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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Sentinel, 1881-05-13, Page 2tilla am_ A P4badoor. and an Echo. Too quiet of the solemn midnight hour Overhangs the world; lo the garden every Louder tlow'r Bits its petals furled. In his kennel down in you back -yard . The watch -dog liesasleep ; Silently upon the boulevard Dewy cherubs weep. From the house lamp on that window blind Falls the gulden light: Sole oasis that the eye eau tied 10 the desert night. l'Cross the light band of the linen screen, )1iwitt as message wired, A figure passing fitfully is seen _Scantily attired. And. like penance.do ing Monks of• yore, This' a burden bears, While it looks as if 'twies vex'il sore- - Overwhelmed with cares. Breaking in upon the hush profound Conies an echo no bi-; What can cause that weird and woeful sound ? Surely 'twas a -child. Suddenly upon the puzzled brain Flashes all the truth- l'apa!ii hands are full to -night again; Baby's got a tooth. NO-- itELATIONS ; -A- P4tory of To -day. She Was quite quiet; har face was very • pale ; her lips were set. I -learned, after- wards, - to love her. But at first I was afraid of her. . "This,' said. Stephen, "is the Very deuce an' all. -What's to be done now?" Who aro you?.['' I asked. Oh! tell me if you, too, are nip. plot with these Wretched . _men T.' • ..,,. . I am the -viite- of the man who -calls himself Captain!' Ramsay.," she replied. "Thera standslily husband." ! - -"IVO, a tier shouted the captain, eniplia- - sizing, his words in :manner cOmmen amoeg menor his kinth! "It's She has been divorced- the of .tlie-droilzitry: I - - - --• - • , wear Your-Wed4ing.ring 'She .sliowed it op her finger. I refuse your " divorce. _1 will: net.-7;:arckuciwledge. the. !law -whieh ;allows., a Mau- to put -away a- wife Without reason,- I 'ain wife, I sIwJI fellow you wherever you go.- I eame •- aceess. the. Atlantic, tceLiverpoel,after you. carne on heard this -ship after you. 1 Shall s Make the voyage -With, - The captain, laughed. YOU ,Shall, -he -Rai* nie- if you shall leave the _ship till I let -You--;_. YOU -shall folio* rife------Whetliet yeti likeit 017.#0t Land.r: _ - r - • _ EVeii theie,". saidthougli she shiv- "ore& 1 will venture.- -I know-wha.t is in- •... yourwicked brain. Yet I amnot afraid; -- I. ant here to protect this .innocent gui. As fOry01.1," sheturned tothennfortenaterilot,: --01 haVe-heard of yOn. You zrt, still, old zniui, 104 yOre'llaN'ealwayS been, the., stupid •:tool of this Man At his bidding atid- for 114) use-tobelp-yelirself, you are ready.' to .throw-aWay your '.:imino.rtul son!. Get out .of our sight! .'(.40 Say t • Stephen_ straighteeed ids _hitok with an •-• pflOrt„ -and cleared hi'', threat._ Ilo looked at mei who was now clinging to Olive, and then at- his elliefilwho. stood biting hie,: lip, with an angry -fltish upon his cheek - and a leek thet ineantrevenge if he could get_ it. ."Goine. cap," said.. Stephen." we cau do. _no geed here. ;Collie On deck." ,Fie led -the Way. andtweeted the companion :with: •_ alacrity --Phew 1-." _ whistled -on.- ec . "-Trouble a..bresein' now. What shall-- we da next?"' • - - "If __I -Could.= -+4. 7 the captain:began; but stoppedart.. - •• . You earft.;._ captain," _ .said, Stephen. 4- The men. would $...ee it : Avis would see it. . . . . Rut- it out of your thoughts: Now mind. When _ I said Pd.-, heipthe.gell aboard.- I - never- . bargained.for Olive' as well. .. What about Nassikii-?"- - • . said -01 14;210.11diy;•when. we were - r alone„ " tellme wheyon_-.aro, an4 what haS happened," Oh! . he has stolen met. He:asked me - • .to conie on board; he.p.retencled to be My • frieMI; and he has stoien.:the. :And -.Jack . is-coming:back on Saturduy to niarry-me "Mya.goor tears-. fell with T this is terrible, indeed: 7' But emir,- . age- I -am. here. We aro ontie ship;: and. cannot chhoSebut:go.With. him.. . Yet --,Yet de bet think- hewill.dere -..ha.rrn either:- . of us. Mvdcar, he isafraidef-me.,_ _ • "Are yen -indeed his . '4 'tie my unitarily -lot,"!