Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-03-27
ments to VARIOUS repiments in India,

ments to various regiments in India,
with the wives and children, sailed
from Southampton. l was an ensign
at the time, my commission as new as
my uniform, my zeal as burning as
the fiery climate to which we were
ordered. Our commanding officer was
Colonel Beresford, his second III CONF
mand, Captain Hawley, one of the
bravest and best looking fellows III
the service, of good family, but with
out rap in the world except his pay,
and not single shadow OF expecta-
tons. He was the best Of good fell
lows in every way, ready to tell you
capital story, a good joke, OF troll you
oil Il song i'll his rich tenor, and before
VIC were out a week the pet OF all the
women OH board. There were some
hin,lreds OF 'em and heaps OF children.
Haw ley was 4 favoritc with the little
'uns in the steerage, as we'll as the la
dies in the cabin-prlmc 1ayorlte, in
short, with officers, men and all; and
SO, when pretty Miss lsalnaDrooke took
it into her beWitching head To fall in
love With him almost at ST. hit, no body
was the least in the world surprised.
OnIy, it wouldTC do; ami SO II.wley
knew as we'll as any OF US.
''ohe was, think, Hamilton, with
out exception, Lne plcttlcst girl l ever
saw, ANA Pyc seen some pretty girls
i'll the forty odd years vi my lie,
mini yOd. Snc was exceptionally
pretty, III fact. No, you ncedm't look at
thai u;lub; il doe, her no SORT OF JUS
tice. She had your real golden halr-
none OF the coppcr-colored stuff they
Pile molIntainously ON their heads
now-eyes sapphire blue to their very
de ,ths. laughing and lovely, conn
u EXON OF pearl, and u mouth the
Sweetest ever was Kissed. She was
tall and sraceful, accomplished beyond
all telling, and just nineteen. The
previous season she had come OUT,
been presented. ran the round OF VAN
ity Fair, and the best men of the day
had been at her feet as suitOrs; she
had laughed back No to one and all
come out of the ordeal unscathed, and
now, under the protecting wing OF
Mrs. Colonel Beresford, was going out
to join dear paps' in India.
Dear papa was general Rainsbrooke
*. G.. B., next heir to an earldoin, and
| with the pride Of Lucifcr incarnate.
The man who won the fair Alexia,
with her birth, and her beauty, and
| her dowry, must write his name high
in the pccrage indeed. Royalty itself
would not have been one whit too
! high for Miss Alexia Rainsbrookc, in
| the eyes of the sternest, haughtiest
martinez of the service. And with
| Frank Hawley she had fallen in love,
as | say, almost at sight, and he with
| her.
And it was love, Hamilton-none
| of your modern, silver-gilt shams, but
| the pure gold. They loved each other
and if ever two were made for each
| otncr they werc-that was the unani-
nous verdict on board.
| but it won't do, IIawley, my lad,
said Colonel Beresford, soft hearted az
Il woman. You don't know old Rains.
| broOkc-L do. He'd see her dead first
| aud you're too fine fellow to have
YOUR lie spoiled by any woman, were
out angels with ilinty feathers dom
iIlrry young nlen whose fortune lie
ii tncir SWORD blade. Shes an angel
,ut shes not Tor You, so give 1t up be
ore It's too late"
crank IlaWley looked at him will
| q >,4.le.
40 late,' he said. Its that now
| G,lvmcl. Como what may, L slial
| -. = Aiexia to The last day OF my Hie
| 49,. . s.ic Wal love me. All The rather
lii ,nc world cannot alter that. Al.
WE she can never bc-that l know
Dur she docs love INC, and come Wha
VIII, | nave been blessed"
"onc Knew 1t, tOo-kllcW that tn
eni OF the voyage would be the end O
| .icr lites ronlaIice-anu vet in tn
| present they coulA still be happy. /
.Ic mad asked her, she would hay
promised to brave all things, and g
VIA him 10 beggary, but 1t wotn
| have been easier iOr Nun to have die
| THAN have asked 1t.
The weeks Went by, and our voy
rge was drawing W an end, the prctL
-Jcean ldyl to Its close, and OF late tn
lovely face OF AleXia R;tlnSDrooke ha
s;.,ldened ami grown pale. The life
long parting was hear. She Was real
Nlns It's bitterness already.
II was awakened one morning jus
rs day was breakmg, ny an odd crash
| lns sound beneath, lncn all at once INK
ton ceased, and the snip stood Stlll.-
immediately there followed wild up
roar and tuIntiIt, shrlcks OF women an
shouts Of men. L sprang up, dressed
AMI rushed OH deck, and IN one minuI
knew what had happened. We la
sot out of our latitude and had STRUCK
The sun rose us | stood therc-til
sun OF Christmas Day-anl showed Il
our danger fully. We were near 81
moon Bay, and far Off in the horizo
the land line was visible, but we migl
as we'll have been q thousand miles oi
for already the ship was filling All
| sinking fast. Before noon of. this Ii
diant Christmas morning the Lon
Star would be at the bottom.
"Out of the confusion order came {
last. The soldiers were drawn up @
deck by Colonel Beresford, standIl
firmly as if OH parade, the boats WEI
lowered and manned, the women an
children put in, and sent safely to I'll
land. | see it a1l-thc brilliant trop
sun in the cloudlcss morning sky, tt
soft breeze blowing, the sea sea
glass, the long Inc OF men standil
: firmly erect awaiting their doom, ii
sobbing heartbrcakiny cries of Il
wives who would never see their HUI
bands more, the ship sinking inch b
inch, and the black devils of sharl
. swimming slowly round and roun
l knowing in some horrible way VIII
| 81. l.