Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 11 — page 29: what you’re looking at

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

— k ae 2 eee EEE ee eee ““Does he jib, then?” observed the governor. “On thecontrary, | never knew him more attentive, | and so entirely getti behaved most nobly in the gale. and there has not been ohe complaint against him—I never was more astonish- H edhe must have meant something.” ‘*T’ll tell you what he means, Wilson,—that he does not like to be sent on board, y one ey) more. He’s not to be cooped up—you may lead him, but not drive *” him, '“¥Yes, but the service will not admit of it. I never could allow of it—he must do his duty like the rest, and conform to the rules.” of Exactly, so he must; but look ye, Wilson, you must not lose him: it’s all easily settled—a ypoint him your orderly midshipman to and from the ship; that will be employn I will tell him that I have asked, as a favor, what I now do,and leave me to find out what he is thinking ‘It may be dons that way, certainly,’’ replied Cap- tain Wilson, musing; “and you are more likely to get his intentions from him than Lam. Iam afraid he has too great a command of money ever to be fond of the ship; it is the ruin of a junior officer to be so lavishly gs eel » “He's a long way from ruin yet, Wilson—he’s a very fino fellow, even by your own acknowledgment. You humored him out of gratitude to his father, when he first came into the service; humor him a little now to keep him init. Besides, if your first lieutenant is such a fool with his universal medicine, can you wonder at | a Midshipman taking advantage of it?” “No, Lut 1 ought not to allow him to do so with my eyes open.”’ “He has made it known to you upon honor, and you ought not to take advan age of his confidence: but still what I proposed would, I think, be the best, for then he will be at his duty in a way that will suit all apa You, ‘because you employ him on service—the first lieutenant, because Jack can take his medicine—and Jack, because he can dine with me every day.”’ ** Well, I suppose it must be so,’’ replied Captain Wil- son, laughing; ** but still, I trust, you will discover what is working in his mind to induce him to give me that answer, governor.” _#*Never fear, Jack shall confess;and lay his soul as bare as that of a Catholie bigot before his padre.” The party sat down to dinner, and what with the aid- de-camp and those invited, it was pretty numerous. After the cloth had been removed, the governor called upon Jack for his stories, whereupon, much to the sur- prise of Captain Wilson, who had never heard one word of it, for the admiral had not mentioned anything about it to him during the short time the Aurora was with the Toulon fleet, our hero gave the governor and the com- ny the narrative of all that h ned in the Eliza Ann rt—the loves of Captain Hogg and Miss Hicks— the adventures of Gascoigne—and his plan, by whici: he baulked them all. The governor was delighted, and Captain Wilson not a little astonished, >“ You prevented a very foolish thing, Mr. Easy; and behaved very well,” observed the captain, again at the idea; ** but you never told me of al) this.” “No, sir,”’ replied Jack, “I have always reserved my stories for the governor’s table, where Iam sure to meet you, and then telling once does for all.” ‘Jack received his appointment as metry midship- man, and everything went on well; for, of his own ac- | cord, he stayed on board the major = be of the day to learn his duty, which very much pleased the captain and Mr. Pottyfar. In this Jack showed a great deal of | ood sense, and Captain Wilson ‘did not repent of the | §odalgence he had shown him. Jack's healthimproved | daily, much to Mr. Pottyfar’s satisfaction, who imagin- | ed that he took the universal medicine night and morn- . ing. Gascoigne also was a patient under the first lieu- tenant’s hands, and often on shore with our hero, who thought no more of quitting the service. «For seveu weeks they had now remained in harbor, for even the masts had to be made, when, one day, Wilson opened a letter he received at breafast- | time, and having read it, laid it down with the greatest | surprise depicted in his countenance. ‘‘Good heavens! ) what can mean?” said he. “What's the matter, Wilson?” said the governor. ‘Just hear its contents, Sir Thomas.” Captain Wilson then read in Spanish as follows: ““FIONORABLE Srr—It is my duty to advise you that the Honorable Lady Signora Alforgas de Guzman, now de- | ceased, has, in her testament, eu ueasied to you the sum ‘of one thousand doubloons in gold, as a testimony of your kind services on the night of the 12th of August. If you will authorize any merchant here to receive the money, it shall he pata, fortnectie 49 rent tenes) neo ged mt od you ease toa n y you live a thousand years Ble ppe “Your most obedient servant, ; * ALFONZO XEREZz.” ) Jack heard the letter read, rose quietly, whistled lov. . as if not attending to it, and then slipped out of the room, unperceived