-sliereplied,-.-"Io- be the wife of the li,wqitst:Irlan,.-,I believe; in :all the world. -Yet needel.must.that I fel--; low.hirre.-whatevet bethe end," I. waited to hear I keened when:the ship- would sail', and -1,-canie-- a:beard:and! hid -Myself. 1 °light to: leave bun to Liatate,"..elfeWent on, Sitting - with -cleared bande; have, been beaten: by -himlike a-disolre_dient- does;.. I have been 7 eniked and sibUSecli .1--haVe-beenrObbed and- , starved; I have been neglected anddeierted„-r -Rtitl-eittinet abandon -him: I arp.driven to . follow hirn ...Wherevehe may -lead, -It may .be- I shall vet—But 1 db not know.. -.His- . conseience- is dead within -hint : The is no longermem' FrOmthe..first Week 1 knew him to be ganabler, . drunkard, and •Man - slayer ; a 40fier',0floocra IBAVS 000 of those Who, work evil with greedinefis;--yet 1 can: not cheese' but go i after. hint; even. -if thy - choice, land.ine again on the shore of North . - - - - •" And why do=pin fear to go thereT.' 4 Child,- :youtlabot-know 'the._ Southern •'States." - -Slielagghod bitterlY... 4 -.They itte Aliellome.„-inryOur English papers and your --New York correspondents, of the chivalry end nobility of .Atneric-a:: They:are.„-itisei the - lionie of thesleve. 'There are black -.slaves; . brown slaves, alive -colored slaves, . andwhitewas a white- -slave. ani:One of_those unfortunates -lei !whom theYare fighting ---1 ani-adarkey---a--7Nagre."' " YOU - • "Yea; 1.. You Would not think;-: to look . - at Imo; perhaps, that. I have.: beena • slave. Yet it is true. The young ladies. with Whom:I...Was brought tipcluici.,. not whiter - -Wu - than 7 -mine. Yet -my great -great, grandmether seek.* black Woman. -SO-I .was a slavc. You are not an American, and so you do not shrink back loathing.- I. yvaaa slave,. and one day, being then seven- teen yeareet- age, and unwilling to :the mother of moteslaves, I -started On it .long '• journey by the Underground:railway, and- gotiafe to Canada.' • - - , • • "Is it possible?' 1. cried Avis, forgetting ' for a Moznefit'her-oWii-treubles., "Yes; it is truo. l went .to Montreal, where I hived! to End employment -and -.friend&There I met Captaib Valentino . . . • Arigelashe then :balled himselfwhewas so good as to fill in love with me, and with him. We were married. And now you know my story." "And if you go back again to North Caro lina?" "In the old days, if a runaway slave wa caught, they flogged him. Now, when the Northern soldiers are gathering round them, and their cause is hopeless; now when they tremble least fresh stories o cruelties to blacks should be invented or found out, I think they would hardly dare flog a white woman. Yet one knows not. The feeling is very strong, and the women are cruel -more cruel than the men." We then began to consider how we could best protect ourselves on the voyage. Olive advised that we should go on deck as much as possible, so that all the sailers shmild know that we were aboard, and grow accus- tomed to see us; that we should never for a moment leave each other; that we should share the same cabin; that we should refuse to listen to, or speak with the cap- tain or his accomplice. "Lastly, my dear," said Olive, "among wild beasts it is well to have other means of defence than a woman's shrieks. I have --for the protection of us both -this." She produced a revolver. 'A pretty toy," she said, - but it is loaded, and it shell be used, if need be, for defence of you as well as myself." Thus began this miserable voyage, where- in my • heart was torn by anxieties and fears. What would be the end? Presently we went on deck. -The land _was nearly out of sight; we were oil the •broad Atlantic. • The. ship rolled in the long swell ; the day was bright; the breeze fresh. Beside the helm Stood the ca;ptitin, who scowled but said not it word. The-- crew were _lying abut the deck, except - one oftwo; ou watch in the bows. .Aa the Ship carrieil neither yards nor sails, ‘there was little or nothing to and they mostly sat, sleeping' Or :telling yarns. all the -Voyage. - Olive „ led rne for'atd. 