Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1872-08-24
THE SEALED INSTRUCTIONS.

the Belle, one of the finest crafts
that ever iloated. ] was an old sea
dog, and had dwelt so long on salt
water that felt almost Il hatred for
the land.
On the Goth of October, 1924, |
received orders to put myself in
readiness to sail for Cayenne. !
was to transport scycnty-fve soldiers
and convict. | had orders to treat
this individual well, and the letter
| had received from the directory
lnclosed another, with q huge red
seal, which | was not to open until
between u and % degrees west lon
gltude; that is, just before we were
about to cross the line.
The letter was a long packet, so
well closed on every side that
it was impossible to catch the
slightest glimpse Of its contents. |
am not naturally superstitious, bat
there was something in the look of
| that letter that | did not altogether
like, though could give no reason
why. However, | carried it in my
cabin, and stuck it under the glass
Of little shabby English 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 | may
say that more propossesslng couple
| never met. The woman was
scarcely more than fifteen, and as
handsome a picture, while the hus-
band was an intelligent, magnificent
Iy formed man, ON whose features
nature had never written "ViIlian.'
His crime, to be plain, was the
misfortune of being a hundred years
ahead of his age. lie and others
had attempted something which our
government called treason, and
which is punished with death. 1t
therefore occasioncd me considerable
wonder that he should be placed un-
der my charge, but more Of this at-
terward.
He had, as | said, his wife hang
ing on his arm. She was as merry
as a bird she looked like 4 turtle
dove cooing and nesting beneath
his great wing.
Before a month had passed over
our heads, | looked upon them a.
my own children. Every morn
used to call them into my own cab
in, The young fellow would siJ
writing at my tablc--that is to say
at my chest, which was my table
lie would often help me at reckon.
ing, and soon learned to do better
! than could. ! was amazed at hiS
ability. His young wife would si
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
as it seems to me, we make a very
pretty family picture? 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 to dig ii
the burning sun of Cayenne, like
many u poor wretch before you. it,
a bad country-a bad country, TAKE
my word for it. |, who have rough
ed it through tempest and sunshine
till | have the skin of a rhinoccros
might get along there; but YOU
am afraid for you, So, if You shoul'
chanceto have bit of foolish friend
ship for your poor old captain, II
, tell you what pIl do. III get ri,
/ of this old brig she's not mucl
, better than an old tub, after all; $
Pll settle myself down there witt
> you, if you like. You see | hav
, not a living soul in the world to car
; for, or that cares for me. | wan
: relations, | want home, | want
= family. | should like to make m
5 home with you, my pretty young one
+ What say YEP
8 They said nothing at all but so
e looking, first at each other, and the
Q at me, as if they doubted whethc
t they understood what 4 said.
Z. At last the little bird threw he
arms around my neck and cried lili
l. baby.
$ "But," said she, suddenly pau'
{, o ing, "you haven't looked at I'll
y letter with the big red seal"
> Hang it w l exclaimed, cit ha
q q slipped my mind entirely"
!, With a cold, dreadful sensation,
h went to my chest to see where "
p we're. l found that we had sever
It days remaining before we shouI
d reach the proper longitude for opel
IS ingthe letter.
,e Well, there we stood, all three
/ us, looking upat the letter as If
, could have spoken to us. AS
happened, the sun was shining tu
upon the face Of the clock case, al
y, tell upon the great, glarlng red $ Sc
y ,, of the letter. | could not help taI
+ cying it looked something like a b
s. s. monster, an ogrc's face GRIMM
pr from the middle Of the fire; it loo
NJ o1 hOrriu