Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-21

Cato and Scipio, whom later he took on
war cruises, and with which he pre-
Sented the prosperous appearance nee
eSSary for his entry into the infant
American Navy as an officer.
At this period Jones became a sutton
OF Miss Dorothea Spottswood cambridge,
descendant of the famous Gov. SPOTS
wood of Virginia and a cousin of Martha
Washington. Her home, near the es-
tates of DR.. Read and of Patrick Henry,
who was her fathers lawyer, was in
Hanover County.
1t may be assumed that since her
father was formerly a naval officer and
also a FreemaSon, that DR.. Reads in
PRODUCTION Of the magnetic young
stranger into the cambridge home was
favorably received. The romance doubt
less developed quickly. But at some
stage fell the bar upon the path.
Did the family, proud and propertied,
frown upon the too frequent calls Of a
young man, who. however agreeable, was
after all only an adventurer blown in
from the Indies?
Was the lady overdazzled by the rival
attentions Of Patrick Henry, the orator
who had made continent resound with
the shout, Give me liberty or give me
DEATH?
Or did she finally reject John Paul
Jones because he could exhibit neither
property nor great name?
All these conjectureS are within rea-
son. and yet there is another that may
more adequately explain Jones subse-
quent reference to his sacrifice" of his
scheme of domestic life and his plunge
into the Navy.
Before he could definitely have OBJ
tanned the hand of his adored he would,
of course, have been compelled to ex-
plain his origin, his birth, his entire
history. He would have had to confess
that his real name was not John P.
been engaged in the slave trade-a
thing abhorred in Virginia, which was
one of the earliest States to denounce
it. He would have had to 60 further
and confess that at one time he served
aboard pirate ship. And finally he
would have had to tell the woeful story
Of the thing he most wished to forget
the mutiny aboard the Betsey, his kill
ing OF the sailor and his hasty flight
from Tobago, to which he must one day
return to face an admiralty court. He
would have had to relate that this homi-
eide occurred after he had been charged
with the death of another seaman at
the same spot. starting a scandal that
had caused him virtually to break OF
relations with his people at home.
What "a Skein of evil appearance to
unravel before young girl-she was
!9-belonglng to a proud and careful
family! And yet he must tell 1t all, or
else incur the risk through her family
connections or the low-lying winds Of
rumor, Of her some day discovering the
decaying pile of unfortunate and easily
misunderstanding facts.
One other alternative perhaps pre-
sented itself: to maintain silence for the
present concerning his real identity and
history; to return, as soon as he found
the means and the right time, to To-
bago; clear himself, and then come back
TO America; somehow do great deeds,
and diademed with distinction and APP
plause, win the pardon and approval in
which all would be forgiven.
u y X
RUT the opening of the war with
England and the closing of the
ports made any voyage to Tobago i'm
possible. simultaneously a glittering
opportunity was presented--the found
ing OF new Navy which was to dispute
the seas with England. This oppor-
tunity he eagerly seized. 1t gave him
| exactly what he needed and craved.
And then. just as he was achieving his
| most audacious feats, came the news
that she who was to be the browning
prize, the light on his tower Of dreams,
had given herself to Patrick Henry,
then a middle-aged widower, as his Sec
ond wife. She bore him nine children.
When Jones left Virginia in ITS the
Continental Congress in Philadelphia
was faced with the problem of waylay-
ing ships bringing supplies to the British
in-chief of all the Continental forces.
ordered several small ships posted In
Massachusetts waters Among these was
the Lee, Capt. John Manly, who brought
| in four prizes Thus did q new world