'Stephen, 1,.. although the pilot. and therefore ' person of great iniportance, was among t1 - eom- Mon, sailors-; sitting inthesun, his pipe in his Mouth, Withtwo or -threelisteners, foremost „ among : the spinnereof yerne. They Were such names as Sailors give- each Other, -such, as -Liberty WiCks; who ' vvas Anarter-master r 'Soldier Jack,. so ', called - because' . he was repotted to -have beena deserter from an English yegirrieut in Canada ;:OldNipper, the meaning of Whose. -name I de not know, Long Tom; a --„lanky thin-nianef six feet -si-x-, Witlfa steep in bus shoulders caused by stooping Optionally 'tween- decks ;. 'Pegleg., Sinith, who Went - halt ; awl" the Doctor, ., as they called._ the teok.i' They gritined,made it 1e, and touch- ed. their foreheads ; -they knew that - :Olive was the captain!e wife ; they ,kneW that she wits -A. stowaway, and had comeafterher husband ; :they kiieW that I had been eit, trapped aboard. That as - what Olive Wanted. Fer,..--inY dear," she- said, " suppose _thy husband . was to catch 'me by the . heels: some dark night .and tip -me . overboard , - Which he would very muchlike to do, these men* Wou1d -Miss' inc and by degrees - the thing would become known:".--'. I lot aboard who'd make- a fuss. I could if I bad the crew with me that I had twenty years ago when we made that famous run. • You hadn't gone soft then." 'Courage, Avis," whispered Olive; " cour- s age, child; we are not separated yet ; there is always hope. Even a shot between wind and water, and a sinking of the ship _with , all her wicked crew, would be better than f such a fate as the man intends for you. But that fate will not be yours. Some women, my dear, are prophetesses; I think I am one; and I see, but I know not how, a happy endingout of this for you -but not for um." There is an islet among the Bahamas lying just at the entrance of Providence channel, some sixty miles northeast of Nassau. The small maps do not notice so insignificant a rock, but on the charts it is called Stony Cay. Two or three men were there in charge of the stores, and, as a warning to American cruisers, the Union Jack was kept flying from a mast. Thither we steered, and here the men made their final preparations. "Patience, Avis," said Olive. 'Three days more will bring us to the end of thip chapter." The steward told us, what we pretty well knew before, that they were going to run the blockade into Wilmington, on the coast of North Carolina;. that the • place was about seven hundred miles distance from the Bahamas, and that the real danger was about to begin. Hitherto there had been none, except the chance of bad weather, for the Maryland, built for noth- ing -but speed, and just heasiy enough to stand the waves of an ordinary stiff breeze, -would infallibly have gone down in a gale. "The danger may mean deliverance, my dear," Olive said for Avis' . consolation. "The cruisers may take us.. In that case you are safe.; you have only to seek out the British Consul, and tell him who you are, and why you were on board the ship. As for me--,-" • As for you, Olive ?" askeclAvis. - " That would net restore you to life." No; my --dear ; but it • might make* things safer for you.". . _ - The captain seemed to lneve no objection to our talking with tile sailors. It was not his. plan to show the- least unkindness ' on the:'voyage: we Wc.tre to be.perfectly.' free. -found "-therti a rough; reckless set of -men, of the kind. wile would follovi a -leader -anywhere, provided he gave them pleety toeat. drink, and- to smoke. In it few dayS they wouid be_ under the port of Wilinington, their_ cargo landed and sold, their private .ventures converted into dollareratul their craft taking in cotton for the homeward