New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-03-14

: I said.
l "Yes, surely"
Il am afraid you do not know me.
should have known you anywhere"
, '.And should have known YOU nowhere
monsieur"
: $50 dare to say; yet know you so vel
that l have followed you about for tn
whole afternoon, afraid to speak to you"
''Yet am not difficult of address, mon
sieur; have strange confidants."
May be one of them9 Do you remem
Der boy called Meerschauml"
r Perfectly. Do you bring news of him9
81 do
II hope that it is good, because, sir, be
tween US. loved him when we were chill
dren together SO very deeply. / think tina
If he were to come before me now, til
brave. patient llttle fellow grown into
man, could love him again. You try b,
your dress to conceal from the world tina
you are sailor But sailors eyes are to-
frank for woman's scrutiny. You hav,
seen Meerschaum. Where did you see hin
last!'
DO you not see him now9' said tn,
young man.
, 1t was Meerschaum, and in irving tt
remember what she had said to him before
the recognition she pretended to herself
that she had forgotten it all. They Joined
NJ. Escriot, and went home with him. One
/ IL,
that was that his granddaughter and the
son OF the convict woman were in love with
one another, and that nothing which he
could ever do would separate them.
The simple fact was that he had no word
to say against the arrangement. He was
getting very old. Michael Durnford was
everything he could desire His father and
mother were accommodating money and doing
well. Under the English law his grand
daughters money could be tied up on her
self. He had asked about the yonng mani
character. and it was good. Why, then,
should they not marry! He determined to
ask his grand daughter if she had any OBJ
lection.
She answered that she had none at all,
and continued, like a true daughter Of
| France with money in her purse, that if he
could not keep her, they, grandfather and
granddaughter, would be most certainly
able to keep him. 1t was not an English
way of putting the case, but it was most
| certainly practical.
| SO golden days came for poor Nicer.
schaum. M. Escriot sent him to college
| at Southsea to learn navigation. The science,
in its rudiments, is not difficult. We have
| learned it three or four times ourselves, and
can say, with safe conscience, that we
| KNOW nothing about it now. Meerschaum.
| however. assimilated navigation, and Lieu
| tenant Maury, of the United States navy,
having appeared on the scene shortly before,
Mserschaum followed his theories, hanging
on his words.
His examinations were passed splendidly.
There was slight difficulty about his obi.
cations to the royal navy, but they we're
easily got over. He went into the reserve
Nlnette and he were to be married when his
parents came home. They were expected
every day.
The weather got dim and wild early that
year. 1t stood at north, then at northeast,
backing steadily against the sun. Nicer
schanm, tull OF Reid, Maury and Fitzroy,
told them that great storm was coming,
Ninette and he walked across the sands to
E Broadstairs; the bOatmen were ready for
anything there
The great sOuthwesterly storm of those
days came on them more suddenly than
they had thought for; it came on rapidly
rising barometer. From the ghastly posi-
ton OF y 10 the barometer went up to $50.
At three O'clock the disaster was upon
them. There came flying, almost green
colored cloud, from the direction of Calais
and after that no one knew much more
until 1t was over. The wind drove the sea
IN masses OF foam toward the land. As
darkness came on all was evident that all
the lights in the channel were useless on
such night as this. Their own North |
Foreland was invisible, aud the lights even |
a. euS'A Wv II OuoSlC WCIc uiu SpOtS.
In the horrible roar and confusion one |
young man kept his head. Toward mid |
night Michael Durnford went out and tried |
to rally the boatmen. They were at first |
dlslhcllned to 60 with him, for it was use. |
less.
81 tell you" ne said, that there is ship |
close to US. have heard the voices of the |
people on board Of her.
man came staggering through the surf, |
came, holding baby, and then others reel
ing IN the wash, which was now beginning
to slop up with the ebb.
All kingsgate were out at once and I'D
to their waists in water. Michael Durnford
pulled IN an on shore and asked him what
ship it was which had been wrecked.
"The Aurora" the man said, Captain
Durntord. She is on her side on the reef
there: lie is going to stop till the last, and
his wife with him.
NJ. EscriOt and Ninette knew nothing of
what was happening. In the awful roar of
The storm, they once or twice held the door
partly open, and peered out into the wild
night He faced it bareheaded, but she
wrapped up her head, because Michael
always kissed her hair before they sepa-
'ated. She raised her hand and said, "Let
Is thank God that our boy is not at sea-"
And M. Escr.ot said, II will COPY Lear
III pray, and then I'll Sleep"
When Michael heard the name of the ship, |
le knew what had happened He was per
ectly quiet. He said to two young men
Who stood by him:
My father ia captain Of that ship, and |
ny mother is with him. l must get off to
hem.'
The two young fishermen to whom
Michael spoke showed him that if the ship
we're where she was reported to be, he could
,et to her along that reef which lies to the
vest OF kingsgate. SO he went out along
into the spin-drift and was seen no more ,
ntll the next morning.
Blinded and bruised among the rocks. he :
lade out the ship at last. She was lying at j.,
he edge of the reef, breaking her back As :
o approached her he heard her cracking !
nd ripping herself to pieces. She was on =
er side, and ruin of masts and rigging
'as between himself and her. He saw his ,
ather and his mother advancing together +
long the mainmast to get as far on the 7
par as they could before launching them !
elves, and he called on them. =
"HOld on. and will be with you directly. y
ct you on shore"
Captain Durnford cried out, ave are the a
lst. 60 back and bring us rope."
II can get my mother on shore, and you | y
IN follow" shouted Michael. !.
He made toward them, and was Chamber =
g on the spar, when a piece of the wreck -
Urged against his chest and sent him down. !
When NJ. Escriot and Captain Durnford ~
und him next morning, the sand was in ..
s hair and the sea-scud was driving over :
s face. Captain Dnrnford said, God has -
ZEN very cruel to US in this matter" ~
NJ. Escriot said: "My friend, you have :.
arcely read the story Of Cleobis and Bito. :, =,
aise his head and let me wipe the sea "
am from his face. If there were no future, u
no would live9 In the hands of God we u