The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1894-03-02
A CONSTANTS DEED.

: HOW Captaln bella1ny lie was saved
at Tsi-Chau has never yet been told.
Every officer and man who belonged
to the Chrysolite on that disastrous night
recollects, of course, that, while endeav-
oring in the darkness to storm the fort,
the captain fell, and that when our peo-
pie were driven back headlong to the
boats he, with many others, was miss
ing. Every one remembers also that
when on the following morning the Chi
namen were shelled out of the place and
the bluejackets and marines again land
ed Captain Bellamy was found lying,
not where he had fallen, but couple
of hundred yards to the right, sheltered
on the side of the enemy by thick stone
wall.
His left leg was smashed at the knee
by jingal ball, but around his thigh
was a bluejacket's silk handkerchief,
neatly appliedin such way that a nickel
tobacco box placed beneath it effectively
compressed the femoral artery and
stopped the bleeding. TWAS well known
that both box and handkerchief had be-
longed to James Larch. the captains
coxswain, whose dead body, with half a
dozen bullets through it, was found on
the enemy's side of the same wall. Cap
tain Bellamy himself acknowledged from
the first that he owed his life solely to
T Oh
whole story has never yet been told
Captain Bellamy's recent death puts Inc
in possession of his private journal, and
SO enables me to tell .he tale.
When the Chrysolite was commission
ed at Portsmouth for the China station.
Captain Bellamy took house at Hong
Kong, and in due course Mrs. Bethany
and her only daughter, Violet, followed
him thither. In the second year of the
commission the Chrysolite was at Hong
Kong for several successive months, and
during that period the ladies came on
board nearly every day. There were
picnics on shore and water parties afoat,
and if not on the Chrysolite then in the
house, or in the boats, or on the various
expeditions. James Larch, the captains
coxswain, was in continual attendance
upon Miss Violet and her mother. Vio-
let Bellamy was then barely .1S. In
England she had led somewhat dull
life, and at Hong-Kong she lost no time
in redressing the balance of her exist
ence, which was by no means dull there.
1t was not perhaps her fault that ev-
cry officer of the garrison and of the
squadron was either in love with her or
was prepared to be, for she gave no spe-
cial encouragement to any one On the
other hand, she discouraged no one. The
larger the number of her admirers the
greater was the enjoyment which she de-
rived from the situation. Among them
she was like a child in room full of
toys. Some she damaged, some she
smashed irretrievably, but without tie
slightest malice or wickedness. She SIM
ply had never realized the powers and
responsibilities Of very pretty face and
figure, supplemented by high spirits, I'M
firing activity and abundant health, and
although she spread ruin around her she
never for an instant intended to do harm
to anybody.
There were many who suffered. Com
mander Corcoran of the flagship, Major
Browleigh of the Royal Bucks, Staff
Surgeon Bennett of the Bridport, Lien
tenant Maplin in command of the Borer,
and at least half dozen sublieutenants
and midshipmen, besides army subal-
terms and civilians, were turned upside
down by Violet Bellamy. And if these
who only encountered her at social func-
tions, were so seriously upset, it is little
to be wondered at-when we recollect
that human nature is not confined to the
classes-that James Larch was also over.
balanced.
l. His associations with her were, though
in one sense, more distant and more
purely conventional than those of any
gentleman in the colony, of a privileged
character. He helped her to mount wher
she went for ride, he wrapped hel
cloak around her when she left the ball
room, he carried her hundred times
from the ships boat to the shorse or vic.
versa, lest she might wet her feet. Hel
breath had famed his face, her iigh
form had rested in his arms, and Will,
he never by word and seldom even by
look betrayed his feelings he neverthe
less steadfastly, and with all his being
worshiped her.
Larch was young and smart pet.
officer. As such he had promising ca
reer before him, and no doubt he won
have been wise had he strictly mind,
his own business and endeavored to b,
content with the sphere in which it ha
pleased Providence to place him. But
like many of his betters, he went dow
before Violet Bellamy.
1t was at the beginning of the thirf