One thing," said Olive, my husband might liitve done. Ile dare_ not clo' it, though, .becauselie would lose the respect of all Americans... Ile might tell them that .he has married a . colored -girl. You would witness, .then„for yourself something of -the, loathing, which the presence of the 'negro blood rouses aiming, Americans," . I have mentioned: the be's"u and quarter; master,- Liberty Wicks, Who was often. at the wheel. _Now, one -day, seen after the voyage began, a very` singular thing-_ hap - The 'captain was.on'the bridge, Stephen wak forlard; no one was aft except'..Olive and myself and the quarter -master, :Who, as usiaal, was Making_ his two - eyes do double duty. We were :sitting in silence, When we becarife aware of a,lioarse -whisper. _ . "-There's friends aboard." It was Liberty Wicks. Friends: . Don't fear nothing Wait till you get to North Car'lina.- leak at„me. Don't answer." - - After this we were_comforted, on :every possible opportunity, With the- assurance that there were 'friends aboard. ..• • _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Then,day after day, _the- ship held her course, and we two_women remained mi.' molested, walking on- deok, or sitting in 'the little _saloon unnoticed. 'We talked little, having too Much -to 'think about. - SO that, in the Silence, our sensesseemed_ to -quicken, and one night, sitting in the- salooe after nightfall, . we heard voices above 118 011 the deck. , One of the -speakers- WaS 'Stephen. ." It's- a- bad business, cap'en," ho aid. “ Look, at • it anY way, no way -I- like- , it. What are we to do. n_ext• ?" . .don't know, `Steve. That is a fact. • Your -girl and me Won't run easy in harness so -long -as the other one is 'about ; they - must be separated before we can do. any- thing else." _ _ . • , _ Olive Caught,my hand. We listened for rnere- . "Land 'em both at ,Nassau, and be shut of the *hole -rob," Counselled Stephen. '.-ISTO good ever,come to it voyagewitha passel, ot. wcimer aboard...-. "Might as well have a bishop or a Jonas himsejf. . • I 'might put Olive ashore," said the) captain; arid -we- could carry the other on. to Wilmington. Olive would scream it bit,' but then _she'd have _te _go. As. for -Nassau, we are not going to New .PrOvi, donee at ' all. Don't. you think, Stephen, after it's Cost _ine all the money to ship my brew, half paid down and idl, that they're ping- to have the .ciiiince of getting. ashore and staying there. Why,- once ashore, -it-- might be e -fortnight before I could get thein all back again.- 'No No; the coal's lying on Stony Cay, where we'll take it on board, and so off again.- 'We might land her oil the Cay, to basure, bur-theEe's no rations and no Water." - ' " You can't land the woman there, cap'en. The men wouldn't stand it • " can't, because I've got it white -livered. , '‘•Lniust.folio*rary hiisband,"rshe "If --We are taken, he will go to's New. York_ prison; and.: 1..mustge,-too,te' look ' after' - "When the sun went down on. the . third day, the enginesgotup.stea.m; by midnight the Maryland *agent of thenarrow waters and --tolling arnong the great Waves- of the gulf ,etteadr. Ihenight.Was. exactly -the kind . of - night which blockade-runners, buccaneers,: privateers, and pirates always Meet delight in a _dark night with -a new moon; cloudy ton. The steamer carried no lights.- .13y the wheel stead the captain, and old Steplieri,:ready. to take hisplace as pilot. AS - for -us, we were too anxious to stay' below, and -were on deck looking and Waiting. - - Stephen," we heard the captaineky; ‘-' I have got a note from Nassau. 'The Yanks expeet. inc ; -they don't know .that I've arrived; and started ; but there's a- notion among the cruisers that I'm to be -met with - somewhere about this tiriie.- I know what their. ships:are, andwhere they're stationed. .Twenty-five steamers are lying off Wilining-: ton this night ak closo. its they carr lie --eft of the -range of Fort Fisher. Half a-46.'4er' more arecruisingabout these waters. - I Make -no count of them. .