The Portland daily press., 1876-01-08
From Chambers [Edinburgh) journal
A Days BetrOthal.

her face, looking out TO sea with WlstIul,
sorrowful glance. The next moment my arm
was about her waist. She did not repulse
me. Jenny" 1 cried, "why should we
part at all? you will take me for skip
per, we'll sail through life together"
We are on board the barque Petrol, oil
Greenock, bound eventually fer London, with
a miscellaneous cargo from the Mediterra-
mean; and we are now anchored in the
roadstead OF Havre, little to the north and
west Of the pier-head. Jennyls the shippers
daughter, and am only passenger.
How il was tina. came to be passenger
on board the Petrol, and making love TO our
Jenny, may briefly explain. An official re-
organization had set me at liberty with a
moderate pension; in the prime of life, with
all the world before me, and ere making a
fresh start l had determined to have my
"wander year." So, after having wandered
over half of Europe, found myself standing
on the quay at Naples one tranquil evening,
watching the movements of The shipping,
jingling the few sovereigns l had left in my
pocket, and wondering if they would hold out
till quarter day, when was suddenly accos-
ted by name with friendly accents in my ma
tive tongue. 1t was some time before rec
ognized my interlocutor, or could bring to
mind under what circumstances l had pre-
viously met with Captain Macfarlane, of the
Petrol, for such he gave himself out 10 be-.
All OF sudden got the cue.
Up to the last eighteen months, had been
employed in the Transport and Victralling
Office in Whitehall. The Petrol had been
chartered as a transport; and to MacFarland,
much bothered with official forms and cir
cumlocutions, had been of some little SER
vice, putting him in the way of getting his
accounts passed, and so on. He had said at
the time, that if he ever had it in his power
to do me good turn, he would. And now,
here he had an opportunity.
"And why not take passage with me to
Old England urged the hospital Scot, as we
sat smoking and discussing bottle Of wine !,
cost you bawbee. Come! the bluepeters' S
flying. We weigh anchor tonight. Go
and fetch you traps, and yell come on board
with mej'
The offer was too tempting TO be refused.
Time was no object with me, whilst money
was. Before l knew what l was about
found myself and my portmanteau slowed
away in the captains gig, which was ceay-
ing the tranquil waters of the bay. Next,
was swinging myself up the side of the
Petrol, and then saw a pair of great sof:
brown eyes looking down upon me, and
almost lost my footing by the start they gave
me.
''Hoot! it's just our Jennyw cried Mac
farlane, in answer to my look of inquiry di-
rected towards our fair fellow-p passenger.
"Jenny, this is Master Willie Thornley,, to
whom I am under great obligations, and
hope we'll make him comfortable among u.s.
Well, it was too late to recede, and, after
all, it would not be for long.
And if it hadn't been for those battling
winds, we should have been safe enough.
We did not get to be downright friends. Jen-
ny and I, for whole fortnight, by which
TO houa hoan in ciOhf nf a
white cliffs of old England, and the SOLDERING
influences connected with them. But we
had three weeks more of it-a happy, haley
on time-that eliminated in the scene with
which began this narrative.
We had called at Havre to dispose of part
of our cargo, and the captain and mate hay
ing gene ashore to settle some dispute with
some of his crew who lad unwarrantably
deserted the ship, left Jenny and me on
board, in charge.
We were practically alone on board. The
steward was busy with his caboose, the black
was asleep somewhere forward-in the sun
the ship was riding easily at her anchor with
almost imperceptible motion. The town was
shimmering pleasantly in the sunshine and the
white villas on the wooded heights looked like
so many caskets of ivory. 1t was low tide,
and strip of wet, glistening sand was wish
Bile along the shores of the bay; bathers were
splashing about; amateur shrim pers were
pushing their nets before them in the shall
lows. Beyond, the bold headland of the
Cape lie Heve. crowned by its two white light
houses, assumed the appearance of some
lazy, pacific beast couchant on the sands.
Time and place were alike propitious.
turned to Jenny, and spoke to her of our
approaching separation; then I made the
final plunge. Oh those battling winds! how
much they had to answer for!
What Jenny's feelings might have been
after that decisive moment l cannot tell.
Mine approached stupefaction. All the diff.
ficulties and disadvantages attached TO the
step had taken, now showed themselves to
my minds eye in the strongest colors; and a
life of Strengthened means and perpetual petty
self denial, tinctured with the idea of a life of
miserable responsibility, presented themselves
in CHASTITY array.
There is an advantage, however, in seeing
the worst al once. Having suffered my mo-
ment of agony, began to recover. Jenny,
poor child, had not noticed the sudden chill
that came over me; she was too much agi-
tated and occupied with her own feelings
and as her head rested upon my shoulder,
and her eyes looked into mine with trusting
confidence, began to realize the truth, that
i had succeeded in winning for myself a
charming. affectionate companion; that my
lille would no longer be lonely and selfcon-
tanned.
The tide had turned; the flood had begun
to make. The ship was swinging slowly
round. presenting to us the opposite half of
the horizon. loud warning crash from the
awning above made US both look up. Never
shall forget the shock of the altered scene
that met our eyes. The sun was still shin
ing bright overhead, bus TO seward vast
livid wall of vapor shut out everything from
view. A shrill blast of wind trumpeted
loudly in tie rigging, which began to flap,
and creak and strain. The sea wac rising
rapidly, and waves came rushing in, crested
with driving foam. Then the sun was OBJ
scured, visible only as faint and watery
blotch; the hills crowned with sunshine, the
busy, happy town, all were blotted out; we
were alone amid sudden storm and fierce
rising sea.
Jenny sprang to her rect, and, with ad-
mirable calmness, began TO lower the avn
ing; but in a moment the wind was upon us
in full force; the canvas tapped wildly, and
then, torn away from its fastenings, flew
away to leeward, visible for minute in the
sky, like white sea-bird, and then was lost
in the gloom.
won't father be angryw cried Jenny,
clasping her hands; $50 many yards of good
canvas"
"Are we not in frightful danger here ?" 1
returned?"
Jenny shook her head. Gone can't fore
see everything Perhaps he is now on his
way" She took up the binocular and
peered anxiously through the mist. But DO
boat was to be seen. The sea seemed of a
sudden deserted, except for one or two fish
ing smacks 10 the southwark, that, with
great brown sails half lowered, were scud-
ding rapidly for the harbor. But for us, in
the teeth of this southwesterly gale, the
harbor-mouth was as inaccessible as the
moon.
Jenny left the poop, and ran forward to
the forepart of the vessel. followed her as
well as could, holding on by this and that,
for our ship was now pitching heavily upon
the swell. l found her by the bowsprit
watchingithe rise and fall of the ship with
anxious eyes. The great black chain that, as
the vessel fell, would be invisible in the waves,
as she rose stretched itself as tight as bow.
string, with clank and groan that made one
shudder. Our lives hung upon that chain,
that the waves seemed to sport with as a toy.
As we stood there, wave larger than the
Others rose upon us without warning, and
swept the deck with irresistible force, bearing
everything movable with it. / chung despa-
rately to Delaying pin, and Jenny chung TO
me, and after while the Petrol rose CALAMITY