The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-09-11
A TURN IN. FORTUNE.

A TURN tN.FORTUNE.
''The time is short now, Harry, my
boy. The captains on the bridge; steam
well up and the men ready to cast off the
you alone for bit; but you must curtail
your leave-taking, l warn you, tor II
would never do for myself and the girl
to be carried off to Alexandra, or even
as far as Gib"-So saying, bluff, good.
natured, DR.. Davenport, whose own
best days had been spent on blue water,
as the sea-going surgeon of this or that
trigate, turned on his heel and walked
toward the helm.
Dora's trustful, fearful eyes met mine.
ooh, Harry, come back soon to mev she
murmured, with trembling lips; sand
ah dear, take care of yourself in that
strange land that you are going to. ]
have heard such dreadful things"-
And she paused, sobbing.
"Dreadful things, 1 am sure," said I,
laughing, as I pressed her little hand,
ssabout Japan and its two-sworded gen.
try, that chop Europeans to mince- meat.
Don't fear for me, my darling; remember
that the country is not strange to me.
talk the language after fashion, and
have found the natives, on the Who'll Q, a
decent set of people when fairly dealt
by. Come, We'll both look forward,
cheerily, to the time when, in three short
years or so, you and / can"
"There goes the bell; now for the
Shore" cried the doctor, hurrying up,
and drawing his daughters arm within
his own, in the midst. of general hustle
and confusion. "May God bless you,
lad, and send you safe back-Now,
Dora"
There were other partings than ours
taking place at that moment on the deck
Of the Alcestis, p. and o. steamer, out
ward-bound, from Southampton-part
ings between weeping wives,' and the
bronzed husbands, going cut again to
India, and whom, perhaps, they might
never see again; between parents aud
children, friends and brothers, but, so
far as know, of no afianced lovers, save
our two young selves. 1t was wrench
TO the heart-strings, although tried at
the time to make light of it, or to seem to
do SO, that sad 'g0od-by," but it was
soon over. Those who had come on
board to bid farewell to outgoing pas
sengers were hustled back over the
plank that led to the quay; the plank was
Withdrawn, the ropes cast off.
$50 on ahead, there! Keep her away !
Half speedW and amidst the waving of
hats and handkerchieis, off went the
swift steamer, bound for the East.
~ or to thia mint Iipa in n
nutshell. l, Harry, more commonly
sty ell Harry Harland, mad been at an
cary age sent to sea, first as midship-
man to an Indiaman, and then as mate ).
and had worked my way On to be first
officer of more than one fine sailing ves-
sci trading in the China seas. l was
Internationally when came back from
Japan, and taking holiday to visit my
old grandmoth the last survivor of my
immediate relations, at Rose Bank,
Clevestead, Somersetshire, fell in love
with Dora Davenport, the DOCTORS young
est daughter, and found my love re-,
turned. What was to be done? l had
nothing butmy own exertions on which
to depend, and could rarely count on
earning more than Two hundred q year.
Dora was as poor as she was good and
pretty. The honest doctor had five chill
dren 10 maintain. and could spare us
never 4 slxpence TOWARDS Our future
housekeeping. Nor had any Of those
testamentary prospects which brighten
the rugged rpad OF many asneedy man.
My grandmother, good, kind soul, could
leave me nothing. Her tiny income, AMI
annuity, brought years ago with the
relics and scraping OF our former prop
efty OF course died with her. We Har.
lands had been small squlres in our day,
estated country gentlemen, though the
acres had been few, and it took but one
spendthrift owner of the Grange to bring
the lands to the auction-mart.
How was to marry Doras l could
not lind it in my heart to condemn the
poor girl 10 life of priv atiOns, in some
seaport, on the meagre subsistence to be
derived from "drawing" monthly por-
tion Of my modest pay. 1t seemed to be
better, by far better to fOrsake the sea
for time, and to settle down in some.
weli-remunerated shore-going employ
fAeflt, 81 the other side Of the w9rid. Fer
sucha post, habit, joining with some ap..
titude for picking up foreign tongues
and appreciating .outlandisn customs,
Qualified me fairly well. For. four
months I had kept The books Of firm at
Hong.kong, and my employers were sor-
~ to part with me, and more than once
wrote to say that the "godown" coolies
had never been so tractabie, or the
sshong'' so regularly In working order,
since my departure. Then, for longer
epace, / had commanded q Chinese
Glyde-built steamer, the Firefy, and
only left her when found that the pig
tailed owners expected their captain 70
combine little piracy and arson with
o spice of smuggling, where had looked
sfor nothing but legitimate trade. For
tunately an old friend Of my fathers had
recommended me to the notice OF q
-E--s.hv Enrliah firm. Parker & Mills.