Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-02-14


ternal constancy, and we vowed that,
come veal, come woe, neither of US would
ever marry anybody else; and 1 thought
she really meant i'll am sure l did.
This conclusion, however satisfactory so
far as it went, did not afford much help
toward solution of the pressing question
of the moment: What should | doi-how
avoid becoming burden on my mothers
had asked Mr.. Combie to take me back;
but my place was filed up, and as severe
financial crisis had just set in there was
little chance Of my finding a place else
where Firms and banks were falling like
ninepins, and men of business looked and
talked as if the world were coming to an
end. word to any of them about finding
me a situation would have been regarded
as an insult to his understanding.
! While I was revolving these things In
my mind, and wondering what on earth I
should do, received a call from Captain
Peyton. who had lately returned from one
voyage and was about to start on another
| He condoled with me over the failure, and
! inquired what thought of doing" where
upon, as he was an old friend, I told him
of my difficulties, and asked his advice.
"What do I think you should do9" he ex-
claimed, cheerily. "Why. what can you
Z do better than come with me to Monte
video? I mean, of course, as my guest,
make the round trip; you will be back in
six months. and by that time business will
be better. and YOU viii get as many berths
as you want. Young men of your capacity
and energy are not too plentiful What
do you say?"
"Yes, with all my heartp' I answered,
I c5nSfN Ii n
times thanks. Captain Peytonl Ihave long
wanted to make deep-sea voyage, and
after the turmoil and anxiety of the last
few weeks the Diana will be a veritable
haven of rest When do you saili"
| 'In fortnight or sou
"All right; shall be ready. I suppose
Bolsover is still with you2'
"Yes, Crazy Tom is our boatswain; and
a good one he makes. He will may be tell
you that yarn Of his, if you take him when
he is in the humor. I tried him one day,
but it was no go. He would not bite. l
expect he thought l wanted to chaff him."
yarn, yarnl Oh, remember. Some
thing about a galIeon, isn't it?"
eyes; Spanish treasure-ship, lost ages
! ago. The crazy beggar believes she is still
afOat. He is sane on every other point,
though. However, you get him to tell you
ali about it. 1t is a romantic sort of yarn,
fancy"
when we get to seaW
! eyes; that viii be the time. When we
| get into the northeast trades, all sails set
aloft and allow, and there is not much GO
| ing on-that is your time for spinning
| yarns"
Shortly after this l heard piece of news
which completed the tale of my misfor-
tunes, and made me wretched beyond
measure. heard that Amy Mainwaring
was engaged to young Kelsonl If my
mother had not seen it in a letter written
by Amy herself to a common friend.
| couldn't have believed it; but incredulity
was impossible. was terribly cut up and
| extremely indignant, and vowed that
Tc;ild never have anything to do with q
woman again-in the way of love.
Two days later we were at sea. The
Diana" was a fine, full-rigged merchant
man, one thousand two hundred tons bur
! den, with an auxiliary screw and a crew
of thirty-nine men, miscellaneous cargo of
Brummagem ware, Manchester cottons,
and Bradford stuffs. She had half a dozen
| passengers, with all of whom Except per-
haps, young fellow who was taking a sea
voyage for the benefit of his health) time
was more plentiful than money. For all
| that, or perhaps because of that, they were
very nice fellows.
we mao Ious OF DOCKS among US, and
what with reading, talking, smoking,
sauntering on deck, playing whist and
chess, the days passed swiftly and pleas
antly. Now and again we gave sort of
/ mixed entertainment in the saloon, at
w skinner nF hA
ships company as could be spared from
their duties on deck were present Two
of the passengers could sing comic songs,
one fiddled, another recited; l played an
ACCORDION and performed few conjuring
tricks, and one way and another we amused
our audiences immensely, and won great
applause.
naturally saw a good deal of Tom Boil
sover, but in the early part of the voyage
the weather was so variable and he so busy
that he had litJle time for conversation,
and we exchanged only an occasional word.
But when we got into the region of the
trades he had more leisure, and going for
ward one fine morning, l found him Sit
| ting on a coil of rope, apparently with
! nothing more important to do than smoke
his pipe and stare at the sails.
AZ was very sorry to hear of the busting
up of that ere company" he said, after
we had exchanged few remarks about
things in general.
Yes: you saved us twenty thousand
pounds, and thought that would pull us
| through; but we lost twice as much by the
suspension of our bankers, and then we
were up a tree, and no mistake"
al hope you did not lose much by it, sir?''
"WeIl, l lost my situation and all my
money, and had a very nice sum laid by"
"All your money! Dear, dear! l am very
sorry. But you surely don't mean quite
aII?"
Eyes, do. have very little more left
than stand up in. But what of that!
am young. the world is before me, and
when get back shall try again. Imean
to make my fortune and be somebody yet
| Bolsover, before | am very much older"
"Fortunel fortunel If we could only
find the Santa Anna we should both
| make our fortunes right off. There is gold
and silver enough On that ship for a hun
dred fortunes, and big 'uns at that.
| 1.-THE Santa Annar What is the SAINTS
Anna and where is she"
! 81 wish l knew" said the old sailor, with
sigh; Il wish | knew. 1t is what | have
| been trying to find out these thirty years
and more. I'll tell you all about it''-low-
ering his voice to a confidential whisper
'only don't let the others know-they
laugh at me. and say L am crazy. But
never mind; let them laugh as wins. l
! shall find her yet. don't think l could
/ die without finding her. You won't say