The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-09-08

ger had been confined below with an
apparently rapid consumption, which
rough weather had swiftly matured.
During the storm the duties of the
captain were so urgent that he could
only make snatched and hasty visits to
the sick man; and although they could
have been spared from their quarters,
he could have hoped for little aid or
sympathy from any Of the crew, who, 9,
with the easy tendency to the supersti-
tiOus peculiar to their class, had assO-
ciated his presence with the perils Of
the ship.
1t would have required but slight en-
couragement from their officers to in
duce them to pay him the same COM
pliment that the sailors Of Joppa paid
to Jonah, OH a similar occasion, when
''The sea wrought and was tetnpestu-
OuS.''
But on the tenth night, just as the
captain was ready to answer Il sum-
mons to visit the sick mans berth, the
storm ceased with suddenness that
was startling; the wind was entirely
lulled; and, no evidence OF it's fury re-
manned except the long swelling billows
OF the sea-the deep after-sighs Of its
mighty passion,
The sudden stillng of the tempest,
and the mourmful creaking of the spars,
now audible for the first time for many
days, forced shade of melancholy over
my grandfather's spirits, as he hast
ened down the gangw;ty at the call of
the stranger.
AS he seated himself beside the berth,
the sick man fixed his brilliant eye upon
him and said calmly:
Captain, / am dying"
81 hope not, my dear sir; this dread.
full gale has weakened you. 1t is over
now, and you will soon be betler.'
mo, captain," he repeated. 81 am
dyingl The tempest, know, is over;
SO is that other tempest in my breast!
The ship has long been tossed and bea-
ten about by the fury Of the waves, but
it has been sunshine and calm COM
pared with that tempest, captaint But
it is all over, now-for | have forgiven
hinl--he has long been i'll the grave
out have forgiven himl'
My grandfather thought he was de-
lirous; but a second look at the deep
intelligence Of his eye, and the smiling
calmness OF his features, forbade the
conclusion. He gaZed at him a moment
with mingled compassion and curiosity,
anxious to learn something of a history
the closing scene Of which was so dark
and mysterious, but was unwilling to
ask it. His look was interpreted, and
the stranger continued:
81 told you wasa sailor. OF thirty
hVe years l have not spent one on land.
But this was not my CHOICE Like u
ship, captain, my supports were knocked
from under me, and L was launched
upon the ocean. My father was an
English merchant III Cadiz, extensively
engaged in navigation. He lavishly
provided for my education. Having
Jraversed the halls of science, l left OK
ford and returned to Spain at the age
Of twenty. The first year Of my free
dom from school L spent in rambling
over the mountains OF that enchanting
country. In a deep inland dell, shut
out FROM the world, where the earth
was always green and the sky always
blue, l met, one day, beautiful young
shepherdess-and loved her.
81 will not describe her charms, cap
tam, for you have been young, and q
heart that has loved needs not to be
told that to the eye Of true affection it's
object has no defects.
"My father learned my secret-but
knew it not. 1 had lifelong secret
afterwards which he never learnedl lie
came to me one morning, smiled, and
said:
my son, do you want to go to Cuba2'
II eagerly answered in the aifirma-
tive; for IL had been cherished but
hitherto forbidden passion with me to
travel.
Zone Of my vessels sails Tomorrow
he said, land you may CO."
'"This short interval allowed me no
time to bid farewell to my shepherdess,
who was fifty miles distant, nor even to
inform her OF my departures; but [ said
aloud; 'I1l soon be back and many
other consolationsoI whispered to my
heart the next day while bounding over
the Atlantic"
1.-The ship arrived in good time at
Havana, discharged her cargo, reload
ed and sailed for--Calcuttal / was a
prisoner Oh my fathers ship, ana for
tive long years was kept from home
as if all the water of the ocean could
wash out my love!'
''Iescaped at length from the prison
ship, while lying at Rio, and took pas
quiyer. No circumnavigation of the
globe was ever 50 long as that voyage.
| strained my eyes every day Watching
for Gibraltar, which knew was thous-
ands Of miles Off; and every night
dreamed Of mountain riyuiets, snowy
tiocks, and Ina.''
CARRYING at last at Seville, | hast
ened over the Nevada, and sought the
sunny dell where my affections had 80
long nestled, and there found that the
idol Of my heart was the wife Of an
Andalusian shepherd She had been
told that had deserted her, and after
wards that l was dead. / did not weep,
for my heart was turned to stone, My
father, said [, shall never know of his
yicloryp l did not go to see him; it
was wicked, know, but, burning with
the spirit OF revenge, turned again to
the sea, and never saw him more l
am faint, captain, and cannot prolong
my tale. In six months [ was master
OF large sailing yessel-you have seen
that vessel, captain, but never in port,
and l have often seen you, and knew
your name twenty years ago. But no
matter about that. My father contin-
ued to freight his ships and send them
to different parts Of the world--but he
never knew that superintended q largo