Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-06-27

''The idea was splendid, and 1 gave Wat
son my best thanks. l should have at once
proceeded to act on his advice, but it oc-
Cured to me that it might be as well TO
sound the Captain, and see if he would be
willing to perform the ceremony. You see.
wanted to have everything sure before
put nv fate to the test. | waited through
one day for favorite opportunity to speak
to the Captain on deck but he never invited
me to share his walk. So the next morning
sent a message by his boy, asking if he
could spare me few minutes. The boy
speedily returned with q request that /
should follow him to the Captains cabin.
q found the great man sitting at his
table looking over chart. Somehow or
other he appeared to me to be unusually
| formidable.
"'Good morning, Captain Hamilton, y
| he said, as he waved me TO seat. Can
do anything for you?'
90 Well, Captain, its rather delicate
matter, but wanted to ask you something
about YOUR powers on board.
! '''rhey are absolute, sir, he answered,
little ste!nly Why do you ask? Do
YOU want some one put in irons for insult
9:Not exactly, Captain The fetters I
would like you TO use are OF different
| kind-the matrimonial ones.
1.-THE devil You say he exclaimed,
| jumping to his feet, and his face lighting
! up with a sailors quick sympathy for
love affair So you have lost your heart
to one of my passenger? Pray which
| is it?'
"'Well, Captain, l answered, know l
| can trust YOU not to let this 20 any
further at present. 1t is Miss Latimer.'
! u didn't quite like the look that came
over his face. Is it possible, | thought,
| that this old sea-dog is little bit gone in
| that quarter himself?
He gave me plenty of time TO think
before he made any verbal comment on
my announcement. His first words were ;
- Pray, sir, have You spoken to the lady
on the subject Of your hopes?
80 Not yet, Captain
az Has she given you any encouragement
to think that the love you feel is returned
by her. -
! kind to me, and has talked 70 me great
/ deal. and seemed to like to have me talk to
! her.
".And on these faint grounds you base
| your hopes?
Il didn't at all like the tone in which he
made that remark, and | was about to re-
ply little haughtily. I suppose he saw
! the expression on my face and he stopped
me from speaking by holding up his hand.
a. Don't say any more, Captain Hamil-
| ton. / ought to have stopped you before;
couldn't possibly marry you to the lady:
Why not Captain Smith | asked,
rather warmly.
! go Because, sir, | couldn't very well
marry you to my 0acn ,cife.
90 What | almost shrieked.
70 10 npS ,rp-n1 firmly am
sorry yOu lould be placed in so unpleasant
a position. 1t is partly my fault, but much
/ more that of your own youth and rashness.
! You are an officer and a gentleman, and
will respect the secret ] am obliged to con-
| fide TO your
Il felt so utterly crushed that I was
! scarcely sensible of where ! was. Certain
! " did not fully understand all he was
| saying, but l managed to retain sense
enough to bow my head in token OF assent
~ was married, said the Captain,
| when | was last home, to Miss Latimer,
who was left an orphan under unusually
sad circumstances and surroundings. She
! dreaded to be left in England alone. The
owners of this line do not allow their Cap
tains to have their wives with them, even
| as passengers. We therefore decided to
| keep our marriage secret and M wife
! booked as a passenger under her maiden
name Not a soul on board except yourself
| knows the truth l trust to you TO keep il
sacred, for don't want to retire yet for q
voyage or two
Il am suIe don't know how got from
his cabin to my own, but once in the latter
! | bolted the door, and never came out TIL
the next morning. l can't tell if the Cap
tain ever confided to his wife what took
! place in his cabin. but | sometimes fanciec
could see in her face, when her eyes fell
| on me, an expression of mingled pity and
amusement that | never noticed there be-
fore One thing | was sure Of, however,
that was. that when became more familiar
with her l did not think her quite so pretty
as | did at first.
When the Winchester touched at St.
! Helena | arranged with Captain Smith that
| | should 60 ashore there, and wait for the
next vessel of Greenes line. We made i'll
/ health and the need of land air the excuse.
THAT time in the Captains cabin was
/ the most awkward nom mt / ever knew. /
| suppose am the only fellow who ever
asked man to marry him to bis own wife.
At any rate. if there is another, he has my
/ sympathy. Julian Mangus.