Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1890-02-28
TRIED AND TRUE.
Ella Wheeler U'ilco.

AS the wind hauled fair for Cuba. 70 Id
after fold of canvas was looscncd and
shectcd home, spreading broad and full
from truck to deck, until the stately shin
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 wovc myriad rainbows in the leap
ing spray, and lighted up, like silver
spanglcs, the gauzy wings Of hundreds of
Hying-iish darting through the air, around
the vessel
Aft, at the helm, with her husband
stood the Captains pretty wife, Charlotte
"a young woman of twenty -five-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.
.'Ayc," he was saying, in reply to a
: ,a&,ark sue made. "You steer so we'll,
that, if all the Columbia's men were sick.
could safely put you at the helm.
care you not then fortunate in having
brought me to sea with you?" incurred
Charlotte, laughing. ~ love the sea :,
and am glad to find myself so useful
$50 far" he answered tyou 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 frai. sylph
like form.
She became serious and thoughtful.
t'lt Is true, am not very strong,' she
said, aud then, with a slight shuddcr,
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 ont,
when the ship is rolling, without meet
ing with any worse dangcr?"
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 i will brave any hardship for the
sake of being with my husband?' Iwish
she had said that to me instead of what
she did. fear my pretty wife is fair
might drive from my side; but, then.
after all, must remember she is delicate,
and has had but few trials"
On that very day merchant bark,
called the Northman, from Rio Janeiro.
for New York, was spoken. and her
Captain coming aboard, informed Will
that hc was chased by pirates, three DAYS
beforSs off the coast of Cuba; for at this
period.l1 1920 the shores and waters of
the West India Islands were infested
with swarms of frcebootcrs, who often
attacked and plundered passing vessels.
''Oh, Will" cried Charlotte, pale with
alarm, "now that we are sure there are
pirates near us, feel very much afraid.
Let us put oil going to Cuba for the
present. We can go to the Bccmudas
and wait until the sloop- -of-war there,
which you said was going to cruise off
the West Indies, is ready to sail"
'tNo, she has probably sailed before
now Besides, the owners of this ship
want their cargo at a certain time, and rs
promised, If possible to bring it to
them at that time, must not break my
word.- OF course, the risk from pirates
or shipwreck was understood, but that
was not to keep me back. After all,
we may see no sign of a pirate" he
added, soothingly; then, deeply touched
by the. look of terror on the face of his
gentle wife, he continued: az think it
best you should not be exposed to any
risk. Here is the bark Northman, home
hoynd for New York. 1 will transfer
yoHoaboard OF her, if you will CO."
"No," she promptly answered. sI
will stay with you"
Her husband could not persuade her to
leave him, and soon, the skipper of the
Northman having departed, the Columbia
was Lept on her course.
VIII was sorry his wife had not taken
! home passage aboard the other craft.
4 Her refusal, he believed, was owing to
her having concluded that there would,
after all, be no danger. Should pirates
q really be encountered, he dreaded the cf-
4 feet upon the delicate nerves of his fair
aeonsort, who, ho feared, might lose her