- NoW,-Steriben the oiilv thing.to .clecideis whether it'abest to clash through the line, onto creep along the . _ The coast," said - Stephen, "is a .awk-- . ward coast. There's nothingto steer by, there's.- sands, and there's never -a light.'" " We can Show a lightfrom-the inshore side. They will answer it ;.they are on the look -out all night:" - I wouldrather," • said -Stephen, " Mike - a . dash for it. Once inside their line. they Will find it herd to stop us.' . . . "Can. you had the -mouth of -the river in the . night ? - - !.I can find the mouth of that river blind- fOld ; 'never fear -that-.; what I think is the shifting sands along the coast, if we -have to creep in," . ' • .".Pray heaven 1'1 ,whispared.plive, that one of these 'half .dezen-cruisers.catch us." .Wa passed -a' sleepless night. •hall a dozen _tines, at least, the engines were stop- ped on_ an alarm_,being given from . the. watch ,-in the fore-top,land we expected to hear a Cannon -shot crash into the vessel, or an order, at least,- to lay to. - Presently • the engines would go on and the ship pro. . . - ceeded eu her way, though --perhaps on another - tack. We- "'hewed no light;- out coal '7gs..typ- out little smoke, and that , little; as I said, was discharged from the. stern, : -.the funnel lying flat along the deck. • .. At -daybreak we arose and went on.deck again._: Nom) of the men seemed -to have gone below,. - Stephen- and thecaptain stood_ -together by ;- all hands were- on thewatch, though as it Was tee dark to see far; and the -men, if theyspoke at all they spoke in whiSpers..- As the sun rose behind ifs we- found -ourselves alone 'Toe the ocean ; not a sail was in sight. _ e -"NO- cruiser yet," I Whispered to Oliv- _ _ _• . , '“ Shall We reach Wilmington to -night T' "A steamer," cried the man at the fore- top; "off the starboard boiv!" - - - 'I could see nothing the broad face Of the ocean glowed in the bright -sunshine. " He *ices," said Olive, "a faint wreath of striae." _ I suppose we altered our course, becittiSe we saw no more -of that steamer., We. ran till noon without further adventure; then another, andanother, and another alarm were, given inViick succession, and 'the Wheel vent round and the vessel changed her course. .11'here Was 110 waiting to make out 'the distant ship; - every stranger was -a supposed enemy.. . . - = _ " I "almost hope,'i said Olive," that-. we shall get through them," - - • . In the morning, which was cloudy with a little fog, through there was a Steady breeze from .the northwest, we made. our first escape. It -just before ; we,. who could notsleep, Were on. deck - again. . . . . All ...night there had been. frequent alarms, but -happily (or unhappily) we passed the - danger. This time, however, things looked as if our run had come to an end. _ ' The inist-had thickened ;- the day _ was. slowly breaking; wohold our course but at :half speed suddenly there seemed to spring out of the water -a cruiser three - times_ our Size,- under'steam-and sail. We were almost udder her:bows ; they . shouted to 'us ; their men sprang into the riggingto furithe sail; we saw hemhastily run Out the guile. ' "Avis !" cried Olive, ,!.` yon are Saved r Not yet. Captain Ramsay gave an order in his quiet voice,the wheel flew round, and the next moinent we were astern of the ves--- eel, at full speed steaming in the teeth of the wind. With' such way as was on the cruiser, she was out of sight in the mist alitiost before we had time to look. There wins a great poping of guns, and one cannon-sPot, but ne damage was done; and when 'the Mist presently cleared, and the sun ',lose, we could indeed see her smoke away on the north horizon, but we were invisible to lier. That night we were to run the block de. The blockading fleet was chiefly con en- trated round the port of Wi1mingon. There were, as the captain said, twepty- five vessels lying