The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-07-06
A MARRIAGE AT SEA.
az !
". CLARK RUSSELL.


cabin. Have you wedding-ring, Mr..
Barclay
"Oh, yes" I answered, laughing and
pulling out the purse in which kept II.
Little use In sailing away with young
lady, Captain Parsons, to get married,
unless you carry the ring with you.
"Glad you have IL. We can't be too
shipshape. But presume you know"
said the little fellow, that any sort Of a
ring would do,--even curtain-ring. No
occasion for the lady TO wear what you
slip on, though believe it's expected
she should keep 1t upon her finger till
service is over. Let me See, now,-
there's something else l wanted to say.
Oh, yes; who's to give the bride away?"
There was a knock at the door. aid
Mr.. Higginson, followed by Mr.. McCosh.
enterea.
Mr.. Higginson, Immediately cried
the captain, you will give the bride
awav."
The lawyer put his hand UPON bis
shirt-front and bowed.
Ten minutes past ten cried the
Captain, whipping out his watch /
hope Miss Maggadore's amt keeping the
ladies' waiting whilst she powders her
self or fits a new cap to her hair.
He opened the door to call the steward
then hoped back with sudden convul-
sive sea bow to make room for the ladies
who were approaching.
NY darling was very white and looked
at me piteousIy. She came to my side,
and slipped her hand into mine whisper
ing under her breath, Such a silly.
senseless ceremony ] pressed her
fingers, and whispered back that the
ceremony was not for us but for Aunt
In ha- har hat nd
and Mrs. Barstow was clad as for the
deck ; but Miss Maggadore, on the other
hand, as though in justification OF what
the captain had said about her, made
her appearance In a most extraordinary
cap i had never seen,-an inflated ar
rangement, as though she were fresh
from q breeze of wind that had held It
bladder like. She had changed her gown
too, for sort OF Sunday dress OF satin
or some such material. She conrtesied
on entering. and took up her position
along side Of McCosh, where she stood
viewing the company with an austere
gaze which so harmonized with the dry
literal, sober stare Of the mate that /
had to turn my back upon her to save
second explosion of laughter.
Are we all ready2" said the little
captain. in the voice OF man who might
hail his mate to tell him to prepare to
put the ship about, and McCosh mechan-
icafly answered,
Az, ny, sir, all ready.
On thistle captain went to the table.
where lay big church service in large
type, aud putting on his glasses, looked
at Ms over them az hint for US to take
our places. He then began to read
SO slowly, that i forsaw, unless he skip
ped many OF the passages, We should be
Detained half the morning In the cabin.
He read with an extraordinary enjoy
meiit OF the s uad Of his own voice, and
constantly lifted his eyes, hist he de-
livered the sentences as though he was
admonishing iustea of marrying us.
Yet, spite of the several grotesque
conditions which entered into it, this
was a brief passage OF experience that it
was by no means lacking in romantic
and poetic beauty. The iiashful tremb-
ing sunlit sea was in tie atmosphere Of
the cabin, and bulkhead and upper deck
seemed to race with the ripDling
of the waves of light In them Through
the open port came the seething and
pouring song of the ocean, the music
of shifting pillows. the small harmonies
OF foam-bells and seething eddies There
was the presence of the ocean, too. the
sense of its intinity, and of the speeding
fraught with the passions and feelings
OF a multitude of souls bound to new
world, fresh from land which many of
them would never again behold.
The captain took very long time in
marrying us, Had this business pos
sessed any sort offlayor of sentiment for
Grace, It must have vanished under the
slow, somewhat husky, self complacent,
deep sea delivery OF old Parsons. Itook
the liberty of pulling out my watch as
mint but, he was enjoying himself too
much TO be IN hurry. Nothing, l be-
ieve, could have so contributed to the
felicity OF this man as the prospect of
uniting one or more couples every day.
On several occasions his eyes appeared
to fix themselves upon Miss Moggadore,
to whom he would accentuate the words
he pronounced by several mods. The
marriage service, as we all know, is
short, yet Captain Parsons kept us an
hour in his cabin listening to it, Before
reciting All ye that are married, he
hemmed loudly. and appeared toaddress
himself exclusively to Miss Mogga dore,
to judge by the direction in which he
continued to nod emphatically
At last he closed his book, slowly
gazing at one of the other of us over his
glasses, as II to witness the effect OF his
AEdulHS IA our lhccS- ne bueH opened
his official log book. and In whisper as
though be were in church, called Mr..
Higginson and Mr.. McCosh to the table
to witness his entry Having written
1t, be requested the two witnesses to
read #. Mr.. McCosh pronounced it arl
rect. and Mr.. Higginson nodded as
grayely as though be was about to read
a will
The ladies mnst see this entry too, .
said Captain Parsons, still preserving
his SabbaticaI tone. Cant have too
many Witnesses Never can tell what
may happen"
The ladies approached and peered, and
Miss Moggadore's face took on an i'm
usually hard and acid expression as she
pored upon the captains handwriting.
Pray read it ont. Miss Moggadore, :
said |,
Az, do, exclaimed the captain
In q thin. harsh voice. like the cheep
OF a sheaye set revolving In block
wonderfully in accord, by the way, with