The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1881-08-26
AN OCEAN BRIDE.

AN OCEAN BRIDE.
The good ship "Waverly." home
ward bound from Japan, was becalmed
in mid-ocean.
.What land did you say that was,
Captain LaneP" asked young Perley.
tho second mate. pointing to q wild.
picturesque-lOoking island, lying less
than q league and q half oil their Ice
bow.
..Ono of tho Society group. BY my
chart that should DO Morley Island.
Let's see. you said you touched there
| for water the year before last when you
were on the Atlas did you not,
JackP"
SAY, ay, sir" returned tho old tar,
quickly; 'and a lively time we had.
too. We seed the purtiest gal thar
tibet ever lived, I'll bet! But, Lor' ! she
was as wild as a gull!'
"a beautiful girl on that island?"
| cried Robert Perley. incredulOusly.
SAY, ay, Mister Perley. And I'll bet
my sOu'-westr ag'in' my head she wOr
none of the black-and-tan natives,
either! We wanted to 60 back and
look for her ag'in, but the old skipper
wouldn't believe us, nor say but she
war an Injun GAL"
Captain Lane, I am moro deter
| mined to go ashore than ever" tx
| claimed the mate, in o fever Of excite
mcnt. "What do you say. Charlieg"
he asked. turning to the supercargo, q
good-loOking young man OF two and
twenty.
II am with you. We a get back
before the breeze comes up"
"Oh, yes; I'll warrant you are both
dying to gor muttercd old Captain
Lane. ''Just say there Is . purity girl
sn that island, and all tho sea-liOns In
| seven seas couldn't keep you away!
Well, you had my consent before, and
l shall not withdraw. But look sharp
for the cut-throat savages there, and
| return the minute l sound the trumpet,
if you don't before.
In less than fifteen minutes the young
officers accompanied by four sailors,
were fairly flying over the water to-
| ward the island.
Touching upon the sandy beach, they
drew up their boat in Q cove nearly
hidden by overhanging trees. and start
ed inland,
"If we wish to see the gal we have
got to be purity sly, for she's q wild
one" declared Jack. Then we must
be on our lookout for the natives, too.
for they're o beastly set as you ever
saw"
After an hours weary tramp. how
ever, they were beginning to think they
should have to return to the ship in
disappointment, when, as they paused
for a moment, to gaze out upon the
sea, the tone of some one sweetly sing
| ing was waited to their ears.
When they had listened until tho
| sons was finished. en%raptured with the
melody, Charlie Weston exclaimed JOY
| Ously-
1T must be she"
..Yes; and she must be q fairy to
sing like that. Come, boys, let's 60
down there. But, for your life, don't
| disturb her."
Advancing cautiously, until they
| gained the line of thick shrubbery that
skirted the beach, they parted the
Il IOlluSC, W CIlO JIG AOvOAACoS =
their gaze had eve met.
Standing in the shallow water, that
laughed and played at her ~delicately-
formed feet and ankles in high glee,
| while she was engaged in fastening her
waving mass of golden hair. which fell
far down her waist in pretty braids.
vas a beautiful maiden Of scarcely six
teen summers.
Her form, habited in q well-fiting
| garb made of the inner back of the sea
| island willow, was faultless; and her
features were perfect in their outlines.
while the purity of her complexion
seemed only enhanced by the slightly.
bronzed hue that q life of exposure ia
q tropical sun had given it.
..Isn't she beautifulr' exclaimed
Robert, lost in admiration.
YES" whispered the supercargo. In
reply, equally fascinated with her ap.
p~earance. "But see !! she is going te
sing again."
Again the air was filled with the
sweet notes of her song, and until the
last sound had died away the entranced
listener did not dare to even breathe
aloud for fear of breaking tho spell.
.'There is no Indian blood in he'
veinsr declared Bob, lowly, as she
ended her song, and they continued tc
gaze upon her in rapt wonder. "HeI
features and the tone Of her speech art
English"
'.You are right, Bob" whispered
Charlie. ..And. look! she wears 9
chain and locket which tells that shs
has not always been here"
His companions started with renewed
surprise as they discovered Q gold chair
and locket suspended from her neck.
II would give a year Of my life te
know the mystery Of her existence
here" exclaimed the mate impetuOus
ly. 81 am going to speak to her."
Suiting action to the words, hi
stepped lightly forward, and addressed
her in q clear voice. But. as the frs
sound fell from his lips she turned in
alarm, and catching sight Of him flee
like a frightened gazelle.
Seeing that it was vain to think o.
o~vertaking her. they could only watcf
her out Of sight with looks of wonder!
1--WE must find her. boys" declared
the excited mate, and bis words wore
heartily seconded by the supercargt
the others we're nothing 10th to join In
the wild chase.
Away dashed the sailors on the course
of the fugitive maid. but finally they
were forced TO abandon the search as ,
fruitless one.
Hush! at that moment, high and
clear Over the mile or more of inter
vening sea, came the clarion tone o
the captains trumpet.
I'VE must return to the ship now,
but l am determined the 'Waverly
shall not leave these waters till W.
know more of that"
"Hough-ough-our broke in q wild
discordant yell upon the mates speech
Then, half a hundred furious natives
rushed toward them from every quarter.
Six against fifty in IN open fight
The sailors were brave men, but In les
time than we could describe 1t they
were hurled to the earth and over
powered.
Instead of putting them to death ther
and there, however. the savages bort
them away with exultant cries. .
Finally q valley teeming with tropi
cal growth was reached. q the pris'
oners saw the rude huts under The
cocoa-nut trees that comprised the
home of their captOrs.
Here they were met by Q motley
throng of old men, women, and child
rem, who crowded around with anxious
gaze and anon uttered startling yells:
But our friends looked in vain for the
island nymph.
The triumphant savages bore them
forward to the centre Of the glade into