or cruising, in a sorg of semi -circle, ten miles round the mouth of the river, 011 one bank of which was Vert Fisher. it was prudent to keep outside, the range of that fortress' guns. And witliout the circle were some half-dozen fast -steam- ing cruisers always on the lookout. '4 at evening the captain called the men aft. "My lads," he said, "1 had intende1 to make a dash for it, as I have often lJone before. You are not the men to be af aid of it shot or two; but this unfortunate ail- ing in with one of their shins makes it seem best to try creeping along shore, for the alarm will be given.Therefore, every man to his post, and not a word spolOn ; and, with good luck, we will be inside bort Fisher before day -break." , The menretired. Then night fell, and we could hear the beating of our hearts. r Stephen now took the wheel himself, ftnd the captain became a sort of chief offi er. At the helm, proud of his skill and ew employment, Stephen looked something 3ike that beautiful -old man whom I had fond sleeping. The cunning, sensual look » as gone from him; he stbod as steady a a lion, yet eager and keen, with every B me awake. Presently he ordered half sr 'd ; Then we sounded ; then he forged ahe d a bit; sounded again; then before n " I Saw, low and black in the night, the C'ast of America. -„ . - - ii • • . Stephen kept her onher way slowly i` nd cautiously : the screw never Ceased, lin we crept slowly along, hugging the shore as , near as lie dared., - • ,' "A. few yards nearer, pilot ?” asked the captain. / "No, sir. I deren't do it.. We are.' as near as—What's that? See now." 11 - A long, grating Sound as the bottemlust -touched the sand.. The ship cleared he shallow, and continued her . slow, si nt crawling along the shore. - I suppose it must have been 2 o cloc1 in the morning, or rather later, the -shiptill cautiously hugging the dark line of - co st; that the end came. Weweremoving so slowly that the mo , on - of the Screw could hardly be bit., the ii" ht was very still and dark ,the sea a dad calm. We were as .close to the shore! as the pilot could possibly take her, ; the ' en in the bows were Hounding perpetual1y,1 nd sending the depth aft in whispers. We ad shown a light on the inshore side ; thisi4sras answered by two lights, so faint as tol be inviaible farther out ,they were the hits to guide the pilot into the harbor. .Sue ss `wits already in the captain's hand, a ew minutes more and the last. few yards of he long voyage would be iczr-in safety. • - . - • • Then' there -was a sn ping asofwoo in the lbows, - a cry of alarm ,.. and the . ii xt moment it rocket shot higliin the air. 41On Our - starboard, -not. a hundred yards fr m us, was lying one of the cruisers, and l'. e rocket had gone up from a rowing - b ge sent out. to.signalizett .chance block e - runner, which- boat we had nearly un down.-- ' ' -: - It would have been better for Cap in Ramsay had he run. her down _ altoget er. " Put on all steam," shouted the capt in; as the rocket was answered by a gnu, nd then another. "Let. them blaze - a ay Now, thee. Five 'minutes' run lads; e d, we'll be- out of clanger. Steady,- pi ot, _ steady!" . _ _.- . .. , - 11 • "Steady _it is, sir," answered Stephen as another cannon shot struck the water sof se to Our stern,'sending the spray flying. - • -i - "11 there -is to be fighting," said Ol ve, "we - had better bebelow, where, at le et, we -shall be -a little Safer." - We went below ; but we could not es pe the horrible banging of the- cannon, - wh ch seemed - to be firing all around us, nor 1 he rattling of the rifles. 'They fired at.randni - because:they could net See us.. . .. The men lay on the deck, thinking to e shelter from the bullets if any should cone their way ; but the Captain 'stood by . h Pilot. "Plenty of water, Pilot?" he asked. 