by the Governor or Captain Wilson. | ' The fact was that although Jack had longed to tell | the governor about the adventures after the masquer- | ade, he did not like yet awhile, until he was sure that there were no consequences—because he had given the ¢aptain’s name instead of his own. As s00n as he heard the letter read, he at once perceived that it had obeen the old lady, and not the weer who had made the in ten ewe that by giving Captain Wilson’s name he had obtained for him this fine legacy. Jack was | delighted, but still puzzled, so he walked out of the room to reflect a little. “What can it mean?” said Captain Wilson. “I never rendered any services to any one on the 12th of 7% or after it. It is some mistake—12th of August =that was the day of the nd masquerade.” “ A lucky one for you, at all events—for you know, mistake or not, no one else’ can touch the legacy. It ean only be paid ta you.” — **] never heard of mi Arg taking place at the mas- —— querade—I' was there, but I left early, for I was not very well. Mr. Easy,” said Captain Wilson, turning round; but Jack was gone. » Was he at the masquerade?” asked the governor. Yes, I know he was, for the first lieutenant told me <1 ® Depend upon it,” replied the governor, striking his ~ fist upon the table, de that Jack’s at the bottom of it.” oI should not be surprised at his being at the bottom of peplied Captain Wilson, laughing. Hanne ft to me, Wilson; Tl nd tout.) - ng ridof hisformer notions. He has | 1ent, and he can always remain here at night. | laughing | that he requested not to come on board till the next | Midshipman Hasy. | After a little more conversation, Captain Wilson went on board, leaving Jack on purpose that the governor might pump him. But this Sir Thomas had no occa sion to do, for Jack had made up his mind to make the governor his confidant, and he immediately told him the whole story. The governor held his sides at | otir hero’s description, especiall the captain’s name instead of his own. ‘You'll kill me, Jack, before you've done with me,” said old Tom, atlast; “*‘ but now what is to be done?” Our hero now became graye; he pointed out to the governor that he himself had plenty of money, and ' would come into a large fortune, and that Captain Wil- son Was poor, with a large arg the governor to manage was, that might consent to accept the legacy. * Right, boy, right! you’re my Own boy,” replied the governor; ‘‘ but we must think of this, for Wilson is the very soul of honor, and there may be some difficulty about it, You have told nobody?” ‘‘ Not a soul but you, Sir Thomas.” “Tt never will do to tell him all this, Jack, for he woiu'd insist that the legacy belonged to you.” ‘*T have it, sir,’ replied Jack. ‘* When Iwas going in- to tlie masquerade, I offered to hand this very old lady, who was covered with diamonds, out of her carriage, and she was so frightened at my dress of a devil, that she would have fallen down had it not been for Captain Wilson who supported her, and she was very thankful to him. ‘You are right, Jack,”’ replied the governor, after a short pause; “ that will, I think, do. I must ‘tell him the. story of the friars, because I swore you had some- thine to do with it—but I'll tell him no more: leave it all to me.”’ Captain Wilson returned in the afternoon, and found | thé governor in the veranda. “Thave had some talk with young Easy,” said the governor, ‘“‘and he has told me a strange story about that night, which he was afraid to tell to everybody.” | The governor then narrated the history of the friars } and the will. | “Well, but,’ observed Captain Wilson, “ the history | of that will afford no clue to the legacy.” Captain Wilson 9 + |. “No, it does not; but still, as I said, Jack had a hand | in this. He frightened the old lady as a devil, and you / caught her in your arms and saved her from falling, so he had a hand in it, you see.” “I do now remember that I did save a very dowager- | like old personage from falling at the sight of a devil, | who, of course, must have been dur friend Easy.’ , wer Well, and that accounts for the whole of it.” ‘*A thousand doubloons for picking up an old lady!” ** Yes, why not?—have you not heard of a man hav- | ing a fortune left him for merely opening the pew door of achurch to an old gentleman?” * Yes, but it ote so strange.” sa nothing strange in this world, Wilson, ueres nothing at all—we may slave for years and get no re- | ward, and doa trifle out of politeness and become in- | dependent. In my opinion this mystery is unraveled. The old lady, for I knew the family, must have died im- mensely rich; she knew you in your full uniform, and she asked your name: a heavy fall would have been to has rewarded you eo oeees age 7 “ Well,” replied Captain Wilson, “as I can give no other explanation, 1 suppose yours is the correct one; | but it’s hardly fair to take a thousand doubloons from lier relations merely for an act of civility.” ** You really are quite ridiculous; the old lady owned half Murcia, to my knowledge. It is no more to them than any one leaving you a suit of mourning in an Eng- lish legacy. I wish you joy; it will help you with a large | family, and in justice to them you are bound to take it. Everybody does as he pleases with his own money—de- _pend upon it, you saved her from breaking her leg short olf at the hip joint.”’ ‘Upon that supposition I presume I must accept of | the legacy,’ replied Captain Wilson, laughing. | “Of course; send for it at once. The rate of ex- | change is now high. Iwill give you government bills, ' which will make it nearly four thousand pounds.” | “Four thousand pounds for preventing an old woman from falling,’’ replied Captain Wilson. ** Devilish well paid, Wilson, arid Icongratulate you.” ‘For how much am I indebted to the father of Easy?’ observed Captain Wilson, after a silence of some minutes; “if he had not assisted me when I was ap- pee to a ship, I should not have gained my promo- on—nor three thousand pounds I have made in prize money—the command of a fine frigate—and now four thousand pounds in a windfall.” | The governor thought that he was more indebted to _Jack than to his father for some of these advantages, | but he was careful not to point them out. “It’s very true,’ observed the governor, “that Mr. | Easy was of service toyou when you were appointed; | but allow me to observe that for your ship, your prize money, and for your windfall, you have been wholly in- | debted to your own gallantry, in both senses of the word; still Mr. Easy is a fine generous fellow, and so is his son, I can tell you. By-the by, I had a long conver- satiom-with him the other day.” | “About himself?” | “Yes, all about himself. He appears to me to have come into the service without any particular motive, and will bé just as likely to leave it in the same way. Ne appears to be very much in love with that Sicilian _nobleman’s daughter. I find that he has written to her, and to her brother, since he has been here.” “ That he came into the service in search of what he never will find in this world, I know sot well; and I | stems that he has found that out—and that he will _Tollow up the service is also very doubtful; but I do not | Wish that he should leave it yeb; it is doing him great good,” replied Captain Wilson. |.“ Tagree with you there—I have him, and he shall stay yet awhile. large fortune, is he not?” ‘“A clear eight thousand pounds a year, if not more.” “Tf his father dies he must, of course, leave: a mid- ———ws oe influence with é is heir to a very shipman with eight thousand pounds a year would in- | | deed be an anomaly.”’ '_ “That the service could not it. It would be as injurious to himself as it would to others about him. At ' present he has almost, indeed I may say quite, an un- | _ limited command of money.” “That's bad, very bad. I wonder he behaves so well Raat ae Go T} Bue” he reall “And so do I; but he really is a very superior with all his peculiarities, and a gene favorite with those whose 2 yee and friendship are worth as, a Well, don’t curb him up too tight—for really does not require it. He goes very well in a snafiie.” at his ruse of giving | All Jack wished | one so fat a most serious affair; you saved her, and she | oung | 29 ee wre = - —— ee C—O Ce CHAPTER XXIX. ““PHILOSOPHY MADE EASY” UPON AGRARIAN PRINCI- PLES, THE SUBJECT OF SOME UNEASINESS TO OUR Dono —THE FIRST APPEARANCE, BUT NOT THE LAST, OF AN IMPORTANT PERSONAGE. _. THe conversation was here interrupted by a mail from England which they had been expecting. Cap- tain Wilson retired with his letters; the governor re- mained equally occupied; and our hero received the a letter ever written to him by his father, It ran as oltows: “My DEAR Son—I have many times taken up my pen with the intention of letting you know how things went on in this country. But as I can perceive around but one dark horizon of evil, I have as often laid it down again without venturing to make you unhappy with such bad intelligence. ‘ The account of your death, and also of your unexpect- edly being yet spared to us, were duly received, and I trust I mourned on each occasion with all the moderation characteristic of a philosopher. In the first instance I consoled myself with the reflection that the world you had left was in a state of slavery. und pressed down by the iron arm of despotism, and that to die was gain, not only in all the parson tells us, but also in our liberty; and, _at the second intelligence, I moderated my joy for nearly | about the same reasons, resolving, notwithstanding what | Dr. Middleton may say, to die as I have lived, a true phi- , losopher. “The more I reflect the more am I convinced that there is nothing required to make this world happy bot equal- ity, and the rights of man being duly observ<d—in short, that everything and everybody should be reduced to one Jevel. Do we not observe that it is the law of nature—do not brooks run into rivers—rivers into seas—mountains crumble down upon the plains?