Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 October 1874 — THE MATE OF THE FRIGATE “GROWLER.” [ARTICLE]

THE MATE OF THE FRIGATE “GROWLER.”

EXTRACTS FROM MISS ADDISON’S JOURNAL. Monday, May 19. I don’t care to read another word in that stupid book. An author who has no more sense than to assert that Nature is perfect iu all her works don’t deserve a thinking person’s attention. My own case is an instance in point, where Nature made a lamentable failure: I ought - to have been born a boy. 1 When I said this to father a few hours ago he laughed at me. He always laughs the moment I begin to talk seriously. I wonder if other girls are called upon to suffer as much ridicule as I? Perhaps it’s, a way fathers have —I don’t know. Jeannette McClure pronounces me precocious, and tells me I’m too young to dabble with these matters; but if a girl isn’t old enough at sixteen to discuss the mysteries of Providence, when will she be, pray? I believe I have as good a right to my own opinions on such topics as the most antiquated among them. What started me off on this rhapsody, anyway? My vain regrets must have been reawakened by tbe sight of him. j sat down to write with the idea of ignoring his existence, and on looking over my page! find that I have adhereffto my resolution pretty well; but he has crept in, and I shan’t spoil the looks of my journal by tearing out the leaf or making a lot of uncleanly erasures. Since he’s here perforce, let him stay. What a sublime head he lias! and what a pair of whiskers! Next to Brother Willie, he is the handsomest man I ever saw. I met him quite accidentally. Strange that he should have come along just when I was in the midst of my reverie about Willie! He startled me half out of my senses, for I wasn’t aware that anyone frequented those woods but myself. Willie used to go with me sometimes before lie left home. Poor fellow! We have made our last excursion together in this world. Here 1 sat, feeding a couple of robins, with crumbs, and humming an auto myself, while I pushed baek the locks of hair which kept falling over my forehead and dangling in my eyes. Suddenly arose a voice behind me; “ By my soul, a mermaid! She’s giving Mother Carey's chickens their mess.” I glanced around, turned a dozen colors at once, and tried to faint. If Willie’s ghost had stood in that place it couldn’t have been more like him, with his six feet of manhood, broad jshoulders, and sailor’s cap and jacket. And then, such lovely nautical language as he used! It almost brought with it a sniff of salt breeze and a vision of boundless blue. Of course he apologized for the intrusion, said he was Cruising in foreign waters and had lost his reckoning; but 1 now that he’d found a heavenly body to level his sextant at, he’d take a single observation, change his course,jvncLsteer tonor’ard. When he spoke of the “ heavenly body” I blushed again; and. as I knew that “nor’ard” meant the village, I begged him not to stir on my account. I didn’t want to leave on the man’s mind the false impression that I was agitated by his compliment, so I induced him to remain till I had time to compose myself. After we had conversed for an hour or so, and I was calm again, I gathered up my things and started for home. He insisted on accompanying me, because, as he expressed, 11 he didn’t fancy the notion of such a precious little craft sailing alone, when it could just as well have the convoy»of aman-o’-war.” When we were on the outskirts of the village he asked permission to “ heave to,” and I came the rest of the way unattended. Two o’clock a. m ? Dear me! how late lam sitting up! It’s all through trying to w ade into that stupid book. I shall put it back on the sUqlf where it belongs, with its face to the wall, so that it may not tempt me again. ; 21st.— Two more developments; first, his name is Jack; second, he was acquainted with Willie. They made a voyage together, if I am not mistaken —the last one before brother’s fatal shipwreck. What a host of naval stories he has at his toncue’s end, and what marvelous adventures he has met with in his time, notwithstanding lie’s so young! It is more interesting to hear him talk than to read the best book of travels ever .printed. He stopped as he was going by to day, whitel was watering the flowers, leaned over the garden gate and kept me entranced a full half hour. I presume it’s very indiscreet to get so familiar with Btrangers the second time you see them, but I nearly called him Jack to his face. I might have known that was his name—he looks it exactly. There isn’t an unseamanlike inch about him. I’m sure I caught Jeannette peepihg thrdugh her blinds at us. I wish that girl would learn to mind her own affairs; her prying disposition is too much for good nature. , 22d. —Jeannette lias been over to visit me. She is crazy on the subject of my

