The Sentinel. [volume] (Trenton, N.J.) 1880-1882, 1880-07-10
the insulting things you have said to

s's If you were not her father, he said
l would not bear such words from you ;
i but as it is
Here Nellie came and wound her
arms around me, where / stood nursing
my anger.
Father she said, we love each
other SOP
Love! between boy and girl!'
exclaimed; stuff and nonsense!'
"Then I turned to John and pointed
to the gate.
"'Go!' said, fiercely, and never
come near my daughter again. She is
not for such as you
With parting, pitying look toward
Nellie, who was sobbing as if her heart
would break, John went away.
1.-The next day 1 told Nellie of Mr..
Morris proposal, and of his wealth and
high station. She listened till had
finished; then she said gently, but with
look in her eyes had never seen in
them before:
81 love John Estey, father, and it
would be sin for me to marry another
man.
after that, when it came time for
my next cruise, made UP my mind it
wouldn't do to leave Nellie alone in our
cottage home as | had always done
hitherto; for, for al. | knew, that scamp
Gas 1 called him) might induce her to
marry him while was away.
"When I told Nellie of nay intention
OF taking her with me, she only an
swered:
"' Why, father, you know l have
always wanted to go with you on Il
cruise, but you never would take me
before
$50 we started. | had her cabin
fitted up as pretty as little parlor, and
the days went by merrily. In the even
ingS we sat together on-the deck, and
Nellie would sing, in her sweet voice,
Rocked in the Cradle of the Deep and
"A Life on the Ocean Wave, and all
IllG IdulillS1l SSt D.tllttuo IONt( L LIZ
three weeks were drawing to an enc,
and | began to hope that Nellie was
coming round to my way Of thinking;
SO / said one morning, just as we sighted
the home port:
SIS Now, Nellie, like a good girl,
make your father happy by consentiDg
to do as he wishes
She flushed an indignant, rosy red
as she sprang to her feet and confronted
me.
"' Father, have told you that | Gun
never love any one but John. / would
rather die than marry Mr.. Morris
"Then, in my turn, got angry.
Very WE'LL l said; we will be
in port in an hours time, and l hav to
go to L-(namirg town some miles
Distant before we go home. had iu-
tended to have taken you with me, but
you shall stay here all day till | re-
turn.
That frightened her, as l knew it
would
SO Oh, father, please do not leave me
alone on the ship. What if something
should happenp'
But 1 was obdurate; and when she
saw that her pleading had been of no
avail, Nellie saw me go without another
| word.
81 smiled to myself as | locked the
cabin door.
"' I'll see,' | thought, if a seventeen
year-old girl can set her will against
| mine
$50 off l went But | was not so
hard-hearted as | tried to be; for
thoughts of my little Nellie locked in
her cabin all alone troubled me all day.
and as soon as | could | transacted my
business and hurried back.
1t was growing dusk as | reached
the dock where the Ellen Gray was
moored, and the first thing saw was a
great crowd of people, seemingly much
excited over something. Then | missed
the Ellen Gray; though / strained my
eyes could see no sign OF her.
Trembling and shaking under the
influence of terrible fear, asked some
one who was passing:
"sWhat is the matter? What is the
crowd for7'
'sThe man did not know me, or he
certainly would have used more eau ion
Bluffiy he replied:
There's been an accident, sir. A
barge loaded with iron ran into the
Ellen Gray, and sunk her. The captain
was away, they say, and the crew had
gone off on their own hook Only thu
cabin boy was on board, and he was
picked up half drowned, and taken t.
his home. So it isn't so bad as it NIGH
be, for no lives are lost
Il gazed for moment wildly into hi
face, hardly pretending his words
then finging up my arms, l cried in ;
voice of agony:
"'No lives lost? Man, | am muir
derer! My daughter was on that ship!
"Then mereiful darkness came owe
| r f~,,