Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-08-06
NORMAN'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 few hours for the Pacific,
whittier their vessel had been ordered.
"There comes the boat, and now we Il
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 Ernescliffem
cried one, cycling the boat closely.
t'And who is Norman Ernesclife,
CharlieP" cried several
ga splendid fellow, 1 can tell you.
He was appointed by the Admiralty for
going out in a fearful gale, at the risk
of his own life, and plotting q brig-of-
war into 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, believe; but
he's rich now, and his wife was an heir
ess, and the way he won her was most
romantic, l can assure YOU
''Give us the yarn, Charlie, as soon
as the huff 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"
Co couipcr Cbo1,1;o o,,,,, wall ID
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 fearless man." re-
marked another.
"What a superb form he has," put in
third. while Il 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 were to be his
brother officers.
1.-The captain will keep him some
time, Beauchamp, for | learn he brings
dispatches from home, so give us that
yarn" called out passing midship-
man.
"All right, I'll give it to you as 1
heard it from my sister, who was q
schoolmate of his wife"
lit seems that Ernescliffe' father was
a 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 homeward bound
East Indiaman that was in sinking
condition, and among them was a young
girl, the daughter of 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
couch 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
crowned down Norman 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
Ernescliffe 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 60, so Norman
was determined to let his mother keep
the old place, and giving up his position
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 In
dies and London.
Zone 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 he
kept dark until after the ship was at
sea, fearing for the old man to see 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
E1OIss "HSA oiu papa was dpoui, tHouSu
they had many stolen talk together,
and he learned how her father had
forced the maiden into an engagement
with German baron more than double
her age, and that he was to come to
Calcutta before many months to claim
his bride, and the rousseau had been
already purchased.
s.But the old banker seemed to be
perfect Jonah, for when among the
Andaman Islands cyclone struck the
ship, and in spite of every effort of the
captain and crew, the vessel became a
wreck, and the boats were. launched to