The Portland daily press., 1874-01-28
ERMS $500 PER ANNUM IN ADVANCE
An InnrOmising Heir.

A short time ago the commanding officer Of
d man-oEwar lying at this station was inform
Gu that one of the old sails belonging to bis
sup wished to speak to him on the quarter
aeIa. os -. 49,. Inc captain promptly appeared, and
q, NC stePpeu from his cabin a venerable look
ra,,. n 'i, 1oi u war man, with eyes like a fer
Iet ana lace as rough as a nutmee-grater
urew himself up, and toached his CAP with
the precision oil an Algerre soldier. The old
salt was dressed in clean blue unster;n0
suit; carried a jack knife fastened to = snow.
white lanyard, AMI q stoWel in his star
board cheek something less than a quarter of
a pound OF tobacco.
''Well, my lad. whatsdo you want p, asked
the ca tain. The old sailor hauled off his
cap, slowed it under his arm, and then haul.
ed out from inside his shirt letter covered
with foreign postage stamrs and domestic
dirt.
"I'd like TO 90 ashore, sir, to see about this
letter." he said in reply.
Lets see, your name is Hardin, isn't It.
The last time you went ashore you got drunk,
and we had to pay ten dollars to get you out
of the lookup" and the captain was about to
order the old seaman forward. when some
thing in the appear ;nce of the letter In the
mans hand made him hesitate.
whats your letter abcut? Let me see
IL, he asked. The letter was addressed To
Henry Haidin, United States ship, Mare
Island, California. l. was an aristocratic
looking epistle, having coat of arms in blue
and gold, and delicate water-lines across
tn, sheet. The envelope was square and also
bore the same heradic device in flaming col
ors. The hano writing was neat and beauti-
full in style, and the captain glanced at it and
thought 1t was rltten by woman.
The letter was from his sister Henrietta,
and announced the death OF his uncle George
in New York city, giving details of the contro-
versy about his estate, with which the public
are familiar, aud advising him to go to New
York and meet his cousin Robert Hardin.
The captain directed the old sailor to ar
swer the letter, which he did in a bold hand.
His letter ended as follows:
Il am happy TO say that l am so situated
here that / eau leave for New York and meet
cousin Robert as you suggest, at days no
tice. fear We shall have trouble with the
woman who calls herself uncle Georges wild
CIV. However, nOus-UerrOns. / intend to
follow your suggestion, so urgently put for
ward, about going back to the land of my ia
thers. have been rover for thirty years
and more, aud must confess that the great
est joy that could come to me would be the
anchoring of my worn and weary old hulk in
deer old Armagh.
"Your affectionate brother, HENRY
The captain read this letter over carefully
and said, 'Why, Hardin, don't believe any
one ht re thought you conld write such a let
ter .-
mo, I suppose not,' said the old man;
''I'm pretty rough and admit drink rum,
and don't allus study my speech; but when
| git pen in my hand / never forget old
Trinity, at Dublin-God bless herl There's
where went to school, cap'n, morn fifty
years ago. Weel, weel, times has changed
with me, and don't s'pose can ever be .
gentleman again."
''Well," said the captain. 81 will discharge
you, Hardin, il you want to CO."
wall, guess I'll go. Tain't no use o.
stayin' here, 1t takes all the money can earn
now to pay fines in the Vallejo police couit.
/ git drunk every time go ashore, and they
allus arrest me-"
So, few weeks ago old Henry Hardin was
discharged from the navy yard, and started
for New York, where it is to be hoped that
the money ne got from the great Hardin es-
state will be sufficient to pay his fines in the
police courts for years to come.-SQn Fran
cisco Chronicle, Dec. 27.