The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1872-07-17
MARRYING CONVICT.

had served twenty-five years OF
board an East Indiaman, and for th(
last ten wears had commanded III,
Bella. one Of the finest crafts that ev
er loated. / was an old sea dog, and
had dwelt so long on salt water thai
! felt almost hatred for the land
On the goth Of October, 1924, / re
ceived orders TO put myself in readi
nessto sailfor Cayenne. Twas touans
port seyenty-fye soldiers and con
vict. | had orders 10 treat this ind,
vidual well, and the letter i had re
ceired from the directory enclosed al
other with a huge read seal, which
was not TO open until between 81 anG
IS deg. west longitude that Is jus;
before we are about 10 cross the lnie.
The letter was long packet, sc
well closed on every side that il was
impossible to gettbe slightest glimpse
I Of its contents. / am notnaturallv su-
perstilious. but there1Was something in
the look Of the letter that ] did not
altogether Ike, though / could give
/ no reason why. However / carried
/ il into the cabin. and stuck ii under
the glass Of little shabby English
clock. which was fastened above nv
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 |
NAV say thai q ID0re progressing
couple ] never met The woman was
scarcely more than fifteen, and as
handsome a. a picture while the hus-
band was an intelligent. magnifcently
formed man, on whose features nature
had never written villain.
His crime. 10 be plain, was the
misfortune OF being a hundred wears
ahead Of his age. He and others had
attempted something which our gov
ernment called treason, and which il
punished with death II, therefore,
occasiOned me considerable wonder
that be should be placed under my
charge. but more Of this afterward.
He had a. / said, his wife hang
ing on his arm. She was as merry
a. a bird she looked like a turtle
ceoing and f0ndlv nesting beneath
his great wing.
Before a month had passed over
our heads i looked upon them as nv
own children. Every morning ! used
TO call them into nv cabin. The
Young fellow would sit writing at NV
table, that Is TO say my chest, which
was also nv bed He would often
help me at reckoning. and soon learn
ed to do it better than could. j was
amazed al his ahlity.-His young
wife would sit upon one of the round
stools in NV cabin. working at her
needle.
One day we were ali three sitting
in this way when j said:
DO you know, nv Young ones, a.
il seems 10 me. We make a very pret-
ty familypicture Mind, i don't mean
10 ask questions. but NAV be you have
not got much money 10 spare, and
YOU are. both of YOU, as / think, too
handsome to dig in the burning sun
Of Cayenne. like MANY poor wretch
before YOU. It's a bad country
bad country-take nv word for it. j,
who have roughed it through tem-
pest and sunshine till I've the skin Of
a rhinoceros, might get along there :;
but vou-I am afraid Of YOU Sc, if
vou should chance TO have bit Of
foolish friendship for your poor old
captain, III get rid Of the old brig /:
she's not much better than an old tub,
after all 50 III settle myself down
there with you. If Won like. You see
/ have not 8 living soul in the world
TO care for or that cares for me.
want heme, want a family.
should like 10 make. INV home with
YOU. nv pretty Young ones! What
say yey
They said nothing al all. but sat
looking. first al each other and then
at me. as ifthev doubted whether
thew understood what said.
At last NV little bird threw her
arms around my neck and cried and
sobbed Ike baby.
But said she suddenly pausing,
YOU haven't looked at the lei1er with
the big red seal"
Hang it :" | exclaimed, @it had
slipped nv mind enti-elyn
With a cold, dreadful sensation.
went 10 INV chest TO see where we
were. / found that We had several
DAYS remaining before we should
reach the proper longitude for OPEN
ing the letter.
Well, there We stood, all three of
Us, looking up at the letter as if il
could have spoken 10 us As il hap
,ened the sun was shining full upon
he face Of the clock case. and fell up
IN the big staring red seal of the let
.er ] could not help fancying il
ooked something Ike big monster.
IN ogre's face grinning out from the
middle ofthe fire il looked horrid. L
Gould not one fancy said / 10
make them laugh, 'its great big ewes
we're starting out Of its head ?"
"Ah nv love" said the wife, 1T
Ooks ike blood"
Pooh, pooh y said her husband,
aking her arm under his 1T looks
Ike a letter Of invitation TO a wedding.
,ome, come, leave the letter alone if
troubles you so. Let's go 10 our
oom and prepare for bed"
And of they went They went
Ipon deck and left me with that beast .
4 letter / remember that i kept ]