Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1877-02-02
Selected Myistellanv
IN THE NICK OF TIME.


age my parents consented to humor my
ambition to become sailor, and they
placed me in charge of Captain John
Stockton, (owner and master of the bark
Miranda, who was distant relation of
my mother. He was young man, barely
thirty years of age, and he treated me
with kindness and consideration. Though
on my first voyage with him ] must con-
fess | thought differently, as the reality
of cabin-boy's life differs very mate
rally from the romance that surrounds
it in the generality of sea-stories.
The Miranda was engaged in the trade
between New York and South America,
and on the second voyage | made in her
we carried several passengers to Rio
de Janerio. Among the number was a
young lady who was going down to Rio
to join her maternal uncle, wealthy
Baltmorean, who had resided in Brazil
for many years, for she was an orphan,
and had only just completed her odu-
cation.
Rosalind De Wire was one of the
sweetest blossoms from the garden of
girlhood ever met. OF medium statue,
her figure was graceful as Hebe's, and
her features clear-cut and regular as
those we sometimes see on antique
canoes She was about seventeen years
Of age, being nearly four my senior, and
she petted me until | fairly worshiped
her, for, as a usual thing on board ship,
lads in my position get more kicks than
caresses, But there was another per-
son, soon found. out. in whose bosom
the fair Rosalind had kindled fiercer
fame than in my own Mine was boyish
gratitude for kindness rendered bis
manly love inspired by her surprising
charms Young as was | could not
fail to see that Captain Stockton wal
passionately in love with Miss De Wire
and long ere we reached our destination
felt assured that his attachment wal
reciprocated
The other passengers were not slow t.
notice that the skipper was decidedly il
love with his pretty charge, and though
the majority of them especially the ladies
sympatbized with the young couple, anC
remembered the ungrammatical axiom
1.-TWO is company and three is none,
there were two persons Of the other sex
who were invariably lurking about when
ever the Captain and Rosalind happened
to select suitable place for tete-a-tete
They were natives Of Brazil, and from
what | overheard one day, having picked
up a smattering of the Portuguese
language on my previous voyage, I was
able to gather the gst Of their remarks,
which we're to the effect that one Don
Francisco Martin would have to be in
formed Of the love-making Of Captain
Stockton and Miss De Wire, and that
there would be some trouble when he
came to hear about it,
About ten days after our arrival in
Rio, the skipper came aboard one day
in very perturbed state Of mind. ]
knew il the instant he entered the cabin
"Givc me some brandy, Bob" he
said.
gave him some, and he tossed down
glassful undiluted, which was not his
custom, and then began overhauling his
stock Of reviewers.
"Whats the matter, sirW | ventured
to ask, for guessed something had gore
wrong with his love affairs, and | had
heard Of even strong, brave men blowing
out their brains in consequences of true
love not running quite as smoothly as
they wished.
mind your own business. boy" said
Mr.. Archer to me, "and stay forward
yourself" he suappishly responded.
| told the chief mate the skipper
wished to see him, and the two remained
in the cabin about on hour before the
pantry bell summoned me to their
presence.
"Sit down, Bob" said the skipper,
whose face had resumed its customary
brightness; twelve got little matter in
hand wherein you can make yourself
useful, if you wish to be a good boy
and obey orders"
| signifed my willingness TO do my
best to merit their appreciation, and the
pair Of copspirators took me into their
confidence.
The captain told me that Rosalind De
Vitre was his aHianced bride, and that
through the connivance of a European
lady friend Of his visiting in Rio. he
had been able to meet her every evening
in the lovely Botanical Gardens of that
city. They had been watched, however.
and their meetings reported to Mr.. Frank