sailor. She raves about his hair and his eyes and his lipg and his teeth, and—oh my'!—she even pretends to have made an impression on him.' Unhappy creature! Time alone will convince her of her qrrof. ■ ■■ . • ■■ 23d.— As I was coming home from the postoffice this afternoon with Jeannette, who should join us but Jack? “ I kept in your wake so long without being hailed,” he said, by way of salutation, “that I concluded I’d make a tack and run under your bows for h change. “Forgive my negligence, Mr. —” And then I recollected that he had never told me his last name. “ Caronby —Jack Caronby, first mate of the frigate Growler,” he supplied. “ I did not see you, Mr, Caronby, or I should have paused and allowed you to overtake us.” At this juncture Jeannette pinched my elbow, so I had to ‘ present him. H she can construe anything tender or sentimental from the studied civility of his behavior toward her during the remainder of our walk, she’s welcome to. We passed a drove of cattle on our way home. Some of them were attracted by my red shawl, and began to evince sundry disagreeable propensities. “ They don’t respect your colors, Miss Addison,” exclaimed Jack, indignantly. “ Suppose you and Miss McClure lie off to leeward a jiffy or two till I make a ram of this bit of timber afid scatter their fleet?^= So saying he motioned us gently aside, grasped a knotted stick that lay across the path, and with one fierce onslaught sent the drove galloping in every direction. When he returned to us Jeannette began some of her artful tricks —fluttering and gasping and pretending to be frightened to death. Jack was at last compelled to offer her his arm and escort her to within a few rods of her gate. Sly thing! Sunday, 25th. —He was at morning service, like the good man he is. There’s more genuine religion in his broad, honest face than in those of fifty churchwardens. Sincerity, that noblest of human virtues, is sadly rare among landlubbers ; its native atmosphere seems to he that of the sea. He made all the responses as if lie was accustomed to devotional exercises. It may be that he studies his prayer-book while toss!ng about on tire briny billows. Well, he might be worse employed. 27th. —To : day the crisis came. I had a presentiment that it was impending. I was sitting on the piazza, very intent on my embroidery, when I heard a greeting from the street: “Miss Addison, ahoy!” I looked up. Jack was standing by the fence, with his cap deferentially raised. “ May I enter this harbor without papers ?” “Certainly; come in, Mr. Caronby. You will find a chair yonder in the corner.” __ . He seated himself and began to converse. Listening to those musical tones with both my ears and wholly absorbed in what he was saying, I did not perceive that any third person was near till father, who had quietly taken up his position at my side, suddenly asked: “Are you not going to do the honors, Maggie ?” I know I evinced great confusion, and mangled their names, anfftripped myself up, and made a dreadful mixture of it generally; but I succeded in my ultimate object—that of making them acquainted with each other. While they were exchanging the preliminary courtesies it flashed across me that I had never once mentioned Jack’s name in the family. This is unaccountable, considering how long I have known him —as much as a week and a day by the calendar. Father's interference had the effect of abbreviating our tete-a-tete; for I incline to think that.the “shipmate” whom Jack had engaged to meet in the village was a purely fictitious personage—a creature of his imagination and devoid of more solid being. As soon as my hero had passed out of sight there came a broadside from father. Who was this man? I repeated the name. Where did he belong? Onboard the frigate Growler. What was. he doing in this town? how long did he purpose remaining? and at what house, or with whom, was he .stopping? For the life of me I could not answer these questions, simple as they appeared. Father took advantage of my silence to read me a lecture on the evil policy of cultivating people I knew nothing about, as though I knew nothing about Jack, when he has taken me so unreservedly into his confidence and asked my advice on all sorts of points conneeted with his future career! Naturally, I did not mention these things to father; he would only have turned them into a jest. I had nothing to do but to stifle my emotions, pretending to acquiesce" in his philosophy. . r Heigho! It came eventually to this, that I should hereafter discourage every attention from Jack, and hold myself aloof from his society till further notice. Apd meanwhile, Jeannette — 31st. —I am all ih«a trembTe. I can