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heart when she heard of his good conduct as a seaman, as she always did
whenever she heard his professional career alluded to at all. On this
point, Roswell was without spot, as all Suffolk knew and confessed. On
Oyster Pond, he was regarded as a species of sea lion himself, so numerous
and so exciting were the incidents that were related of his prowess among
the whales But, there was a dark cloud before all these glories, in the
eyes of Mary Pratt, which for two years had disinclined her to listen to
the young man's tale of love, which had induced her to decline accepting a
hand that had now been offered to her, with a seaman's ardour, a seaman's
frankness, and a seaman's sincerity, some twenty times at least, which had
induced her to struggle severely with her own heart, which she had long
found to be a powerful ally of her suitor. That cloud came from a species
of infidelity that is getting to be so widely spread in America as no
longer to work in secret, but which lifts its head boldly among us,
claiming openly to belong to one of the numerous sects of the land. Mary
had reason to think that Roswell Gardiner denied the divinity of Christ,
while he professed to honour and defer to him as a man far elevated above
all other men, and as one whose blood had purchased the redemption of his
race!
We will take this occasion to say that our legend is not polemical in any
sense, and that we have no intention to enter into discussions or
arguments connected with this subject, beyond those that we may conceive
to be necessary to illustrate the picture which it is our real aim to
draw--that of a confiding, affectionate, nay, devoted woman's heart, in
conflict with a deep sense of religious duty.
Page 15
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Still, Mary rejoiced that Roswell Gardiner was to command the Sea Lion.
Whither this little vessel, a schooner of about one hundred and forty tons
measurement, was to sail, she had not the slightest notion; but, go where
it might, her thoughts and prayers were certain to accompany it. These are
woman's means of exerting influence, and who shall presume to say that
they are without results, and useless? On the contrary, we believe them to
be most efficacious; and thrice happy is the man who, as he treads the
mazes and wiles of the world, goes accompanied by the petitions of such
gentle and pure-minded being's at home, as seldom think of approaching the
throne of Grace without also thinking of him and of his necessities. The
Romanists say, and say it rightly too, could one only believe in their
efficacy, that the prayers they offer up in behalf of departed friends,
are of the most endearing nature; but it would be difficult to prove that
petitions for the souls of the dead can demonstrate greater interest, or
bind the parties more closely together in the unity of love, than those
that are constantly offered up in behalf of the living.
The interest that Mary Pratt felt in Roswell's success needs little
explanation. In all things he was most agreeable to her, but in the one
just mentioned. Their ages, their social positions, their habits, their
orphan condition, even their prejudices--and who that dwells aside from
the world is without them, when most of those who encounter its collisions
still cherish them so strongly?--all united to render them of interest to
each other. Nor was Deacon Pratt at all opposed to the connection; on the
contrary, he appeared rather to favour it.
The objections came solely from Mary, whose heart was nearly ready to
break each time that she was required to urge them. As for the uncle, it
is not easy to say what could induce him to acquiesce in, to favour
indeed, the addresses to his niece and nearest relative, of one who was
known not to possess five hundred dollars in the world. As his opinions on
this subject were well known to all on Oyster Pond, they had excited a
good deal of speculation; "exercising" the whole neighbourhood, as was
very apt to be the case whenever anything occurred in the least out of the
ordinary track. The several modes of reasoning were something like
these:--
Some were of opinion that the deacon foresaw a successful career to, and
eventual prosperity in the habits and enterprise of, the young mate, and
that he was willing to commit to his keeping, not only his niece, but the
three farms, his "money at use," and certain shares he was known to own in
a whaler and no less than three coasters, as well as an interest in a
store at Southold; that is to say, to commit them all to the keeping of
"young Gar'ner" when he was himself dead; for no one believed he would
part with more than Mary, in his own lifetime. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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