The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1872-09-13
MARRYING AIOoNvICT.

l had served twenty-five years on board
On East IsdismaB. md Tor the last ten
yean had commanded the Belle, one Of
the sosss crafs that eve Hosied I was
an Old - dog, and had dwelt 20 long on
sAlt wsssr that felt alasnst hatred for
tbs land. yt
On she 2osh Of oc,ier. 1924, Ire
esivsd orders 10 put my4lf in rssdins.
V III fbr Cayenss, Iwts % tf.nsport
ssvsnty-6ss soldien and q eouvick I bod
ordsu 70. treat this indivi aal w, and
ths isttef I received from The dirsctpsy
snsIcssd smother. with R,es red bsAl,
which was not to open un6l betwese "a
and % degrees West lougitsde; that il,
jut before we were about TO cross she
line. 81
The letter va. long packet. 20 vel
closed on every aide that IL sas impossi.
be 10 casoh the slightest glihpss Of ID
contents. I am not naturally superst-
ticus, but there vas somethiag in the
look Of the letter that did not altogether
like, though could give no rss,on why,
However, carried n into the cabin, and
stuck i under the glass Of a little shabby
English clock, which was fastened above
my head. ] was busy fixing the letter
under the clock. when who shoeh come
into my cabin but the convict and his
wifel This vas the FIRST time I .hsd seen
either Of them. and ! may say that q
more proposing couple 1 never met
The woman was scarcely more thsa e.
ten. and . Handsome asa picture; While
the husband was an intelligent. msgni6-
Gently formed man. on whose features
nature had never written william
His crime. to be plain. was the mis-
fortune of being hundred years ahead
Of his ase. He and Others had sttemp
ted something which our government
called treason, and which it punished
with death. 1t therefore occasioned me
considerable wonder that he should be
placed under my charge; but more Of
this afterwsrd.
He had, q. said, his wife hanging
on his arm. She was as merry Il bird,
she looked like turtle dove cooling and
nesting beneath his great wing.
Bssssv. .sush -s.a -ra...d -avss aur
heads, looked upon them ss my own
children. Every morning ! use TO call
them into my cabin. The young fellow
you'd sit writing at my table, that is to
say. a. my desk. which was my bed. He
would oftsn help me at reckoning, and
soon learned to do better than l could.
| was amared at his ability. His young
wife would sit upon one Of the round
stools in my cabin, working at her needle.
One day we were all three sitting in
this way when said;
"Do you know. my young ones, rs it
seems TO me we make very pretty fam
lily picturei Mind. ! don't mean to ask
questions. but may be you have not much
money to spare. and you are, both of you,
as think. too handsome 10 dig in the
burning sun Of Cayenne, like many
poor wretch before you. Its bad coun-
try-a bad country, take my word for it.
I. who have ro~shea Il through tempest
and sunshine till have the skin Of
rhipceros. might get along there, but
you'll am afraid for you. So. if you
should chance to have bit Of foolish
friendship for your poor old captain, I'll
tell you what III do. I'll get rid Of this
old brig; she's not much better than an
old tub, after all, 50 I'll settle myself
down there with you, If you like. You
see ! have not living soul in the world
to care for, or that that cares for me. l
want relations, want home, | want a
family. should like to make home
with you, my pretty ones! What say
yer
They said nothing at all, but sat look
ing 6rt at each other then at me, as If
they doubted whether they understood
what l said.
At last the little bird threw her arms
around my neck and cried like baby.
"But,' said she suddenly pausing,
"you haven't looked mt the letter with
the big red seal
"Hang iti" ! exclaimed, ''it had slip
ped my mind entirely"
With cold, dreadful sensation went
to my chest TO see where We were. j