The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-22

there was a difference, and, OF course, ne
was right. listened TO him deterentally,
with my head hung. Had it been my aunt
who uttered the opinions he delivered 1
should have argued with her, flashed my
most spirited looks upon her, flung from
her, and, had IL been possible, proved mysei
right Dy doing the very thing when she
declared the world thought improper.
Friends who had known me earlier Wouiu
have believed that love had taken the spirit
out of me. but the truth was in Tom nad
found my master; his control over NE was
delight. We were constantly toge,h
Scarcely day pass ed while he was IN Lon
don without our meeting. | made him SIT
TO painter OF miniature portraits in Re
gent street. and tie same artist took my
likeness for my sweetheart to carry away
TO sea with him. They were both choice,
beautiful little pictures. My eyes seemed
to glow out OF the livery. and Toms lace
was TO the life. happy. careless. loving.
1t was settled by this time that we were
to be married on his return. lie hoped that
might not have 10 90 TO sea again after next
voyage. IL he went he would take me Win
him. The scheme provided Tor my being at
bis side as his wife in any case. But he
owned that though he had rec0mm ended a
sea voyage to ME, and though he had SAID
he would take me as his wife TO sea with
him. he had far rather that | kept on dry
ground. The sea was no place for woman,
1t was hurdled with peris; 1t was a
tthSFltSs JUMP Ol tlShS HUH Olto PtAb "
another. Here then was one reason I0r our
not being married until he returned.
But another and more controlling one,
though he never betrayed it in words, was
his desire that L should have plenty OF
leisure to reflect upon the step had con-
scented to take. / could not now bit see
things as he did. and indeed hope could
never have been so cnmaidenly as to give
the smallest expression to my secret wishes;
but in my heart OF hearts was more yeXed
than | can express by this delay, which
attributed largely to my uuce's influence
with Tom. When two people are IN love
and are to be married there will be i'm
patience. Whether the man or the woman
Is or should be the more impatient L
do not know. | own that deep in
my heart / was bitterly impatient:
Tom would not sail till August; We had
plenty of time to get married in; several
menths must pass before he could return,
and like n child | wanted my toy AT once.
| wanted TO feel that he belonged to me,
that though lie was absent an Invisible O0nd
united us. l was jealous Of him. said to
myself, at the place he is sailing 10 he may
meet with some woman whom lie will think
fairer and discover 10 be richer than / are
not sailors laithess? All the songs and
stories about them represent them so. Then
thought of my father and abhorred my
self for being visited with such thoughts.
and cried like fool 20 think how mean
was my heart, that loving, nay may say
adoring my Tom as did. could yet sup
pose when out of sight he would forget me.
Well. the time came round when the Arab
Chief was nearly ready, and when my sweet
heart must 20 to Sunderland to carry her TO
the Mersey. there TO load for Rio Janelro. |
never could understand business. least oil all
the business Of the sea, and would listen TO
him while he talked about bis venture.
valnly endeavOring TO grasp his meaning In
full. But gathered from his conversations
d mn nf,ofa hat a xuaa
and that in any case there could be 20 risks
as he had taken care TO insure considerably
in excess Of his stake. L recoilect OH one
occasion when we were dining at my annts,
my uncle, in talking with Tom about his
venture, suggested that he erred by lnsur-
ing go high above the value Of the risk.
But why?" said Tom AT all events |
pay handsomely for the privilege OF pro-
tecting myself IN TO the hilt"
True" said The lawyer "but always in
case of loss there is something in over
insurance that yitiates-pernaps to ones
prejudice only, mind-tbe well-seemug Of
this act of self-protection.
The underwriters have 1t in their power
to satisfy mseves," said Tom.
What are your firms"' asked my uncle,
The Marine, the Alliance ana the Gen
eral Maritime Insurance"
That's cover enough. captain" said my
uncle, laughing.
Eyes, and l mean to go to the Neptune for
q policy on the freight. / have consider
able share in the bark, and intend that my
proportion of the freight shall be safe.
am not of those who believe in keeping their
money in a purse; | carry mine in my
pockets. Ii the purse is lost all Is gone.
Who's to assure me Of the solveucy Of an
Insurance offiee? | mean that this voyage
shall enable me 10 stay at home with my
wife," SAID he, looking fondly at me. Let
another take charge of the bark next tine.
I'll make enough 10 own the half of her,"
'You shall own all of her ii you will,
Tom" said /.
That's as your trustees shall decide"
said my uncle.
"My money is my own and | shall do
what please with it," | answered.
Yes, and with your knowledge of bust
ness, Marian, you shall go into partnership
with yonr husband as ship-owner and
land the firm In the Fleet"
Here Tom sang. "Ail In the Downs the
feet lay mOored." and so with laugh
changed the subi-ct.
1t was toward the close of the month of
August when my sweetheart babe me fare
vel on his departure TO Liverpool to take
command of the Arab Chief. l had pas
si0natelv desired TO 60 with him: but my
aunt could not accompany me. ana | was
without Il friend of my own sex able just
then TO leave home. Ny wish was over
ruled by my uncle and aunt. Tom himself
did not favor II, though his longing for me
mine. and so [ took my farewell Of him
in my uncle's home. He held ME in
his arms while | cried till | thought my
heart would break. He kissed me again
and again, babe me keep up nv spirits, TO
con slider that that day a year | should have
been his wife some months; he begged me
to remain faithful to him, and told me there
never would be q minute when | should be
ont of bis thoughts; and solemnly asking
God to look down upon me. to guard me
against all evil and sickness, to look down
upon him, to protect him and bring him
back in safety TO me, he pressed a last
lingering kiss upon my lips and left me
alone with my tears and my memories.
l received several letters from him while
he was at Liverpool. He wrote 10 good
spirits called his ship beauty, and said
that OF her kind she was the most admired
of anything that had been seen in the Mer-
sey for years. There was but one draw
back; the mate of the bark was a Mr.
Samuel Rotch. Tom had met this man
some I'VE or six years before in South
America and had had an unpleasantness
with him there; lie did not tell me what
that trouble was. Afterward Rotch had
served under him and there was another
difficulty.
Mr.. Rotch. he said, was a man Of his own
age, soured by professional disapp0nt-
ments, but shrewd. intelligent person
and n excellent seaman. lie had rather
that the owners mad appointed any other
man as mate; but he believed that there
was some sort ofdistant relationship between
Rotch and one of the firm, and as the man
had once before got into trouble in cunse-
quenee of his representations, and was poor,
with wife and two children to support, lie
had resolved to leave matters as he found
them.
showed this letter to my uncle and asked
him II no thought that Mr.. Rotch had it in
his power to make Tom unhappy or the
voyage uncomfortable. He laughed and an
Swered:
Your Tom will have gone to sea with
irous and bilboes, depend ont. DO you
know that the power OF the shipmaster
when at sea Is greater than that of any
despot in the world. from the Car down to
the shirtmaker's sweater? i have always
conteDded that legally the master mariner
is much too much empowered. He can fog.