The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1881-11-10
NORMAN,S FORTUNE.

| were gazing WIN interest upon tut AdI
Dor of the city of Malta, which they
were to leave in a few hours for the
Pacific, whittier their vessel had been
ordered. !.
s'There comes the boat, and now We'll
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 sIoop.
GAS l live, it is Norman Ernesclife !"
cried one, eyeing the boat closely.
"And who is Norman Ernescliffe,
Charlie ?" cried several.
"a splendid fellow, | can tell you.
He was appointed by the Admiralty for
going out in fearful gale, at the risk
Of his own life, and plotting brig-of-
war into safe anchorage.
''Does he come of good stock, Char
| lie ?" asked an aristocratic young Off
Ger, who was always talking of his blue
| blood.
"His family were poor, [ believe;
but he's rich now, and his wife was an
heiress, and the way he won her was
most romantic, can assure you"
"Give us the yarn, Charlie, as soon
as the luff goes down in the cabin to
pay his respects to the captain" urged
one, while the others joined in the re-
quest.
Il will spin the yarn as soon as I've
spoken to Ernescliffe, and introduced
him, and Pm 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.
ssAnd looks like fearless man." re-
marked another.
'What a superb form he has" put in
third, while a fourth added:
''And looks every inch 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 to the cap
tain, promising to return on deck soon
and meet those who we're to be his
brother officers.
s'The captain will keep him some
time, Beauchamp, for learn he brings
dispatches from home, so give us that
yarn" called out a passing midship-
man.
Cali right, I'll give it to you as I
heard it from my sister, who was a
schoolmate of his wife.
'sIt seems that Ernescliffe's father
was a captain in the merchant service,
and took his son to sea with him on
his different voyages.
"Upon one of these trips, Captain
Ernesclife was so fortunate as to rescue
the passengers of a homeward bound
East Indiaman that was in a sinking
condition, and among them was young
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 | can
vouch for, and an heiress, and she re-
turned his love as fondly as he could
wish.
.sBut the banker did not wish his
daughter to love poor sailor, and he
froWned down Norman's attentions.
SBut little did the lovers care, and
when they parted, after the ship drop
ped anchor at Liverpool, they were Sc
cretlY engaged.
sGoing round to London, where
more cargo was to be discharged, Cap
tain ErnescIiffe was lost overheard, and
when his affairs were settled up, the in
terest 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 posi-
ton on the ship, obtained mates berth
on a packet sailing to Havana, but was
soon after transferred to vessel of the
same firm running between the East
Indies and London.
; ''One day, when ready to sail, Nor
man, to his surprise and delight, saw
Mr.. Hastings and Flora come on board
among the other passengers; 50 he
, skept dark until after the ship was at
sea. fearing for the old man to see him,
: as he expected he would change his mine
r and take another vessel, as he tried te
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 a stolen talk together
and he learned how her father hae
forced the maiden into an engagement
with German baron more than double
her age, and that he was to come K
Calcutta before many months to claim
! ! his bride, and the trostssean had beer
already purchased.
"But the old banker seemed to be I
perfect Jonah, for when among tht
e Andaman Islands a cyclone struck tht
ship and spite of every effort of the
captain and crew, the vessel became /
! wreck, and the boats we're launched Il
! save the lives of those on board.
! ssThrough all the trying scenes O
danger, Norman Ernescliffe proved him
lself a hero, and even the old banker wa
5 anxious that he should command th'
e frail boat in which himself and daugh
ter were to go; but when all was ready
and Norman alone remained on the sink
4 ing ship, huge wave tore the boa
( away before he could spring on board
,fl and the crew refused to return for th'
3 brave man, dreading danger to them
3 selves, and disregarding the piteous erie
of Flora, rowed away in the darkness
leaving Norman to his fate.
E stOf course he was believed to b
2 lost. and remorse bit hard at Mr. Hast
9 ings' heart for having discarded tn
E Young sailor as his daughters lover
2 her pale, sad face was ever reproacl
e to him, for it was to keep her from see
q ing Norman that he had remainel
y abroad longer than he had anticipated
sTrue to his promise, the Germal
d baron arrived to claim his bride, for b
b was anxious to uphold his title with th
j, bankers money but Flora told be
!. father plainly she would not marry hin
s until ! year after Normanss supposel
e death, and the baron was compellel
d to abide By her decision, though ii
j cramped circumstances made him anz
I, ious fo handle the gold Of the heiress.
I'll At length the year went By ; II
wedding day mas liked, and Flora VI