American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-07-13
Miscellany.
THE SEALED INSTRUCTIONS.

THE SEALED INSTRUCTIONS.
HAD served twenty -five years on board
an East Indiaman, and for the last ten
years had commanded the Belle, one of
the finest crafts that ever foated was
an old sea dog, and had dwelt SO long on
salt water that felt almost a hatred for
the land.
On the Goth of October, 1924, I received
orders to put myself in readiness to sail
for Cayenne. l was to transport seventy
five soldiers and a convict. / had orders
to treat this individual well, and the let
ter had received from the directory en-
closed another, with a huge red seal,
which was not to open until between %
and 2S degrees west longitude that is,
just before we were about to cross the
line.
The letter was long packet, so well
closed on every side that it was impossi-
bic to catch the slightest glimpse of its
contents. l am not naturally supersti-
tious, but there was something in the look
of the letter that did not altogether like,
though l could give no reason why How
ever, carried it into the cabin, and stuck
it under the glass of little shabby En-
glish clock, which was fastened above my
head. was busy fixing the letter under
the clock, when who should come into
my cabin but the convict and his wife
This was the first time / had seen
either of them, and l may say that a more
prepossessing couple l never met The
woman was scarcely more than fifteen,
and as handsome as picture, while the
husband was an intelligent, magnificently-
formed man, on whose features nature had
never written VILLAIN"
His crime, to be plain, was the misfor-
tune of being hundred wears ahead of
his age. He and Others had attempted
something which our government called
treason, and which is punished with
death. 1t, therefore, occasioned me con-
siderable wonder that he should be placed
under my charge but more of this after
ward.
He had, as l said, his wife hanging on
his arm. She was as merry as bird she
looked like turtle-dove cooling and nest
ling beneath his great wing.
Before a month had passed over our
heads L looked upon them as nv own
children. Every morn l 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 I could |
was amazed 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 sitting in this way
when I said:
''Do you know, my young ones, as it
seems to me we make a very pretty family
picture? Mind, don't mean to ask ques-
lions, but may be you have not much
money to spare, and you are, both of you,
as l think, too handsome to dig in the
burning sun of Cayenne, like many a
poor wretch before you It's bad coun-
try-a bad country, take my word for it.
/, who have roughed it through tempest
noceros, might get along there; but you
i am afraid for you. So, if you should
chance to have a. bit of foolish friendship
for your poor old captain, I'll 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 settle myself down there
with you, if you like. You see 1 have
or that cares for me. / want relations, l
want a home, want family. I should !
like to make my home with you, my
pretty young onesl What say ye?"
They said nothing at all, but sat look
ing, first at each other and then at me, as
if they dot oted whether they understood |
what I said.
At last the little bird threw her arms
around my neck and cried like a baby.
Dut, sdiu pauSlnT,
you haven't looked at the letter with the |
big red seal"
"Hang it - exclaimed, at had slip
ped my mind entirely"
With cold, dreadful sensation, I 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 1t 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 glaring
red seal of the letter. ! 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 I, TO make |
starting out of its head?"
"Ah my love-" said the wife, ''it looks
like blood
Pooh, pooh,' said her husband, taking |
her arm under his ''it looks like letter /
of invitation to a wedding. Come, come /
leave the letter alone if il troubles you so |
Let's go to our room and prepare for I
bed.r
And off they went. They went upon
deck and left me with that beast of a let !
ter. / remember that I kept looking at /
it as | smoked my pipe; it seemed to fix .
its great red eyes upon mine, fascinating /
like the eye of a serpent. 1t was red. |
wide, raw, staring like the nav of a fierce |
wolf took my great coat and hung il !
over both clock and letter, and went upon
deck to finish my pipe
We were now in the vicinity of Cape |
dc Verde Islands-the Belle was running /
before a fair wind at the rate of ten miles /
an hour. 1t was splendid tropical night, |
the stars large and shining; the moon ris- !
ing above the hsrizon, as large as a sun |
of silver, the lie of ocean parting it, and |
long streams of bare, shimmering light |
falling upon the waves, which, as they 4
broke, sparkled like jewels / sat upon |
the deck smoking my pipe and looking at /
them.
All was still, except the football of the /