Year: 1862

had, for some cause or other, deserted from his
ship in London, strayed away to one of the
northern ports of England, where he entered
the service of shipping merchant, and soon
rose TO be chief mate Of ship. He was
remarkably comely person, tail and black-eyed,
and having been well educated, be had the
manners of a gentlemen, though be was q
thorough sailor, and loved his profession as
most young sailors do. If he had been allowed
his choice between the premiership of Eng
land and the berth of chief mate of mer
chairman, he would, doubtless, have preferred
the latter. And very wisely, too for in the
premiership he would have~been q fish out of
water, while on board ship he was in his ele
men. and perfectly at home. By some acci
dent he became acquainted with young lady
who moved in a sphere of life from which be
was as much excluded by his position as the
fallen angels are excluded from Paradise. She
was an orphan, but the ward of wealthy
uncle, with whom she resided, and whose
wealth, or at least large portion of it, she
was to inherit. She had, also, q considerable
estate, which was to be given TO her on her
marriage on the condition that she married in
compliance with the wishes, or rather approval
of her guardians. Otherwise the property was
10 go TO cousin. They beq1eath property
with such restrictions in the Old World, as if
for the purpose of inficting as much misery as
possible on its inheritance. In this case, the
young orphan, never having known the need of
money, did not fully comprehend its importance,
and cared very little for it. She had bitterly
felt, however, the need of loved friend, and
she yielded at once to the longings of the heart
when the opportunity offered for supplying
this greatest of all wants. She saw the young
sailor, and at once gave herself up to him,
without thought of the consequences. He
was too generous, and too true sailor, not to
recipr0cate the passion of q woman who was
not only so worthy of his love, but who was so
greatly above him in social position. Being
on American though, this difference Of position
was not a serious consideration for he consid-
cred himself perfectly eligible match for a
dukes daughter, so far as position went. He
knew the Declaration Of independence by heart,
Ike all young Americans, and did dot acknowl-
edge any superiors except in official station.
The only man whose authority had any poten
cy with him was the master of his ship. Very
Ii !, ba
whose heart he had undesignedly won. She
had been educated in q school of aristocrats,
and among those who looked down upon men
who were engaged in trade as a lower order of
had to make in STOPPING to Lin. But be loved
her all the same, and gave her his heart with
all the generosity of sailor.


He could not marry her, because his pay
was hardly sufficient to defray his own expen-
ses, and her uncle, when he discovered their
engagement, had sternly informed her that she
must at once resign all thoughts Of so wild
match, or at once leave his house. Her lover
was on the point of his departure on long
voyage, and she would not inform him of the
condition on which her promise to remain true
to him until his return, rested because she
feared that he might be induced to give her up,
sooner than see her suffer from her attachment
to him. So he bade her adeu, promising on
his return to make her his wife, let his fortunes
be what they might. After the departure Of
his ship the uncle demanded an absolute sur
render, on the part Of bis ward, of all thought
Of her sailor lover, and to test her sincerity,
insisted on her receiving the addresses of q
neighboFing squire. But the young lady
would listen to no such proposals, and boldly
declared her determination 10 marry the sailor
on his return. The uncle was not a man to
yield to what he considered the romantic whim
of foolish young girl and in his anger he
repulsed her from his house. permitting her to
take nothing with her but her own wardrobe,
and the few articles of jewelry which belonged
to her. She had relatives in another part OF
England, who would, no doubt, have been glad
to give her a home but she felt too proud TO
apply to them for assistance and, besides, she
said to herself, if am TO be sailors wife,
it is time began 10 bend myself to my condi-
ton. My husband may not be always in
condition to provide for me, and l will prove
myself worthy of him by showing him that l
can provide for myself when he is away, as
sailors wife should"


1t is easy enough for young people to make
such resolutions, but it is difficult to carry
them ont. This noble hearted woman little
knew what a career of pFivation and hardship
she was embracing and it was well for her
that she did not, or she might have hesitated
to enter upon it. After leaving her uncle's
house she quickly took passage for London
where she hoped to be able TO earn her living
with her needle until her lover should return.
1t would be an easy matter to prolong this
story by reeouuting the history of this lovely