The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1881-05-19
EORMAN'S 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 vel
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.
CAS- live, it is Norman ErnescEffer'
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 aofearful gale, at the risk
of his own life, and plotting a brig-Of-
war into q safe anchorage" ;"
''DOes he come of good stock, Char
ie?' asked an aristOcratic young Off
Ger, who was always talking Of his blue
blood.
his family were poor, l believe; but
he's rich now, and his wife was an heir
ess, and the way he won her was most
romantic, 1 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 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.
"He's a handsome fellow, anyhow"
declared one.
"And looks like a fearless man" re-
marked another.
'What a superb form he has" put in
q third, while a fourth added:
''And looks every inch a 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 were to be his
brother officers.
"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.
'Al right, III give it to you as I
heard 1t from my sister, who was 8 |
of his wife"
at seems that Ernescliffe' s father was !
a captain in the merchant service, and /
took his son to sea with him on his diff 4
ferent voyages.
Upon one of these trips, Captain
ETnescliffe 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 2 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 I 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 poor sailor, and he
frOWned down NOrman's attentions.
''BUt, little did the lovers care, and
when they parted, after the ship drop
ped anchor at Liverpool, they were Sc
cretly engaged.
''GOing round to London, where more
cargo was to be discharged, Captain
was lost overheard, and
when his affairs were settled up, the in
5erest he owned in his vessel had to be
sold, or his wife's home go, so Norman
was determined to let his mother keep
-he old place, and giving up his position
1n the ship, obtained a mates berth on
a packet sailing to Havana, but was
soon after transferred to a vessel Of the
same firm running between the East In
lies and London.
Zone day, when ready to sail, Nor
nan, to his surprise and delight, saw
Mr.. Hastings and Flora come on board |
among the other passengers; so he |
kept dark until after the ship was at
3ea, fearing for the old man to see him,
Is he expected he would change his
mind, and take another vessel, as he
ried to do in fact, when he saw who I
vas the mate; he wished to return to
England.
'But Norman held himself aloof from
AA4e9 -ANAA OA@A eFkfeH % GEbCLAAB bAAUAAA
hey had many stolen talk together,
md he learned how her father had /
orced the maiden into an engagement I
With German baron more than double {
Ter age, and that he was to come to
calcutta before many months to claim {
lis bride, and the trOUSSeG1L had been {
.lready purchased.
''But the old banker seemed to be q {
,erfect Jonah, for when among the
Andaman Islands a cyclone struck the
hip, and in spite Of every effort Of the
aptain and crew, the vessel became q C
7reck, and the boats were launched to 3
ave the lives of those on board. .
Through all the trying scenes Of I
anger, Norman ErneSclIffe proved I
imseh a hero, and even the old banker i
yas anxious that he should command
be frail boat in which himself and
were to go; but when all was {
sady, and Norman alone remained on F
1e sinking ship, a huge Wsye tore the / =