The Boy Captain of the Black Swallow — page 11: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE RESOLUTION, _ 9 yon would. When you come to town be sure that you come and see me.” “JT shall not require urging to come often where I leave my heart.” “What a bold speech!” she said, with a laugh, under which she would have concealed her deep emotion of joy. “JT know it is bold. I spoke ere 1 knew what I uttered. Pardon me. I forget in your presence that I am a poor fisheriman’s son, and even dependent upon your delicate charity, for this gold is nothing move than sweet charity from your hands to my mother.” “When you are in my presence, Arthur,” said Letty, gravely, and with a nobie dignity that beeame the sentiment she uttered, “ f, also, forget that you are a fisher’s son. I see in you a noble character, worthy of my esteem. I look not upon your garb, nor think upon your pursuit. Isee in you that which L admire, and with which my heart acknowledges congeniality. That you are poor—nay,1 know I cannot offend you, for you are too generous and independent to feel from sueh a eause-—I care not. A bag of gold placed in your hand would enrich you. Lay the bag of gold down again upon the floor and you are a poor man again. ‘Take it up again and you are rich enee more. A second time you lay it out of your hands and you become poor again. Shall my esteem hover about that bag,rising and falling, going and eoming with it? Oh,no. With it im your hand—with it out of your hand—you will be the same to me, Arthur,” * Noble Letty !” “ Letty, Letty, my child, where are you ?” “Coming, father. Good-bye, dear Arthur, You will come to-morrow ?” ‘Yes, oh, yes!” “T,etty, Judge Davenport and Lawyer Skillings are in the best parlour and want a bottle of wine,” ered the landiord. ‘Yes, Sir Archy, a boltle of prime Malmsey,” sid a voice in the room, “and it will be all the eweeter for coming through the fair Letty’s hands.” “ Letty is.a good girl, Judge.” *'That she is—that she is—a right brave and merry lass,” said ashrill, cracked voice. “ You have put info your pocket a good fifty poand more a year having her heve. Sir Arehy.” “Well, squire, she is a nice girl,” answered mine host, ‘‘ though I say it.” “And disereet—very discreet withal,” said the judge. “ Gravity and decorum sit upon her brow, like two sentinels keeping wary guard.” . “JT must go, Arthur, They will cut me all to pieces unless I put a stop to their gossip,” she said, in a lively tone, and permitting him to press her hand to his lips with love’s instinc- tive gallantry, she darted from him, throwing him a smile to remember until he saw her again. ; Happy Arthur! A new world was opened to him. Jt was a world of happiness, too. He seemed like one new created. Fountains of feelings that he knew not existed in his being, had been magically unscaled. He left the inn, which seenied to him now a place hallowed by her presence. With bounding heart he went from shop to- shop to make his few purchases for his mother. All he bought seemed to have a blessing upon it, for it was the purchase and gift of Letty. There was no feeling of false humility or false pride that led him to shrink at receiving and using the gold so frankly bestowed. He was above such mockery. Noble, and generous, and frank as she. herself, he received the gift in the same spirit with which it was proffered. He expended it with cheerfulness and grati- tude, and blessed in his heart the donor. The sun had set ere he had completed all his little purchases, and he then hastened to his skiff. As he passed the inn he moved with an air of deference and respect as an idolatrous worshipper passed the temple of his god, ‘Lhe inn seemed invested witha peculiar beauty and glory. To him it was the only house in all the town; to him Letty was the only inhabitant. » He did not look up as he passed, as one less delicate in sentiment would have done to cateh a chance sight of the maiden who had produced such a change in his feelings. He shrank from conveying to her the idea of too much anxiety—of being thought by her ine trusive. Thus sensitive is true love. As ha moved down the river, the scenery of which was softened by the haze of twilight, he looked upon everything with a new vision through the medium of. Letty’s eyes, He seemed to be but half of himself, and to sce things but halfly. The stars were coming out, and as he looked upon thein he wished Letly were by his side gazing upon them with hin. The mellow skies, the golden clouds floating in the purple west, the beauty of all the scene seemed wanting Letty’s eyes ere it could be wholly enjoyed by his own. So ever does true love make of two hearts one and of ono heart two. All things henceforth are seen by it with four eyes, else not half enjoyed. When Arthur entered his mother’s presence his face wore a radiance of joy that struck her; but ske attributed it to his gratification in being able to bring her home so many luxuries. Le did not say he had sold the schooner after it was broken, or allude to Letty. “No matter, mother,” he said, cheerfully, ‘where I got the money. It did not come exactly by the sale of the schooner, but without it I should not have had it, or you these. So take them and let us be thankful.” “Tam indeed thankful and grateful, too, my dear son. I know you have come rightly by so much money, and have no fear of taking your kind gifts.” ‘* You shall know all. by-and-by, perhaps,” he answered,-gaily. From that day ovr young hero was a daily visitor at the town, and the loves of the young pair grew deeper and stronger. Ye now resume our narrative, where, at the eommencement of the tale, Arthur is intro- duced in his holiday suit, standing in the door ‘ Comichboo S (S@)