Part 28 (1/2)

”Pretty Polly, ahoy!”

”Halloo!”

”Where are you bound, sir; and when did that schooner get in froot home from the South Seas about six e to the West Indies, since”

Here then was the certainty that the cargo sent home, and the letter with it, were all safe I must be expected, and the owners would soon hear ofin doubt; for, as the shi+p entered the Hudson, a boat approached, and in her were two of the principal members of our firm I had seen them, and that is all; but ht home the schooner, had told them all about me Could Nelson, after his victory of the Nile, have walked into the King of England's private cabinet with the news of his own success, his reception would not have beenthan that I now received I was ”Captain Wallingforded” at every sentence; and commendations were so intero, that I did not knohich to answer first

I was invited to dine the very next day by both the gentlemen in the same breath; and when I raised some objections connected with the duty of the shi+p, the invitations were extended from day to day, for a week

So very welcoside of a North River wharf, and had everything secure, just as the sun was setting The people were then allowed to go ashore for the night Not a soul of them asked for a dollar; but thelandlords, that put them all above want The sailor who has three years' pay under his lee, is a sort of Rothschild on Jack's Exchange All the harpies about our lads knew that the Crisis and her teas, &c were hypothecated to meet their own ten and twenty dollar advances

I dressed myself hurriedly, and ordered Neb to imitate my example One of the owners had kindly volunteered to see Major Merton and Emily to a suitable residence, with an alacrity that surprised lishreat forty years since This was still enerally; and a half-pay English Major was a species of noble the better sort of Manhattanese of that day How many of these quasi lords have I seen, whose patents of nobility were ned by the Majesty of England! In that day--it is nonsense to deny it--the ainst_ the country, provided he was a ”British officer,” was a better man than he who had served in our own ranks This was true, however, only as regarded _society;_ the ballot-boxes, and the _people_, giving very different indications of their sentiments on such subjects Nor is this result, so far as New York was concerned, as surprising as, at first sight, it entry of New York took sides with the crown It is true, that the portion of this gentry which ht almost be called _baronial_--it was strictly _ with theer portions of this entire class of the elite of society took sides with the crown; and the peace of '83 found no small part of them in possession of their old social stations; the confiscations affecting few beyond the ive an instance, within e, of the sort of justice of these confiscations The head of one of the most important of all the colonial families, was a man of indolent habits, and was entleman was enormously rich, and his estates were confiscated and sold Now this attainted traitor had a younger brother as actually serving in the British ar in the battles of Bunker Hill, Brandywine, Moner son; and, in virtue of that republican merit, he escaped the consequences of his adhesion to the service of the crown; and after the revolution, the cadet returned to his native country, took quiet possession of a property of no inconsiderable a the bitter penalty of being rich in a revolution It was a consequence of the peculiarities first h a value on English connection

They still admired, as the provincial only can admire; and they worshi+pped, as the provincial worshi+ps; or, at a safe distance The strange ood faith, that founded the political hostility to the movements of the French revolution, had as ardent believers in this country, as it had in England itself; and this contributed to sustain the sort of feeling I have described Of the fact, there can be no doubt, as any one will testify who kne York society forty years ago

No wonder then, that Major Merton and Emily fared well, on their sudden arrival in the country Some romance, reat reason to give myself any anxiety on their account There was little doubt of their soon being h in my native land

Neb soon reported himself ready for shore-duty, and I ordered hi-house of the owners, to receive so short answers, to despatch the black at once to Clawbonny, with the intelligence of my return In 1802, the Battery was the court-end of the town, and it was a good deal frequented by the better classes, particularly at the hour at which I was now about to cross it I have never returned fro particularly struck with two things in the great Western Emporium--since the common councils and the editors insist on the word--viz, the provincial appearance of everything that , however, by the last, the true, native, portion of the population, and not the throng from Ireland and Germany, who nod the streets; and who, certainly, as a body, are not in the least remarkable for personal charms But an American can tell an American, man or woman, as soon as he lays eyes on either; and there were few besides native girls on the Battery at the ti their evening walk, and black servants were far hts, too, and I heard him exclaim ”Golly!” twice, before we reached the centre of the Battery This excla as many sable Venuses, each of whom bridled up at the fellow's admiration, and doubtless was as much offended as the sex is apt to be on such occasions

