The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1890-01-09
TRIED AND TRUE.
<AS we i've.
Ella Wheeler Wiicol

TRIED AND TRUE.
As the wind hauled fair for Cuba, fold
after fold of canvas was loosened and
heeted home, spreading broad and full
rom truck to deck, until the stately ship
bore the appearance of some enormous
white cloud, sweeping over the bosom of
The ocean. About her curved PROV, roar
ing through the water, the bright sun
shine wove myriad rainbows in the leap
ing spray, and lighted up, like silver
tpangles, the gauzy wings of hundreds of
Hying-ti darting through the air, around
the vessel
Aft, at the helm, with her husband,
stood the Captain pretty wife, Charlotte
"a young woman of twenty-fve-with
brown eyes and smooth, chestnut hair.
The Captain, a sturdy young fellow of
thirty, was teaching her to steer
At her playful request, he often showed
her how to thus guide the craft, so that
she was now become quite skillful in the
handling of the wheel
"Aye," he was saying, in reply to n
remark she made. "You steer so well,
that, if all the Columbus men were sick,
could safely put you at the helm.
care you not then fortunate in having
brought me to sea with you?" inquired
Charlotte, laughing. Il love the sea,
and am glad to find myself so useful"
$50 far, he answered ''you have only
seen the bright side Suffering or danger
would make you wish you had stayed at
home"
And as he spoke, he looked down at
her white, slender throat and frail, sylph-
like form.
She became serious and thoughtful.
''ltis true, am not very strong" she
said, and then, with a slight shudder,
she added: Il hope we will have no
hardship Or peril of any kind. 1t is bad
enough to have to hold on to the side of
the ones berth to keep from falling out,
when the ship is rolling, without meet
ing with any worse danger?"
She said this pleasantly, but, although
he did not show it, her remark gave her
partner some inward dissatisfaction.
"Surely," he thought, ''this is not
like the speech of the model sort of wo-
man we often read about, who would
say: twill brave any hardship for the
sake of being with my Lusband?' Iwish
she had said that to me instead of what
she did. / fear my pretty wife is fair
weather craft, whom trouble or danger
might drive from my side; but, then,
after all, l must remember she is delicate
and has had but few trials. ="
On that very day a merchant bark
called the Northman, from Rio Janeiro,
for New York, was spoken, and her
Captain coming aboard, informed Will
that ne was chased by pirates, three days
before, off the coast Of Cuba; for at this
period (1S2O) the shores and waters of
the West India Islands were infested
with swarms of frcebootcrs, who often
attacked and plundered passing vessels.
ooh, Will!' cried Charlotte, pale with
alarm, "now that we are sure there are
pirates near us, feel very much afraid
Let us put off going to Cuba for she
present. We can go to the Bermudas
and walt until the sloop-ofwar there,
which you said was going to cruise of
the West Indies, is ready to sail"
"No, she has probably sailed before
now. Besides, the owners of this shil
want their cargo at certain time, and as
| promised, If possible, to bring it tc
them at that time, must not break my
word. OF course, the risk from pirate:
or shipwreck was understood, but tina
was not to keep me back. After all
we may see no sign OF pirate, b,
added, soothingly; then, deeply touched
by the look of terror on the face of hi
gentle wife. he continued ~ think i
best you should not be exposed to an,
risk. Here is the bark Northman, home
bound for New York. | will transfe
you aboard of her. if you will go"
"No," she promptly answered. 4"
will stay with you"
Her husband could not persuade her t,
leave him, and soon, the skipper of tn
Northman having departed, the Columbi
was kept on her course.
Will was sorry his wife had not takel
a home passage aboard the other craft
Her refusal he believed, was owing t
her having concluded that there would
aftcv all, be no danger. Should pirate
really be encountered, he dreaded the e!
feet upon the delicate nerves Of his fai
consort, who, he feared, might lose he
reason, or even expire from sheer terrol
Sure enough, three days later, the ray
of the rising sun partly dispensing mil
tiat hung over the sea, showed four low
suspicious schooners, with black hull
aud with bows as sharp as sword -fisl
swiftly clearing the golden-yellow wave
under clouds of Canvas, toward the Ct
ltimbia. Ore Of these vessels was real
ahead. another astern, and the two otl
ers were coming up from windward an
lecward, the aforementioned and the In
Ter being, OF course, ''close hauled
They were still about three miles off "a,
by crowding additional canvas w
hoped he might manage to escape.
net, he had nearly passed the one off tt
lee bow, when bang. went gun, and
saot crashed against the fore-topma
aloft. Slowly and gracefully the spa
nith its broad canvas attached, inclint
"a ecward, and then away it went "a
:liGg down by the iua alongside.
Hi-yah! hi-yahi Hocray.r Yell
ihe pirates, as their sharp proved era
came ON, cutting the water like knit
TINT III lhe booms and in the rigging tn
sxarraed, with caps pushed back fro
dusky faces, re long daggers and pistt
il tteii' sasnes plainly revealed.
n'ye will, at least, make a good fig
bsiolc they take US, sa!d Will TO