The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-08-11
Select Sturg.
A SAILOR YARN.

1t was beautiful evening in June. The
fresh breeze brought with it delicious
healthy smell of the sea, and just over the
road might be seen the long expanse of wei
sand left bare by the retreating tide. The
sun was setting with glorious glow, crimson
ing nature with brilliant sheen. Out al
sea were few smacks, while, two miles OIL
so up the road, Ouseport Harbor was dead
in its mud, and the four or five vessels
which lay in it at all sorts of angles would
not be showing the remotest sign of life
until the return of the tide at midnight.
Ouseport, as rule, retired early, and
consequently this two miles of road skirt
ing the crimson shore was altogether de-
serted. Above the road was garden,
raised some eight or ten feet over our
heads, and there sat old Captain Russell,
known to all Ouseport as the most inyeter-
ate sea dog in existence,
He was in an outlook he had built on
the wall overhanging the road, and form
ing a sort of tower to a spacious, old
fashioned snuggery, half summer house and
half smoking room, where he loved to
while away his existence with his pipe, his
telescope, and his grog. Here he was to
be found the livelong day, enjoying his
growl. And here he sat on the evening in
question amidst pile of old charts and
newspapers.
1t was a quiet evening. Not sound
could be heard, except the rustling of the
wind among the leaves. Whether it was
the influence of nature, or of both combined,
Captain Russell was in a melancholy mood
He seemed scarcely to have enough cour-
age left to keep his pipe alight, while his
grog stood on the table untasted. One of
the sea charts, the coast round Bombay, lay
across his knees, where it dropped from
his hand, and his telescope was on chair,
Just as he had laid it aside after watching
a brig drop at sea- He was altogether in
melancholy mood, but even that he en-
jpyed; there was in it a pleasant delirium
which at that moment he would not have
changed for the best company which had
ever crowded round his table when he was
captain of the old Travancore East India
man.
That evening was the twenty-ffth ami
versary of an event which was the turning
point in his life. II was just such another
evening, too-quiet, fragrant with the
sea breeze, and the darkness just gath
ering. 1t was in this very spot, too, where
he had sat; but it was in his fathers days,
and instead of the old dogs look out there
was only the summer house, There had
been q garden party, and Rhoda Main
waring had just accepted rose from his
hand He had long loved Rhoda as the
sweetest, prettiest girl in all Ouseport, and
he thought that he was right in supposing
that he had made some progress in her
affections. He was then a handsome,
dashing lieutenant, much sought for by all
the mothers of the district He was the
very soul Of every company in which he
found himself; he was dotted on by the fair
sex, and the model whom all the young
fellows did their best to initiate.
Rhoda took the rose from his hand with
so sweet smile, that the brave, dashing
sailor at once suggested that she should
take his hand too. Directly he had ut
tered the words, he discovered from the
young lady's expression of alarm, that he
had miscalculated his position, She had at
once declared that she did not love him,
never could love him, and then, bursting
into food of tears full of passion and re-
pentance, she had prayed him to forgive
her for thus misleading him.
"Alas Mr.. Russell, l have only loved
you as my fathers benefactor and friend.
You saved him from bankruptcy, and 1
worshipped you for it, for I knew that the
disgrace would have killed him Oh,
forgive me; never could love you as a
husband You have preserved my fathers
honor and his life; for that am eternally
grateful to you; but, believe me, any feel
ing of love, or feeling which may have
been mistaken by you for love, is only
gratitude-or, if it be love, then can only
describe it as that which girl may feel
for her fathers bFother-her uncle T.
All these thoughts had returned to
Captain Russells heart this evening, and
he had altogether forgotten his surround
ings-time and space were not for him in
existence. Only once had he broken the
silence, and then it was TO smack his leg
with his broad palm, and to exclaim
"By Jove She was only nineteen and
l was thirty-four. What could an old
tar do with such a young wife,
And then his reverie had followed up
his hfe's course. II had gone to sea again
at the earliest possible date, and, though
he was wealthy man, he had stuck to it
even after his fathers death.
Rhoda had altogether vanished from his
path, and it was only on such evenings as
this that the old man ever remembered
that there was such mischievous little
imp as the blind god in existence.