant was early at an up
per window with his glass intently exam
ming every sail that whited the placid
bosom Of the Sound and eagerly watch
inc eyery additional vessel that could be