hardly retain my pen in my hand while inditing these words. And yet? I rnrnt write; I shall experience ho shadow of 4 comfort or relief till my soul is disburdened. t '• . » Where shall I begin? How did it happen? In what ordqr did the events occur?, ; Oh! I remember. I had gone to the woods again, and had walked as far as the spot where I met him the first time. Alas! . what a flood of recollections poured in upon me as I stood there! I had not read my heart aright till that moment. —— Then I became gradually conscious that I was not alone. The leaves rustled, a hush near me was pushed " aside, and there emerged from the thicket a melan-choly-looking figure whom I with difficulty convinced myself to be Jack. He advanced: 1 tried to move away, lest I should break faith with father, but could not. He observed the effort, and stationed himself in front of me. «. “ Neither to port nor starboard shall you veer,” he safd, in kind but crushed and husky accents, “ till I have heard your batteries speak. Though you should tear my top-gallants asunder, snap my halyards in twain, nay, even carry away my mainmast, yet you must fire.” “ What will you have me say?” I panted, between quick breaths which threatened to become sobs. “Tell me why you always scud before the wind, refuse to see my signals 6f distress, or run up the black flag whenever I approach?” v *“ Because I am forbidden to walk with you, speak to you, hold Any communication with you unnecessarily for a season. Now will you let me go?” There was a something in his eye that

told me he comprehended the situation perfectly. He heaved a deep sigh, folded his arms, and gazed at me long and steadily. ' 'T'" “It is not your own voluntary act, then?” he asked, gently, and passing from maritime to ordinary parlance. “ No, no,” I whispered, dropping my eyes, because, I cppld no longer oppose them to his. He opened his arms wide. A mad impulse seized me, and I dtew closer and closer to him. “ Avast there! Stern all!” The command issued from some one who had come upon us unpereeived. 1 uttered a half shriek and darted back. There stood Willie, come home from the sea, risdn from the dead! ' - Of all the terrific shocks I have ever received I think this deserved the first rank. I had barely time to realize its force before Jack’s ejaculation smote my ear: “-Shiver my timbers!” “ With the greatest pleasure in life,” responded Willie, coolly removing his outer garments and rolling up his shirtsleeves. I saw there was no time to be lost and hastened to throw myself between the pair. “Oh, Willie, Willie!” I pleaded, “do not strike him. He is guiltless. It is I who am to blame from first to last.” “ I’ll attend to your case presently, sis,” said my brother, unmoved by my entreaty. “ But the urgent business of the moment is with Mr. Watson here. We have rather a long-standing account to settle.” “Mr. Watson?” I echoed; “ there is no Mr. Watson here. This is an old comrade of yours, Willie —Mr. Jack Caronby, first mate of the frigate Growler.” “Frigate fiddlestick! I’ll wager ten to one he never was aboard a vessel in his life, though I can testify to his skill in managing decks." “Miss Addison,” interposed Jack, “this individual is the victim of an hallucination. If he were aboard the Growler 1 should condemn him to an application of the rope’s end or swing him at the yard-arm a while by the thumbs. Let us go away and leave him to his unhappy lunacy.” “Stop!” I cried eagerly. “This must not be. He is my only brother, long lost to us, and now eome hack from the grave. -You -and he must be.reconciled at once. Here, Willie, confess that you have done wrong and shake hands with Mr. Caronby.” “ Are you an idiot, Maggie ?” demanded my brother, now growing rapidly angry. “ Gome home with me instantly, or I shall think you as bad as he!” He resumed his coat and vest, clutched my wrist fiercely, and hurried me on with him toward the village. We left Jack standing in the old place, apparently petrified with astonishment and dismay. My own sentiments were twofold; joyous excitement at my brother’s unexpected return, and sorrow for an innocent being whom he had grievously, though I trust unintentionally, wronged. When we were out of the woods Willie proceeded to explain his behavior on this occasion. It seems that Jack bears the strongest kind of a resemblance to one Watson, a notorious San Francisco gambler, who once lured Willie into playing, and won away from him all his money, clothes, luggage —everything he possessed. It was directly after this encounter that the poor boy, filled with remorse and chagrin, disgusted with himself, and tired of existence, caused the report that he had been drowned during a recent shipwreck to be universally circulated, and repaired to one of