Lost Lenore Part 61

"I took the ship to Liverpool, where a wealthy merchant succeeded to the captain's property. To make way for some friend of the new owner, I was discharged from the service--after receiving the few pounds due to me as wages.

"The commotion caused by the discovery of the Australian gold-fields, had then reached Liverpool; and seamen were shipping to Melbourne, asking only the nominal wages of one shilling a month! I was able to get a situation as second officer of a brig bound for that port.

"We had one hundred and twelve pa.s.sengers; and amongst them was a bankrupt London merchant, emigrating with a large stock of pride, and a small stock of merchandise, to the golden land. He was accompanied by his wife, and a beautiful daughter. To me, this young lady appeared lovely, modest, intelligent; in short, everything that a young man--who for the first time had felt the tender pa.s.sion, could wish its object to be.

"I had frequent opportunities of conversing with her--when she would be seated outside on the p.o.o.p; and many of my happiest moments were pa.s.sed in her society, in those delightful evenings one experiences while crossing the Line.

"I was at length made perfectly happy, by the knowledge that there was one being in the world who felt an interest in my welfare.

"I soon saw that my attentions to his daughter, were displeasing to the proud merchant; and I was told by the girl herself: that she had been commanded to discourage my addresses.

"I sought an interview with the father; and demanded from him his reasons for thus rejecting me. I was simply told: that the girl was his daughter, and that I was only a sailor!

"That same evening, when on duty, I was spoken to by the captain in a harsh and ungentlemanly manner. I was in no pleasant humour at the time: and to be thus addressed, in hearing of so many people--but more especially in the presence of her I loved--was a degradation I could not endure. I could not restrain myself, from making a sharp and angry reply.

"The captain was a man of very quick temper; and, enraged at my insolence, he struck me in the face with his open hand. For this insult, I instantly knocked him down upon the deck.

"The remainder of the voyage I pa.s.sed in irons. On arriving at Williamston, I was sentenced to two months' imprisonment--during which time I was confined on board a hulk anch.o.r.ed in Hobson's Bay.

"I made an attempt to escape; and, being unsuccessful, I received a further sentence of two months' hard labour on the hulk.

"When at length I received my liberty, I hastened to Melbourne. There I made inquiries for the merchant, in hopes of being able to obtain an interview with his daughter, who was then the only being on earth, for whom I entertained the slightest feeling of friendship.

"I succeeded in finding the young lady; and was conducted into the presence of her mother--who, somewhat to my surprise, received me in the most cordial manner!

"The old merchant was dead. He had died within a month after landing; and the goods he had brought with him to the colony--not being suited to the market--had been sold for little more than the freight out from England had cost. His widow and her daughter were living by their own industry--which, I need hardly tell you, was something they had never done before."

Here Sailor Bill paused--as if he had got to the end of his story.

But his listeners were not contented with such a termination. They believed there must be something more to come--perhaps more interesting than anything yet revealed; and they clamoured for him to go on, and give them the finale.

"There's nothing more," said Bill, in response to the calls of the company; "at least nothing that would interest any of you."

"Let us be the judges of that," cried one. "Come, Bill, your story is not complete--finish it--finish it!"

"I'm sorry myself it's not finished," rejoined he. "It won't be, I suppose, until I get back to Melbourne."

"What then?" inquired several voices.

"Well then," said Bill, forced into a reluctant confession, "I suppose it will end by my getting spliced."

"And to the young lady, with whom you spent those pleasant evenings on the p.o.o.p?"

"Exactly so. I've written to her, to say I'm coming to Melbourne. I intend to take her and her mother back to England--where they've long wished to go. Of course it would never do to make such a voyage, without first splicing the main brace, and securing the craft against all the dangers of the sea. For that reason, I've proposed to the young lady, that she and I make the voyage as man and wife; and I'm happy to tell you that my proposal has been accepted. Now you've got the whole of my _yarn_."

And with this characteristic ending, Sailor Bill brought his story to a termination.

Volume Three, Chapter XVIII.

MY BROTHER WILLIAM.

The next morning, I arose early, and went to Olliphant's tent--to take leave of him, and his companion Bill.

I accompanied them to the public-house, from which the stage coach to Geelong was to start. We stepped inside the house, to have a gla.s.s together.

"There's a question," said Bill, "that I've often thought of putting to you. I've heard you called Rowland. Excuse my appearing to be inquisitive; but I have a strong reason for it. You have some other name. Will you tell me what it is?"

There is something extraordinary in the power and quickness of thought.

Suddenly a conviction came over my mind: that I had found my brother! I felt sure of it. Memory did not a.s.sist me much, in making the discovery. It seemed to come upon me, as if by inspiration!

It is true, I had something to guide me, in coming to this conclusion.

Sailor Bill had evidently, at some time or other, known a person by the name of Rowland. It at once entered my mind, that I must be the individual of whom he had this distant recollection.

"My name," said I, in answer to his question, "is your own. Is not yours Stone?"

"It is," rejoined he, "William Stone."

"Then we are brothers!"

"You are the Rolling Stone!" exclaimed Bill, grasping my hand. "How strange that I did not ask the question, when I first heard you called Rowland!"

The excitement caused by our mutual recognition, was of the most pleasurable character; and, for some moments after the first words, we both remained speechless.

`The Elephant' was nearly as much astonished as ourselves, at the discovery thus made. "What a fool I've been," said he, "not to have seen long ago that you were brothers. If ever there were two brothers, I could swear that you two were the pair. I have been blind not to have told you before--what you have at last found out for yourselves."

We had no time to do more than exchange mutual congratulations: for the stage coach was about to start. I immediately paid for a seat; and set off along with them for Geelong. At the moment, I had along with me all the gold I had gathered. I had brought it out, for the purpose of taking it to the Escort Office--as soon as I should bid adieu to my friends. There was nothing else of much importance to detain me in Ballarat; and I parted from the place at less than a moment's notice.

My brother and I found plenty of employment for our tongues, while making the journey to Melbourne.

I asked him, if he had been aware of our mother's having followed Mr Leary to Australia.

"Yes," said he, "I knew, when she left me in Liverpool, that she was going to follow the brute out there; and I concluded she had done so."

"And have you never thought of trying to find her, while you were in Sydney?"

"No," said my brother, in a tone of solemnity, "when she deserted me in Liverpool, to go after that wretch, I felt that I had lost a mother; and it is my belief, that a mother once lost is never found again."

"But did it not occur to you that you should have tried to find Martha?

Do you intend leaving the colonies without making some effort to discover our sister?"

"Poor little Martha!" exclaimed William, "she was a dear little child.

I would, indeed, like to see her again. Suppose we both try to find her? I do not believe that if we discover her, we need have any fear of being ashamed of her. She was once a little angel; and I am sure she will be a good girl, wherever she is--Oh! I should like to see Martha once more; but to tell the truth Rowland, I do not care for ever seeing mother again!"

I then informed my brother, that his wishes might yet be gratified; and, as we continued our journey, I gave him a detailed history of the affairs of the family--so far as I was myself acquainted with them.

It was by no means an agreeable mode of transit, travelling by stage coach in the state the roads of Victoria were at the time, yet that was the happiest day I had ever pa.s.sed in the colony. William and I kept up our conversation all day long. We had hardly a word for our companion, Olliphant; and we were under the necessity of apologising to him.

"Don't mention it," said the good-hearted Elephant. "I am as happy as either of you. You are two fellows of the right sort; and I'm glad you have found each other."