—are not the seasons con- | tented to equalize the parts of the earth?) Why does the sun run round the ecliptic, instead of the equator, but to ' give an equal share of his heat to both sides of the world? , Are we not all equally born in misery? does not deat | level us all ‘aequo pede,’ as the} poet hath? are we not a equally hungry, thirsty, and sleepy; and thus leveled by | Our natural wants? And such being the case, ought we not to have our equal share of good things in this world, _ to which we have undoubted equal right? Can any argu- ment be more solid or more level than this, whatever non- _ sense Dr. Middleton may talk? “Yes, my son, if it were not that I still hope to see the sun of Justice arise, and disperse the manifold dark clouds which obscure the land—if I did not still hope, in my time, to see an equal distribution of property—an ) agrarian law passed by the House of Commens, in which | all should benefit alike—I would not care how soon I left _ this vale of tears, created by tyranny and injustice. At resent the same system is carried on; the nation is taxed _ for the benefit of the few, and it groans SOE ee | and ae sgt but I stil] do think that there is, if I ma fortunately express myself, a bright star in the west; a signs of the times which comfort me. Already we have had a good deal of incendiarism about the country, and some of the highest aristocracy have pledged themselves to raise the people above themselves, and have adv sedition and eonspiracy; have shown to the debased and unenlightened multitude that their force is physically ir- resistible, and recommended them to make use of it, a that if they hold in power they will only use | that power to the abolition of our farce of a constitution, , of a chureh, and. of a king; and that if the nation is to be overned at all, it shall only be governed. by the many, his is cheering. Hail, patriot lords! all hail! I am in hopes, that the great work will be achieved, in spite of the | laughs and sneers and shakes of the headfwhich my argu- ments still meet with from that obstinate fellow, Middleton. | “Your mother is in a quiet way; she has given over | Teading and working, and even ber knitting, as useless; and she now sits all the day iong at the chimney corner twiddling her thumbs, and waiting, as she says, for the millennium. Poor thing! she is very foolish with her _ ideas upon this matter, but 26 usual I let her have her own way in everything, copying the philosopher of old, who | Was tied to his Xantippe. “I trust, my dear son, that your Eg have strengthened with your years, and fortified with your rowth, and that, if necessary, you will sacrifice all to ob- in what in my a will prove to be the real millen- nium. Make all the converts you can, and believe me to be, your affectionate father, “And true guide, ‘NICODEMUS Easy.” Jack, who was alone, shook his head as he read this letter, and then laid it down with apish! He did it in- voluntarily, and was surprised at himself when he found that he had so done, ‘I should liketo argue the point,” thought Jack, in spite of himself; and then he threw the letter on the table and went into Gas- coigne'’s room, displeased with his father and with him- self. He asked Ned whether he had received any let- ters from England, and it being near dinner-time, went back to diess. On his coming down into the receiving- / room with Gascoigne, the governor said to them: _ “As you two both speak Italian, you must take charge of a Sicilian officer, who has come here with letters of introduction to me, and who dines here to- : da awe Before dinner they were introduced to the in _ question, a slight-made, well-looking young man, but _ Still there was an expression in his countenance which was not agreeable. In compliance with the wishes of the overnor, Don Mathias, for so he was called, was placed between our two midshipmen, who immediately en- tered into conversation with him, being themselves anxious to make inquiries about their friends at Paler- mo. Inthe course of conversation, Jack inquired of him whether he was acquainted with Don Rebiera, to ‘which the Sicilian answered in the affirmative, and _ they talked about the different members of the family. Don Mathias, toward the close of the dinner, inquired of Jack by what means he had become acquainted with Don Rebiera;: and Jack, in reply; narrated how he and his friend Gascoigne had saved him from being mmrir- dered by two villains. After this reply the young ofli- cer appeared to be less inclined for conversation, but, before the party broke oP requested to have the ac- 'quaintance of our two mi shipmen. As soon as he was gone, Gascoigne observed ina reflective way, “I have seen that face before, but whereI cannot say; but you . know, Jack, what a memory of people I have, and I have seen him before, I am sure.’ , “T can’t recollect that ever I have,” replied our hero; “but I never knew any one who could recollect in tha’ way oe you do.” e conversation was then dropped between them, and Jack was for some time listening to