Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-06-07
LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT.

LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT.
In 1877 a homeward bound vessel that
had struggled on the northern coast of
Scotland against adverse winds an0 blind
ing scud had lost her reckoning, and knew
not where she was till the sound of break
ers warned her of danger. When the fog
lifted in a ftful mood, there were the
dreaded rocks of the Orkneys. The HID
of Whitford could be seen on the one
hand, and the ragged peak of Hay stood
out over the land on the other. The fierce
currents that ran between the island had
the vessel IN their power, and 1T was clear
that no hand could save her. All around
her was boiling water, and the roar of the
surf where she struck was enough to still
the stoutest heart. No boat could live In
such sea, no voice could be heard above
the storm, no effort the islanders had
made to reach the wreck had been success
full, the short day was drawing to close,
and it seemed clear that all on board
would perish. Though strong men had
failed to reach the ship, lad but twelve
years old, who had watched it all, did not
give over; but with daring that marked
race that traced their descent from
Vikings, he tied the blight of a line around
his waist, crawled out to the furthest out
lying rocks, plunged in, got beyond the
heaviest breakers, caught rope thrown
to him, and was drawn on board, exhaust
ed and half drowned. A heavier line was
secured in this way, and then hawser,
to which all on board trusted their lives,
and while some failed others reached the
shore.
The captain, grateful to the boy,
Charles Stewart, for his heroic effort, took
him with him to Glasgow, where the owner
of the ship, Robert Boyd, tobaccopist,
adopted him and sent him to Edinburg,
to complete his studies. There he re-
NAMED for four years, at the expiration
of which time Boyd sent him to Williams
burg, Virginia, as store keeper, he having
large interests in the tobacco crop of that
neighbOrhood. Glasgow was the great
centre for the manufacture of snuff, and
th.fe was hardly town of any size ia
the colonies in Which one could not find
bottled snuff bearing the name of "Til-
lock-" or some other Glasgow mauufac
turer. Stewart showed an aptitude for
business; was quick, correct, and alive to
his employers interest; overtures were
made TO him by men in trade, and in a
few years he was at the head of a large
COmm6rcldl mouse IN NOTIOlh,
While so employed, the war between
France, England, and Spain came on-a
war that did not close till France had lost
every foothold in America, and Spain was
shorn of some of her fairest islse. The
war greatly interfered with trade and
commerce, the ocean swarmed with priva
Geers, and sailors constrained to remain
on shore in idleness, rallied against the
enemy. To them the sight of a French
man or Spaniard was an offense, and
they did not hesitate to give expression
to their feelings on all occasions. The
English man-of war'S-men on shore were
always spelling for a fight, it mattered
not how recently they had been in action
and it was in a riot, got up by sailors and
others, that Stewart again showed his
mettle.
The brigantine Polly, Capt. Darby, a
transport from Havana, with troops on
board, had taken fire off the coast,
and although aid was rendered by the
convoy, the frigate Cerberus, a number
of sailors and many soldiers persisted.
This was in the mouth of every one when
a cartel ship, from Havana, bound for
Cadix, with Don Pedro Bermubez, the
second Spanish naval commander in
American waters, with members of his
family and number of Spanish officers
On board, was forced in gale of wind to
seek a shelter, and came to anchor in
Norfork harbor. The British ship Arun-
del was lying there, at the time, and the
two crews at first got on very well. One
of the party was Senorita Christian Ser
rano, the daughter of an officer who had
fallen in the defense of Havana, on hsr
way to friends in Cadiz, In charge of
Don Pedro and his family. She was a
girl of IA years.
AS soon as it was known that these dis
tinguished persons were on board the
cartel, Governor Fauquier, with the hos
pitality that was proverbial with Virgin
ians, paid them every attention and COM
mended them to the care of Stewart, who
was prominent in Norfolk. But the pres
ence of the ship was obnoxious to the
turbulent portion of the people, and to
rome more than to the sailors; and one
Sunday there began disturbance,
quarrel between the sailor and a Span
lard, which passing from words to blows,
ended in a riot, led on by men from the
Arundel. The Spaniards were attacked
and beaten, one was killed outright, and
Don Pedro and others, seriously wounded,
were driven into a house, where they were
fired upon, while some of their assailants
went for powder with which to blow them
up.
Stewart hurried to the scene, caught up
lhristina in his arms, and brought her
nth. Terrified with the noise, and dead
ly pale, she chung to him for succor. The
mob, as he passed with his burden, stayed
their uplifted hands, awed for the mo-
ment by so mucn loneliness; and when he
put her down in place of safety, she
had tainted. Leaving ner III friendly
aands, he hurried back to the scene of
commotion. In the meantime, Capt.
Manwaring, the British commander, had