The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1881-03-20
noRMANs FORTUNE.

A group of young officers sat on the
deck of an English sloop-of-war, and
were gazing with interest upon the har-
Dor and city of Malta, which they were
to leave in a few hours for the Pacific,
whittier their vessel had been ordered.
There comes the boat, and now Wen
see what manner Of man our junior
lieutenant is to be-" said one of the Off
GERS, as a ~man-of-war's boat put out to-
wards the sloop.
..As / live, it is Norman Erncscliffe!'
cried one. cycling the boat closely.
"And who is Norman Ernescliffc,
Charlie?" cried several.
"a splendid fellow. l a tell you
going out in a fearful gale, at the risk
Of his own life, and plotting a brig-of-
war into a safe anchorage"
'Does he come of good stock, Char
lieP" asked an a~ristocratic young Off
Ger, who was always talking of his blue
blood. b
"His family were poor, / believe; but
he's rich now, and his wife was an heir
ess. and the way he won her was most
romantic, / can assure you.'
'.Give us the yarn, Charlie, as soon
. the huff goes down in the cabin to
pay his respects to the captain" urged
one, while the others joined in the re-
quest.
II will spinthe yarn as oon as I've
spoken to Ernescliffe, and introduced
him, and I'm glad he has been ordered
to our ship"
So saying, Charlie ~Beauchamp walked
to the gangway, and greeted the new
officer as he came on board, while the
group on the quarterback commented
on his appearance.
Hes a handsome fellow, anyhow"
declared one.
And looks like o fearless man," re-
marked another.
What a superb form he has" put in
q third, while q fourth added:
.'And looks every inch q sailor"
The object of these comments had in
the meantime returned the greeting Of
his friend with warmth. and then gone
toward the cabin to report 10 the cap
tain, promising to return on deck o 0
and meet those who were to be his
brother officers.
..The captain will keep him some
time, Beauchamp. for l learn he brings
dispatches from home, SO give us that
yarn" called out a passing midship-
man.
"An right. I'll give it to you as l
heard it from my sister, who was q
| schoolmate of his wife"
at seems that Ernescliffe's father wa
o captain in the merchant service, and
| took his son to sea with him on his diff
ferent voyages.
Upon one of these trips, Captain
| Ernescliffe was so fortunate as to rescue
the passengers of a homeward bound
East Indiaman that was in a sinking
condition, and among them was ayoung
| girl, the daughter of a Calcutta banker,
whom Norman, then in his twentieth
year, and mate in his fathers vessel,
fell in love with.
Her name was Flora Hastings, and
she was but sixteen, beautiful, as l can
| vouch for, and an heiress, and she re-
turned his love as fondly as he could
wish.
..But the banker did not wish his
daughter to love a poor sailor. and he
| frowned down Norman's attentions.
'.But, little did tho lovers care, and
when they parted. after the ship drop
| ped anchor at Liverpool, they were So
cretly engaged.
Going round to London, where more
cargo was to be discharged, Captain
l III hCoSilLO was 'Vot oNShcOohNs
| when his affairs were settled up, the in
tercst he owned in his vessel had to be
sold, or his wife's home go, so Norman
was determined TO let his mother keep
the old place, and giving up his position
on the ship, obtained a mates berth on
a packet sailing to Havana, but was
soon after transferred to a vessel OF tho
same firm running between the East In.
| dies and London.
lone day, when ready TO sail, Nor
man, to his surprise and delight, saw
Mr.. Hastings and Flora come on board
among the other passengers; SO no
kept dark until after the ship was ut
sea, fearing for the old mar to sec him.
as he expected he would change his
mind, and take another vessel. as he
tried TO do in fact. when he saw who
was the mate; he wished to return To
England.
..But Norman held himself aloof from
Flora when old papa was about, though
| they had many q stolen talk together
| and he learned how her father has'
forced the maiden into an engagement
| with a German baron more than double
| her age, and that he was to come ID
Calcutta before many months to claim
his bride, and the troussedu had been
already purchased.