Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-01-03
The SEALED PACKET.
A French Cantain's Story.

an East InGiamen; and for the last ten
wears had commanded the Belle, one OF
the finest crafts that ever hosted. l was
an old sea-dog, and had dwelt so long on
salt water that felt almost hatred for
the land.
On the goth of October, 1884, received
orders to put myself in readiness to sail
for Cayenne. [ was to transport seventy
five soldiers and a convict. had orders
to treat this individual well, and the let
ter received from the directory Inclosed
another, with huge red seal, which was
not TO open until between twenty seven
and twenty eight degrees west longitude
that is, just before We were about to cross
the line.
The letter was a long packet, so well
closed on every side that IL was impossible
to catch the slightest glimpse of Its con
tents. am not naturally superstitioas,
but there was something in the look of
the letter that l did not altogether like,
though l could give no reason why. How
ever, I carried it into the cabin, and
stuck it under the glass of a little shabby
old clock, which was fastened above my
head.
was fixing the letter under the clock,
when who should come into my cabin but
the convict and his wife! This was the
first time had seen either of them, and
/ may say that more prepossessing
couple | never met. The woman was
scarcely more than eighteen, aud as
handsome as a picture; while her husband
was an Intelligent, magnifcently formed
man. on whose features nature had never
written "villian."
His crime, to be plain, was the mlsfor-
tune of being born hundred years ahead
of his age. de and others had attempted
something which the government called
treason and which js punished with death.
It therefore occasioned me considerable
wonder that he should be placed under
my charge; but more of this afterwards.
He had, as l said, his wife hanging
upon his arm. She was as merry as a
bird; she looked like turtle dove cooling
and nesting under mis- great wing.
Before a month passed over our heads,
l looked upon them as my own children.
Every morning | used TO call them into
my cabin. The young fellow would sit
waiting at my table-that is to say, at
my chest, which was also nay bed. He
would often help me at reckoning, End
soon learned 10 do it better than L could.
l was amazed at his ability. His young
wife would sit upon one of the round
stools in my cabin, working at her
needle.
One day we were all three sitting in this
way, when [ said;
"Do you know, nay young ones, as 1t
seems to me, we make very pretty fam
lily picture? Mind, L don't mean TO ask
questions, but maybe you have not much
money to spare, and you are both of you,
| think, too handsome to dig in the bur N.
ing sun of Cayenne, like many poor
wretch before you. It's bad country
a bad country, take my word for it. L
who have roughed it through tempest,
wind and sunshine till I've got the skin
of n rhinucerous, might get along there
but you-I am afraid of You. So If you
should chance to have a bit of foolish
friendship for your poor old captain,
tell you what I'll do; I'll get rid of this
old brig; she's not better than an old tub
after all; and I'll settle down there IT You
like. You see have not living soul In
the world to care for, or that cares for
me. L want relations, L want home, |
want family. / should like to make my
home with you my pretty young ones.
What say ye?"
They said nothing st all, but sat look
ing first at each other and then at me, as
if they doubted whether they understood
what said.
At last the little bird threw her arms
around my neck and cried like child.
But" said she, suddenly pausipg, ''you
haven't looked at the letter with the big
red SEAL"
"Hang iti'' exclaimed, ''it slipped my
mind entirely
'With a cold, dreadful sensation, went
TO my chest to see where we were. found
that We ha6 several days remaining be-
fore we could reach the proper longitude
for opening the letter.
Well, there we stood, all three of Us
looking up at the letter as if it could have
spoken to us. As it happened, the sun
was shining full upon the face of the
clock case, and fell upon the great, star
ing red seal of the letter. l could not
help faucying it looked something like a
big monster-an ogre's face, grinning
from the middle of the fire; 1t looked
horrid.
"Could not one fancy" said /, TO make
them laugh, sits great big eyes were star
ing out of its headF"
"Ah, my love-" said the wife, sit looks
like blood"
"Pooh!-poohr' said her husband, tax
ing her arm under his; sit looks like a
letter of Invitation 30 a wedding Come
come; leave the letter alone if 1t troubles
YOU So"
And on they went. They went up on
deck and left me with that letter l lie
member that l kept looking at it as
smoked my pipe; it seemed TO tx its great
red eye upon mine, fascinating like the
eye of a serpent. 1t was red, wide, raw
staring like the nav of a fierce wolf.
took my great coat and hung it over both
clock and letter, and went up on deck to
finish my pipe.
We were now In the vicinity of the Cape
de Verde Islands: the Belle was running
before a fair wind at the rate of ten miles
an hour. 1t was q splendid tropics
night, the stars large and shining, the
moon rising above the horizon, as large
as a sun of silver, the liRe of ocean part
ing it, and long streams of bare, SHIN
mering light falling upon the waves
which, es they broke, sparkled like jew
els. | sat Hpon the deck smoking N,
pipe and looking at them.
Ali was still except the football CT tn,
officer of the watch, as he paced the deck
gazing as I did upon the shadow of thu
vessel stealing over the silent waters.
love silence and order-I hate nois
and confusion. The lights should al
have been extinguished by this time; bu
when ] looked under the deck. though
saw little red line of light beneath
my feet. At another time this would hav
made ne angry; but knowing the nigh
came from the cabin of my friends | de
termined TO see what they were about.
/ had only to look down. could sc
into the cabin from the skylight.