Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1873-02-22


mong the bills of Maine, heard the grow
in murmur of despair around her in her
home, and read the story Of dying hope
in many sympathetic eye, but would
never give up the ship. One year--ano-
ther-many years passed on; and yet
she was sure Of good providence to
come and lover to return. Not in ten
years would she give it up, nor in TWEEN
ty. From that eighteenth summer of
her life in which the sailor had left her,
to the middle life which found her still
without revelation of his fate, she pre-
served hope and cheerfulness proof a.
gainst every argument of reason, q needed
nothing that sought to change her trust
or situation. After no less than twenty
nine years of this seemingly fatuous con-
fidence, on the 18th day OF Sept, last, re-
lates the Bangor Commercial, the aged
mother of this indomitable heroine of
constancy received letter, postmarked
Liverpool, justifying all her daughters
immutable faith. The writer was Capt.
Chas. Vincent, now in his 54th year. He
asked to be informed il his betrothed still
lived, and said that an affirmative reply,
for which he scarcely dared hope, should
be the signal for his immediate return TO
America. Scarcely knowing how to in
terpret this strange, concise missive, al
most from the dead it seemed, the elder
lady, while carefully conceaing the fact
of its reception from her whom it most
interested, answered as conciSely. Hence,
OH the first day of this month, the for
mer master OF the ship Laura Sheldon
alighIed from o stage coach at the door
Of the bride-elect, whom he had last
seen more than quarter of century
ago, to redeem the pledge of his youth.
The character of the meeting OF the two
may be Inferred from what has been re-
yealed OF the character OF the gentler.
The returning exile, now a man well ad.
vanced in years, with plenty of silver IN
his locks and beard, and @ droop in his
once soldierly shoulders, was welcomed
by a woman no longer young.
What he had to tell in certification of
his worthiness to stand in that hous @
again. was a story nealy as old, in one
particular, as the sun itself. His vessel,
after prosperous voyage 50 far, was
caught by violent tempest in the In
dian Ocean, and foundered with all OIL
board, save himself and one sailor. lie
and his tellow-survivor were rescued
from an extemporized raft of floating
timbers by a brig bound to China, whith-
er, of course, they were obliged to go.
Arriving at one of the Chinese ports in
the usual wretched plight of ship
wrecked man, and disheartened at the
thought of the helples bankruptcy of his
worldly situation, he gladly accepted the
clerkship IN an English house. The
sailor who had been saved with him
shipped presently for England, and by
this man, whose future fate remains un'
known, he dispatched letters, to be post
ed from Liverpool, informing his family
aud sweetheart at home of his msfor
tune. These epistles, and others which
he subsequently dispatched to the same
destinations by the China mail, were
meyer delivered; and the consequent non
reception of the expected replies thereto
intensified his despair. In short he de
cid. TO remain abroad until fortune
should be in som, manner retrieved, o.
his memory at home become that of th'
dead. Gradua lily he prospered by pro
motion in his clerkship until mino
partnership became his, and then, visit
ing Liverpool on business for his firm
he had the impulse to write once NOR
TO his old home, upon venture, will
the result already recorded. 1t is scarce
ly necessary to add that the bride, VIII
had so trustfully waited twenty-nin
years for him, received this narrative q
his adventures with love proportione
to the dangers he had passed, and did nc
refuse to go back with him to China a
wife. Thither, accordingly, says III
Bangor paper, they will sail in a fe,
months, with hearts as young, throug
= final truition and happin ess, as thoug
the Indian ship of their youth had nc
gone down at sea, with so much ofthe
fruitful lives.
But yet something in her air,
Restored him TO youthful prime;
His heart grew young and seemed to wear
The charm that blest the long lost time.
l. He took her trembling hand In his
)f Its touch awoke world of joy;
l. He kissed her with reYerent kiss,
n For he had loved hei when boy.