Wichita eagle., 1889-08-06
A LUCKY SHOT.

Some wears since, when l was young
fellow Of six-and-twenty, l was mate Of
a West Indian trading regularly to Nevis
and st. Kits She was a bark of 800
tons, and her name was the Robert,
and she sailed from Bristol. We were on
our homeward passage when the incident
/ am about to describe took place. L
must premise that we had four passen-
gers, two gentlemen and two ladies'; the
latter the wife and daughter of planter,
by name Carmichael. The elder lady
was about 45, a handsome, gracious sort
of woman, such as planter wife ought
to be, and such as were not uncommon
in the DAYS of which l am writing. The
daughter was about two-and-twenty; a
beautiful girl, with all the bewitching
graces and fascinating charms of true
born creole.
We were twenty-one days out from
Charlestown, and Notwithstanding that
old bark was by no means fast saller,
we had made good progress, and were as
near as possible in mid-ocean. 1t was
the end of July, and the weather had
been of the most glorious description,
and very hot; but, after the sultry heat
of the tropics, we did not find it oppres-
sive. For two days past we had made
little progress. The wind had been light
and variable, and now it was a dead
calm. The ship was moticnless as far as
progress was concerned; but her head
was boxing all round the compass. W.
had awnings up fore and aft; for, wher,
there was nothing to intercept the burn
ing rays of the July sun, the decks wers
so hot that the pitch boiled out of the
seams.
The dinner was over; the sun Wa
slowly sinking in the west, and we hau
all come on deck, being anxious to get
as much air as we could, for the cabin
of a sugar ship is generally stuify. The
deep, placid sea was more peacefully
calm than / had ever before seen it.
Not flaw, not a ripple, not an undula-
tiou broke the tranquil surface of the
glass-like sea. Capt. Sarstield and the
two gentlemen, Mr.. Cheeseman and Mr..
Thompson, were sitting on the taffrail
smoking their cigars, and Mrs. Car
michael and Miss Julia were reclining
in wicker chairs and tanning them
selves. At the young lady's feet lay a
large Newfoundland dog belonging to
Capt. Sarsfield, blinking in the sunlight
which came slanting in under the avn
ing, and now and again looking up into
her face and putting out his tongue, as
much as to say: "It's dreadfully hot,
isn't it,
No one who has not seen a creole girl
reclining at her ease can realize the
beautiful picture which Julia Carmi-
chael presented as she sat there languidly
tanning herself. Apart from the beauty
of her features and the striking fairness
of her skin, her figure was almost fault
less in its symmetry, in the curve of its
lines, and beautiful in its flexible sinu-
osity. She had, too, that natural grace,
that untrammeled ease, that refined vo-
righteousness of attitude and movement
which are the natural gifts of the creole,
and which no art can counterfeit. But
the crowning charm of all was her sweet
and gentle disposition. Mrs. Carmichael
was a general favorite, but Julia was
queen of the ship. Capt. Sarstield, the
gentlemen, and the ships company gen.
orally were her devoted slaves.
She had been sitting in silence gazing
out on the calm sea. Suddenly she turned
her head and spoke:
Capt. Sarstield," she said, in a soft,
musical voice, Il think we are going to
have q breeze"
Certainly BY all means. my dear
young lady. l see no signs of it at pres
ent; hut if You say there is breeze COM
ing, there is 10 one on board this ship
would think of contradicting you"
No; but-Capt. Sarsfeld"-
Not another word, my dear lady
Mr.. Turnbull, see all clear for breeze. "
''Av. av. sir. / answered. Forward.