Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-11-10
A Romance Of the Sea and the Shore.
BY GEORGE WASHINGTON BRICKS.
CHAPTER THE FIRST.

CHAPTER THE FIRST.
"See how upon her gallant course she goes,
Her white wings hying-neyer from her foes!
Who would not cash q twenty-dOllar check
To move the monarch OF her painted deckl"
lBYRoN.
o, Love. the well-spring alike of mans
bricnuest earthly hope and joy, and Of mans
darkest earthly gloom aud despair! But
for the fame which thou with thine mex
tinguishable torch dOst kindle upon the
altar of human hearts, gallant bark now
slumbering far down where the purple null
let and the goldfish rove would sill come
home to her haven under the hill, and the
novelist had not been called upon to add
this strangely thrilling story to the beauti-
ful constellation Of American literature!
L s7as about the middle Of the afternoon
on the 18th of June, ia the year 1857, that
q beautifully modelled smack, bark-rigged
and panied lovely pea green, lay quietly
st anchor off Spanish Alley in the harbor OF
Mobile. Not a cloud dimmed the cerulean
splau5Or Of 'The besutiful aboOn;" not a
zephyr disturbed with touch Of its inyisi-
bic pliion the calm SUFFICE of the Bay, nor
kissed the snowy blossoms of the magnolias
clustering on the shore. All nature seemed
to have read an article in the Daily -, or
to lave taken some other narcotic, and
fallen quietly to sleep. The scene was one
of peculiar tranquility. Upon the wharf
stood 2 solitary dray, the horse attached
tlele.n quietly but feloniously nibbling at
b1la Ct bay. Il was indeed a time for
memory and for tears.
The Betsey Jane-the Eagle of the Sea, |
as she was f0ndly termed by her gallant
eraW-lay as still and undisturbed upon the
WARS as painted duck upon q painted
sd oil on
paared upon her hurricane deck, and, walk
ing proudly to the stsrboard bulkhead, ex-
claimed in tones which rang out upon the
s,aguant air ike the notes of a trumpet:
"B>atswain, ahoy!"
1AEe, aye, sir" answered 4entorian
voice ajafL the miZzen capstan.
AMI at the same moment there stepped
forth person Of HercUlean frame, whose
ca-b consisting principally OF pair of
fro gsers and a shirt-collar, bespoke him
every iuch a sailor. Touching his tarpaulin
with he fore finger Of the right hand by
way Of salute, he waited respectfully for
tie command Of his superior officer.
''B=lay the quadrant and report instantly
the hour said the captain with fearful
frOwn, a. the same time bending upon his
subordinate a brow with passion dark as
midu 1t.
Ths boatsgaiu descended the narrow
steps leading to the pinnacle, and in few
moments returned to the deck, and, again
touching his hat, said:
"J0St on the stroke Of three bells, your
exec iency"
Now, then, inexcrable dog, BECOME J"
exclaimed the Captain, with frown more
fearful THAI the first. .
knowing that disobedience was death,
the man turned To obey, when the Captain
cried IN voice of thunder:
"But hold ~
And Instantly the boaiswain held.
Have you resfed the force astle sbaft the
marlin spike, as directed ?" asked the Cap
tain with look which showed that he was
not to be triaed with.
"a, t, aye, sir" was tbe reply.
ssAnd have you lashed the mainmast to
the jib boom and furled the after yard
ARM"
"Aye, aye, sir;;'' was again the reply.
"Tnen, immediately Delay the main jack,
brace the forward davits, and let the anchor |
1, be taken aboard and weighed"
In ten minutes the boatswain returned |
aud ported the Captains orders fully ex-
ecuteG
", ~ WELL" said that officer, snow I'M
sheet halyards, and head her out to sea-"
The order was obeyed with the rapidity |
Of intgic, and the Betsy Jane, with her top |
Gallant haLchway spread like snowy cloud |
60 cat ch the freshening breeze, was soon |
sycep ng ike a majestic swan through the |
ripyir & waters Of The bay.
Up, u her deck stll stood her command
IT, officer, the chvalrous Capt. DePompa |
no. But the splendor Of the scene around |
him bought DO emotion of pleasure to his !
beaviug breast. Alas, within that breast |
an iul .ia1e vuture browsed upon the once !
green leaves of hope and happiness, and |
mad already rendered it as barren and desc |
late q the dreArieSt solitude of The Arabian |
deser That insatiste fowl was the Vul- |
ture Of anrequited love! -...
eli, .!fe was in the yellow leaf;
tn fruits and flowers of love were gomez
The .orm, the canker, and the grief -..
Were his alOne.' -.--
The victim of scorned and sighted alec |
ton! AlaI not punches, nor brandy COCK
tails, or all the drowsy juleps in the world,
can II dicine him to tie sweet sleep ne
knew yesterday! No longer the o0seqmo1s
iovel! III now the embodied spirit OF VEN !
geanc' and every breath he drew was The !
slogan # immOC tai wrong
CHAPTER THE SECOND.
''S was phantom of delight,
br gtest star in beauty's skies,
III that's best OF dark and bright
IN ler aspect and her eyes,"