Year: 1870

| Onc little act Of poitrness will ror.
times pave the way to fortune and prefer
mentc The following sketch illustrates


A sailor, roughly garbed, was ,trolIins
through the streets of New Orleans, then
ina rather damp condition, from recent
fs.h ami the rise Of the tide. Turning the
corner OF = much frequented and narrow
aliey' ne observed young lady standing
Ia perplex,ty, apparently measuring the
depth Of the muddy water between her
and the opposite sidewalk with no very
satisfied countenance


The sailor paused, for he was a great ad
inifer OF beauty, and certainly the fair face
5hal peeped out from under the little chin
hat, and the auburn curls hanging glossy
anu unconhned over her muslin dress,
might tempt a curious or an adnirino
glance. Perplexed, the lady out forth one
little foot, when the gallant sailor. with
lmpulslveness exclaimad ..sfTh..
and l will make you path.


So sprnging past her into a carpenters
shop opposite, he bargained for a plank
board that stood in the doorway, and com-
ing back to the smiling girl, who was just
coquettish enough to accept the services
OF the handsome young sailor. he bridged
the narrow black stream, and she trlrped
| across with a merry Thank you, and a
roguish smile, making her eyes as dazzling
as they could be.


Alas our young sailor was perfectly
charmed. What else would make him
catch up and shoulder the plank, and fol-
low the little witch to the Shiny streets to
her home, she twice performed the cere-
mony of walking the plank and each
time thanking him with one of her elo-
quent smiles.


Presently our hero saw the young lady
trip up the marble steps of palace house
and disappear within It's rosewood entrance,
For full minute he stood looking at the
door and then, with wonderful sigh,
turned away, disposed Of his drawbridge
and wendell his path back to the
ship.


The next day he was astonished with an
order of promotion from the Captain
Poor Jack was speechless with amazement
he had no dream of being exalted to the
dignity of second mates Office on board of
one Of the niGs: splendid ships that sailed out
Of the port of New Orleans He knew he was
competent, for instead of spending his
money for amusements, visiting theatres
and bowling alleys on his return from sea,
he purchased books, aud had become
quite student but he expected years to
intervene before his ambitious hopes would
| be realized.


His superior officers seemed to look upon
him with considerable leniency, and gave
him many fair opportunity to gather
marine knowledge and in year the hand
some, gentemanly young mate had &C
quired unusual favor in the eyes Of the
portly icommander, Captain Hume, who
hal first taken the smart little black-eyed
fellow, with his neat tarpauiin aud tidy
| bundle as his cabin boy.


One night the young man with all the 9th
er officers was invited to an entertainment
in the captains house. He went, and to
his astOnishment mounted the identical
steps that two years before, The brightest
vision he had ever seen betore-a vision
he had never forgotten. Thump, thump,
went his brave heart as he was ushered
into the parlor, ard like a slcdge hammer
it beat again when Captain Hume brought
forward his blue eyed daughter, aud with
Pleasant smile, said: This young lady
was once indebted to your kindness for q
safe and dry walk home"


His eyes were all ablaze, and bis brown
cheeks flushed hastily as the noble Cap
tain sauntered away, leaving Grace Hume
at his side. And in all that assembly was
not SO handsome couple as the gallant
sailor and the pretty LADY,


1t was only year from that time that
the second mate trod the quarter deck
second only in comm nd, and part owner


with the Captain, not only in his vesse


hut in the affections of his daughter, gen.
tie Grace Hume, who hau always cherished
respect, to sag nothing of love, for the


tri2ht eyed sailor.


His homciy but earnest act OF politcncss
toward his child had pleased the Captain,


and though the youth knew it not, was the


cause of his first promotion, so that, Low


the old man has retired from business.
Henry Wells is Captain, and Grace Hume


is, according to polite parlance, Mrs. Cap,


tain Wells In fact. the honest sailor i:
| one Of the richest men in the Crescent
, Cry, aud lie owes, perhaps, the greater
part of his prosperity to his tact aud po-
kteness iH erusoinx the street.