11 - -." Deep water,-..siii. Only keep her':h' ad I straight. As for them. lubbers_ with: t bit guns why—" - Here he stopped, and ell heavily to the deck with -. a green. - ,he wheel flew round ;_the little steamer sw ng round: with it, and before the Captain co` Id U1) the : : ,, • put ue helm, she ran bows on heavily into a sand -bank and stepped. "We are ashore," said Olive quietly. 1',"I think, my dear; that we are saved." ..,J 011deckweleard a great trampling. The: Crew tau:attend jtimped_to _ease her _ If.; theengines-were reversed, but the ship yas nardand fast.._ • No One took any noticed the unfortu e Pilot, the only_man struck by the shot. 11e lay _motionless... ." Cap'en," said -the iiiiiirter-master indj bo's'n, Liberty Wicks by name,.ofwhol I have already spoken; " this is a badjob, * CaptainRanisay replied by a volley 1 of oaths; " They're putting, off.. a boat - from /he Yankee, sir. Shall We lower boats?" The Captain made no reply., - . "-A New York prison or -a run in -he Southern' States it is, Cap'en." - -Still his Captain made not reply.. - Then the-cheef officer calm3. up. "-There is no time to lose, sit, The -en .' are" lowering the boats. Shall we .put in . . the women first ?". --* - ,' "-The Captain, still silent, - went dein he companion, - followed- by the.firat officer nd the boatswain. -I - •- - ' • - . ' I. Olive had lit out lamp by this tirne.- "Courage, Avis 1": she whispered. -_ " ow is the -moment of your deliverance !" " - - "-Come," he _said -roughly. . "Tho stip is aground. Avis; and you other, comeen deck andget into the boats," -- - ill • "No," _said -Olive; "we shall - rem' in here." • ." I tell you, come." - ()live stood before Me. -- "She shall not come!" - "Stand aside l''' . lie added wordsi, of loathing and hatred which -I will not w 'le down.; " Stand:aside; or by the tor I. will murder you." _ _ . • • ' - a She.Shall not go with you. Oh-, villa 1 r "No murder, Captain itamsay," he said, "unless you murder me and the bo's'n too." "The Yanks are on us !" cried the man. They seized the Captain, one by each arm, and dragged him up the companion. We heard a trampling on deck, a shouting, a pistol shot, and., a sound of oars in the water. "They are chasing the blockade-runners," • said Olive. "They will be back presenly to scuttle the ship and destroy the carlb. Let us go on deck." It was top dark to see much. We heard . in the distance the regular fall of the oars; we saw a flash from time to time. Then there was silence for awhile, and then we heard the oars again. • "The cruiser's men are coming back," said Olive. In ten minutes they came along -side, and we saw them climbing on deck. There were twenty of them, armed with cutlasses and pistols, headed by a young Federal officer. He was greatly surprised to find two ladies on board. But he was civil, asked us who we were, and what we ere doing on board a blockade-runner. 1 Olive told him that I was an English 'lady who had been brought away against her will, that her own business was my protection. We have no business in the South," she said "and we have 110 papers." " What can I do with you?' he asked, evidently not believing the statement. "If I take_you aboard, we shall not know whe- ther to treat you es prisoners or not. If I land you, you would be worse off than be- fore. What is the name of this ship?" "The Maryland, of Lieerpool," This is her first run." "And her "captain " "Captain Ramsay -- The officer whistled' "1 wish I had known," he said. "Well, ladies' the best thing Itan do as you have coil -re all the way to the toastOrof North'. Carolina, is_ to put you ashore on it. NO doubt that is .what you want; and I 'vvish-fou joy of Dixie's Land." "We would rather," said Olive that -yen took us to New York, even as prisener&" Ile shook his head and langhed. - Here adeep•moan interrupted us, and , we becanie aware for the fliSt tirlaq that • poor old Stephen was lying Wounded at the helm, where he had fallen. "Water," he groaned, - I fetched him water. Olive raised his head.ed`e"lv rithlteh friern fre this asked the F ''-‘‘ He is the pilot," I replied, thinking no harm in telling the truth. 