I , either of ould induce a youth to turn round to look again; and, for the ot my errand Neither Neb nor I was in any hurry We were strolling along, in this ht and left, when a party approached, under the trees, that drew allwoman, ere dressed simply, but with a taste that denoted persons of the better class The for vivacity, of which large doses were adly, sed it less reluctantly than doses of another sort are so often received At least, I thought so, while the tere at a distance, by the beautiful glistening teeth that were shi+ning like my own spotless pearls, between lips of coral The air, beauty, figure, and, indeed, all connected with this singularly lovely young creature, struck h that was decided and attractive, as the ad health; the walk, so natural and yet so full of lightness and grace; the laugh, so joyous and still so quiet and suited to her sex; and the entire air and manner, which denoted equally, buoyant health and happiness, the gracefulness of one who thought not of herself, and the refineift of native sentiment, as the fruit of art and association

I could not tell what her co; but, as they approached, I fancied theed lovers, on wholance aside toldbefore hiaze at this

I could not keep aze off the face of this lovely creature, who did not let ood look of her dark-blue eyes, however, until I was quite near, when they were naturally turned towards the form that approached For a few seconds, while in the very act of passing, we looked intently at each other, and the charm said to be possessed by certain aniaze In this manner we had actually passed each other, and I was still in a sort of mystified prance, when I heard suddenly, in a voice and tone that caused every nerve to thrill within , and taking another look, it was ie stood before , uncertain, her face now pale as death, now flushed to scarlet, her hands clasped, her look doubting, eager, shrinking, equally denoting hope and fear, and all so blended, as to render her the , diffidence, and natural modesty, I had ever beheld

”Lucy--is it--_can_ it be possible!--It is then _you_, I thought so gloriously beautiful, and that without knowing you, too”

I take it for granted, had I studied a week, I should not have corateful salutation than this, which burst forth in a way that set all the usual restraints of h with the matter as prosperously as I had commenced, and in spite of the publicity of the place, in spite of half a dozen persons, who heard what passed, and had turned, srave-looking gentleaiety, I advanced, folded the dear girl to ave her such a kiss, as I'll take upon myself to say, she had never before received Sailors, usually, do not perfors by halves, and I never wasfelloho stood rather s, had a pair of whiskers that had come all the way fro, and who possessed aup and down Broadould have robbed a young Hercules, had the effect to cover poor Lucy with blushes and confusion

”There--that will do, Miles,” she said, struggling to get free--”a truce, I pray you See, yonder are Grace and h, the whole fa walk, in coentleman as a fellow-student of Rupert's, and who, as I afterwards ascertained, was a pretty open admirer of Rupert's sister

There was a marked difference in the manner in which I was received by Grace and Lucy The first exclaimed ”Miles!” precisely as the last had exclaihtened, and tears forced themselves into her eyes, but she could not be said to blush Instead of firstsensitively fro her delicate arhtest reserve, both ar, and then began to sob, as if her heart would break The spectators, who saw in all this the plain, honest, natural, undisguised affection of a sister, had the good taste to walk on, though I could see that their countenances sy I had but a e's voice drew ot that I o inches taller than he was himself; that I could, with ease, have lifted him from the earth, and carried him invoyage, and had Pacific Ocean whiskers; for he caressed me as if I had been a child, kissed me quite as often as Grace had done, blessed ave way to his tears, as freely as both the girls But for this burst of feeling on the part of a grey-headed old clergyether have escaped ridicule As it was, however, this saved us Clergyo, than they are to-day, though I think they have still as eneral respect felt for the class would have insured us from any manifestations of the sort, without the nature and elad to take refuge in Rupert's hearty but less sentiht a seat, in a less public spot, and were soon sufficiently coentleh to inquire of Lucy who I was, and then he had sufficient tact to wish us all good evening I overheard the little dialogue which produced this explanation

”A close friend, if not a near relation, Miss Hardinge?” he observed, inquiringly

”Oh, yes,” answered the suised truth of her honest nature--”both friend and relative”

”May I presume to ask the name?”

”The name, Mr Drewett!--Why it is Miles--dear Miles--you surely have heard us speak of Miles--but I forget; you never were at Clawbonny--is it not a most joyful surprise, dearest, dearest Grace!”

Mr Andreaited, I thought, with most commendable patience for Grace to squeeze Lucy's hand, and to murmur her own felicitations, when he ventured to add--