Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1872-09-26

Oio S"Heo ~ uiu III DrOiOnXeu aumtra-
tion, and one of them remarked that
Old man Williams was the incest cap
tain TO sail with out of the port of
Boston. One Of the group who had
shown the least interest in the passing
Williams, no sooner heard his name
than he reused himself from his atti-
tude of listless indifference. and asked
for further information as to the eulo-
gized captain.
This listless sailor was Jim Smith.
His appearance showed that he GER
tainly had not improved morally, phys
ically, or financially, since his final
melodramatic exit from Dexterville.
In truth, Jim had pursued with con-
siderable zest the plan of running him.
self which he had proposed when he
parted from his faithless love. There
is nothing so easy to the blighted lover
as the pursuit Of ruin. and when he
concelves that honor and self-respect
compel him to clothe himself with
wretchedness. he usually does so with
much readiness and satisfaction. jim
Smith really loved the girl who fitted
him, and as his was strong, manly
nature, he suffered deeply when he
/ found that she had deserted him. He
was reckless and mail with dlsap-
/ polntment and betrayed affection.
when he LEFT Dextcrville, as the most
reckless OF the great company of jlt-
/ ell men. In his condition rum pre-.
| sented itself to his mind as the best
possible remedy to soothe the ruiiled
sea-faring mind. So when he reached
Boston he Immediately proceeded to
/ drink himself drunk, and continued to
Keep himself in that condition for the
next six weeks.
lie had been hard hearted and
| rather morose fellow, and in point Of
morality he certainly had never been
a credit To the careful training which
he had received from his adopted "a
| ther. let he had never been 4 drunk
ard, for although he often drank too
much when ashore, liquor had gained
no hold upon him. Had the course of
hls true love run smoothly he would
probably have continued TO be a good
sailor and not very genial man. At
all events he would have striyen 70
rise n his profession, and would have
risen. As it was, he deliberately
threw overheard what small stock of
decency had hitherto chung to him and
entered upon the work of running him
self soul and body
Ii Mary's love, which wa, to have
lasted forever, vanished within the
brief period Of three wears. ,Iim's un.
happiness because of her falthlessnes,
was still more evanescent. A strong.
healthy man rarely suffers from blight
ed love for any great length of time,
ahd Jim found, rather TO his surprise,
that after two months had passed. he
had nearly recovered from the wound
winch lie iancied had been mortal.
with this recovery the excuse for self
ruin vanished, but unfortunately Jim
had found the path of ruin, much cas-
Ter than that of industry and self-res-
traint. Rum had gained the mastery
over him, and he felt the drunkard's
inability to break away from his mas
ter. He did make one or two feeble
Efforts, that were temporarily success
ful while he was at sea and deprived
OF the possibility of procuring liquor:
but he soon relinquished the attempt,
and sank rapidly to the hopeless posi-
tlOn Of q drunken, aimless yagabond
upon the face of the sea.
Though his love and grief had alike
Al al "a has 4
rival merely slumbered and when he
saw Captain Williams perspiring un-
der every outward sign of marine
prosperity. it instantly revived. He
contrasted his position with that Of
the prosperous captain, and, forgetting
that he had voluntarily made himself
a drunkard and an out-cast, swore at
the innocent Williams, and charged
him mentally with being the cause OF
all his woes. Under the inspiration OF
tins sudden access of strong emotion,
Jim Immediately went in search Of the
Lethean brandy, and soon ldrank him
self into the conviction that no posi-
bic punishment could properly recon-
pense the wicked Williams for his in
famous conduct. The same conviction
clung To him when the next day
brought sobriety and headache, and
with the wild determination of finding
an opportunity to avenge his own
wrongs he sought the unsuspectlng
captain, and signed the articles which
made him one of the crew Of the
schooner Mary Williams, in the place
OF the late = stranger" xho had gone
overheard IN the Gulf Stream when
slowing the jib on the outward pass
age.
Two days afterwards the schooner
sailed, and Jim went through with his
work with apparent alacrity and un-
doubted skill. Captain Williams de-
c'ded that the "Stranger' was fortu-
nate acquisition, especially as his mate
was an incompetent sailor, and addict
ed to incautlous sleep when in charge
OF the deck AT night. Jim was
in the mates watch, and the cap
tain congratulated himself upon the
certainty that there would be at least
one sailor on deck when he was snoring
in his cabin. jim noted the undesira-
bic character of the mate, and felt that
the opportunity to avenge himself on
his happy rival had arrived at last.
lie had as yet laid no plans, but fixed
determination to ''serve OUT his cap
tain had taken possession of his rum
crazed brain, and had grown to be
controlling passion. Probably he was
on the verge Of delerium, for the 9TH
er sailors noticed that he frequently
muttered to himself as he went about
his work, and that there was a wild
and dangerous glitter in his eye. The
next day from Havana the schooner
was making rapid headway before
fresh breeze on her starboard quarter,
and it was known that she was not far
from the long Florida reefs which ves-
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