'The pilot, is he? Well, if he recovers, he will find out what the inside of a prison is; because you see, ladies, it pilot 11111St - know ,the shore, and a pilot must, there- . fore, be a Tel)." - Ile -felt Stephen's pulse. • "It , is very low.- I doubt- he is dying." gave him the water, and he opened his 'Is ithitt you, A.vis.? ' Keep clear of the captain," he -Whispered ,Slowly, l' he's well - nigh 'desperate." '- • ., ." Tell me;-!..' I said, " ivaiithat story true about the raft" - - . - . - • "You was he said, "a Pick-me-up, offa raft in Torres' Straits, *ropped in band - antlers ;.and your mother Ape a Enobling. Your father, he was adrintal to the Sultan of Zanzibar." . Here he.fainted aga ._i in "Come," cried:. the officer, "we have •ne -time. 413,o's'n;•7 .,.,- • "Tut :these - ladies into the beat, • and land themas quickly as you. can. Ila.ve ' you anything you wish to take with:you?" "Nothing,'" said 'Olive.- - : • . - "Then—". He raised his cap, and We.; -followed the boatswain. We Were Closer to the - shore than :I. . thought. 'In -ten -minutes. the sailors stood_ up to help us to lend. Then they put off - again..: - The voyage was over ; the shipwasashore; ..... - . the cargo was lost; the blockade-runners were disappointed, and wewere standing, friendless and helpless 01 the shores of the New World. - • . . - ' , To -be continued .. she shall not go with you l' " Cap'en, there's no time," growled Ihe Tiarter-master.- The Captain drewhisrevolver, the e ef officer knocked up his hand. , : More Wert* in .8ctitland. The 'prosecution -of one, of the alltliOrS of, .)0_SCOtelt Serniens "ler heresy' seems now to beineVitable. Ttie presbytery of 'Glas- gow, by a 'small majority, lately appointed coinmittee "to - confer" with him, and this -decision, on appeal to the Synod, has - been -confirmed by it substantial majority in that body:. ;A second appeal lias beeri taken to the General-Assenibly in May, but prebably without much liope of altering - the result. -shoida the General Asserehly, '• sustain the Presbytery and the Synod in requiring a -conference, everything will depetaLnii--the explanations- that. may be . offered by the :incriminated clergyman.7 His prosecutors have hinted that they wihi- be. satiallect with very little in the way of au apology, and a statement that the heretical doctrines complained of were not Plit forth as the author's own -views would probably „meet all the diffieujiiies 'Of the case. This would be the..bestrie, ugh not the_most hereic-eWay out of what threatens ; - to be a v.my awkward , affair, .The.Kirj cannot iiii87%Ftd trifle with her reputation - Cr orthodoxy, nor -can she verywell sus. fainthe distractions of Iv great polemical ttrugglespg Oaz:e.tte: • • - ' • Vennor, iu concluding his 'essay _on "Forecasting Weather , " and more par-. ticularry.ieferring to the presence of birds as a. sign of spring, says': " In Erie, birds, either considered as .a whole or. as individuals, do not -afford ns..e,ny chie Of value to the making out of the.' weather. 'problerri.' They know bad -weather when . it comes; :89 do we.. They fly before it and find bettek-qUarters, While weppor mortars, " las a Majority, have to grin and bear it. In by far the- greatest number. Of, diebs the movements ofthe.birds and therhanges of tha. weather are too ainiu1tane61F.0_pertnit Of eurettaching any weight tothe arriva,1 and disappearance . Of our winter visitors; - but, on ;The otherhand, there .are times • when, could we, we would inost assuredly - wain these hirded Many a 'relapse of the . weather' yet to come, concerning Which, - it May easily be perceived, they rerrialn :blissfully ignorant; and during which they Often Perish in numbers." George Fawcett Rowehas completed a - new comedy, in which he will .appear as the father of a theatrical family, whichwill be produced at the Fifth Avenue 'Theatre,*, New York, in August. - ' • r.