The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-06-25

looked like turtle dove cooling and nest
ling beneath his great wing.
Before month had passed over our
heads looked upon them as my own chill
dren. Every morning used to call them
into my cabin. The young fellow would
sit writing at my table, that is to say at my
chest, which was my bed. He would often
help me at reckoning, and soon learned to
do better than could. I was amazed at
his ability His young wife would sit upon
one of the round stools in my cabin, work.
ing at her needle.
One day we were all three sitting in this
way when l said
"Do you know, my young ones, as it
seems to me we make very pretty family
pictureP Mind, don't mean to ask ques-
tions, but may be you have not much
money to spare, and you are, both of you,
as think, too handsome to dig in the burn
ing sun Of Cayenne, like many poor
wretch before you. It's bad country-a
bad country, take my word for it. I, who
have roughed it through tempest and sun
shine till I've the skin of rhinocerous
might get along there; but you'll am
afraid of you. So, if you should chance to
have bit of foolish friendship for your
poor old captain, III tell you what I'll do.
I'll get rid of this old brig; she's not much
better than an old tub, after all; so I'll set
tie myself down there with you, if you like.
You see have not living soul in the
world to care for, or that cares for me. /
want relations, want a home, l want a
family. l should like to make my home
with you, my pretty young ones! What
say YEP"
They said nothing at all, but sat looking,
first at each other and then at me, as if
they doubted whether they understood
what said.
At last the little bird threw her arms
around my neck and cried like a baby.
"But," said she, pausing suddenly, "you
haven't looked at the letter with the big red
SEAL"
"Hang it !" 1 exclaimed, lit had slipped
my mind entirely"
| With a cold, dreadful sensation, went
to my chest to see where we were. found
that we had several days remaining before
we should reach the proper longitude for
opening the letter.
Well, there we stood, all three of us,
looking up at the letter as if it could have
spoken to us. AS it happened the sun was
shining full upon the face of the clock case,
and fell upon the great startling red seal of
the letter. l could not help fancying it
looked something like a big monster, an
ogre's face, grinning from the middle of
the fire; it looked horrid.
"Could not one fancy" said l, to make
them laugh, "its great big eyes were start
ing out of his headP" H.
"Ah, my love-" said the wife, sit looks
like blood" s
Pooh, pooh !" said her husband, taking
her arm under his, sit looks like letter
of invitation to wedding. Come, come,
leave the letter alone if it troubles you SO.
Let's go to our room and prepare for bed"
And off they went. They went upon
deck and left me with that beast of letter.
l remember that l kept looking at it as ]
smoked my pipe; it seemed to fix it's great
red eye upon mine, fascinating like the
eye of serpent It was red, wide, raw,
starting like the nav of a fierce wolf /
took my great coat and hung it over both
clock and letter and went upon deck to
finish my pipe.
We were now in the vicinity of Cape de
Verde Islands-the Belle was running be-
fore fair wind at the rate of ten miles an
hour 1t was splendid tropical night, the
stars large and shining the moon rising
above the horizon, as large as sun of sill
yer, the line of ocean parting it, and long
streams of bare, shimmering light falling
upon the waves, which, as they broke,
sparkled like jewels. ] sat upon deck,
smoking my pipe, and looking at them.
/ All was still, except the football of the
officer of the watch as he paced the deck,
gazing, as was, upon the shadow of the
vessel stealing over the silent water.
/ love silence and order-I hate noise anc
confusion. The lights should all have beer
extinguished by this time, but when
looked upon the deck thought saw Q
little red hue of light beneath my feet. Al
another time and place this would have
made me angry, but knowing that the lighi
came from the cabin Of my little deportes
determind to see what they were about.
had only to look down; I could see int
the cabin from the skylight,
The young girl was upon her knees, sh,