the docks with the intention of committing suicide. Fortunately he was met by an officer of a whaler which lay hard by, deterred from his rash design, and induced to commence life anew as a common sailor. His first cruise was wonderfully successful, and he returned to California to recover his old goods, if possible, from the gambler. The latter had meanwhile departed for the East. Willie’s first thought was that Watson had found some letters or other souvenirs in a trunk of his, whence he had gained the, knowledge of father’s being a retired merchant in prosperous circumstances, and had traveled eastward with the idea of playing on the sympathies of the family and swindling us with some cleverlyconcocted story. Among other papers Willie missed was one little note I had written him, deploring the fate that had doomed me to perpetual girlhood, and robbed me of the privilege of becoming a brave sailor lad lik himself. How sorry I am for Jack when I think of the wound this blunder must have inflicted on his sensitive heart! It is bad enough to be identified with a scoundrel through a resemblance which was Nature’s fault, and not one’s own, but to he lbaded with insult besides must be more than a proud spirit can brook. I hope and pray that no evil miav come of it. I am mortified beyond description every time my mind reverts to that scene in the woods, and Willie’s intemperate language -and demeanor. I wonder if Jack will forgive him for old acquaintance sake ? It strikes me! that as a friend of so many years’ standing, and in consideration of Willie’s hot, unreasoning disposition, he ought to overlook this trifling mistake and make it up without delay. Perhaps he will. We shall see to-morrow when Willie is coo.er. It does no good to argue with brother now’, for he declares he is ready to swear in court that that horrid Watson and my Jack are one arid the same. * Five hours later. —In the midst of the domestic jubilee over Willie’s restoration I was called aside to fec<?ive a note. It was Scribbled hurriedly in pencil on >a.half sheet of paper, and the superscription was in Jeannette’s handwriting. I took it quickly to my room and began so read: Dear Friend—When this reaches yon I shall have paesetl out of sight— \ “ It may be for years. , And it may he forever.” Woman-like I have, resisted Jack's importunities fur fotir successive days, andaccepted him on the fifth. We have taken flight together. Luckily father and mother are both absent for the day. and will not return till too late to put any impediment in the way of our elopement. We shall join the frigate Gro’wler with all speed, and set sail for foreign shores. A tour around tbe entire world is the least that Jack will let me oft' with. Now I want to confide .in yon, as I believe I may, without fear. It is only mv desire to shield our servants from unjust suspicion that prompts me to speak on this point-, and you must use your iniormation for bo other purpose. Jack thought it best to take every precaution to prevent detention: so I abstracted a blank check with father's signature on it from the drawer where' mother ulwavs preserves it as a guard against sudden emergencies. I never could get the hang of these money matters; but Jack is as wise ae l am ignorant, and he says he can till up the iheck iu such a wav as to draw money for our traveling expenses if we need it. He is acquainted with bankers in all the.large cities. Jack —the jolly, foolish, rollicksomc fellow—sends yog the inclosed lock of his hair, which he says may possibly prqve a “ slick” in your affliction. I 'did not know, to begin with, that yon Were afflicted in any way, and I bave'nt the remotest conception 'of the meaning of " slick,”

But Jack says you are well versed in maritime language and will understand him perfectly. So r ain satisfied, dear, if you are. Bolieve me. sweet Maggie, 1 - t —v Yours till death, T~~ J K ANNETTE. I longed to cry, but the tears refused to flow. 1 was conscious of an inclination to tear my hair, but resisted it. At length I relapsed into a state of marblelike stolidity and went down stairs again. / ; ” . Drawing a chair beside my brother’s, I leaned over and whispered: * “Willie, may I ask you a question?” “ Two, if you choose,” he replied. “ All right—two. First, where docs the frigate Growler lie?” “At the further end of Nowhere,” jocularly. “ All the lying is done by the first mate. To be sober, though, Sis, there isn’t such a frigate in the navy, to my knowledge. Now, then, what is question number two?” “This: what is the definition of the nautical term, ‘slick?’” “ Humph! How shall I explain it to you? Well, to use a poetical expression, it means ‘ oil upon the troubled waters.’ ” Oh, how I wish I had been born a man! — Harper'B Bazar. m sci