The Artist's Prayer [pp. 161]

1so.]LITERA TURL SCIENCL AND ABR 161
The carnival took off from the parties the attention of all but the
nadre, who seemed to fear some such arrangement, and she nearly
stopped all proceedings. At dusk we had expected to see a carriage
rolling down the quay with a precious burden, as prearranged; but
hour after hour passed by without any sign, and we were on the point
of giving them up, when about nine o'clock a voice was heard hailing
the ship for a boat to be sent quickly! The cutter's crew worked
lively for Cupid, and they were soon on board; the fair Sophia all
blushing and breathless, and her beloved jubilant over their final success. We then learned the cause of their great delay. The mother
had locked our heroine in the room with herself for greater security,
and the poor lover, as the appointed hour of her coming passed, sat
in his carriage almost in despair, in utter ignorance of the cause of her
detention. Fortunately the children in the room above got into mischief, which, ending in a crash and a scream, announced some severe
accident, and the terrified mother rushed up-stairs, forgetting in her
anxiety to lock the door behind her, and Sefiorita Dofia Sophia, taking
advantage thereof, sprang down-stairs, tripped out of the front door
into the arms of her lover, and was soon in the carriage, whirling away
at full speed for the chosen place of refuge.
A messenger was sent at once for the consul and his wife, but they
"went back" on true love, and sent word that they had retired for
the night and could not come; but the truth was, his sober second
thought had made him fear complications with the authorities did
they discover his having a part in it. The minister was then
sought, who came on board-but to our disgust he declined to perform the ceremony without the consent of the parents; evidently
ne too had been thinking over it, and did not wish his travels in Spain
to be stopped. So our captain found he had an elephant on his
Lands.
The hours passed by; and at midnight a boat brought alongside two
heavily-cloaked individuals, who stepped on board, and, in answer to a
question put by the officer of the deck, the elder of the two demanded
nis daughter! The captain was at once called, and the pair were ushered
into the wardroom, where they were joined by him, and an animated
discussion commenced. In about thirty minutes they were convinced
that, as the lovers were somewhat compromised by the elopement, it
would be better to consent to the match, and they left the ship-the
father signifying that, although he was willing, he could do nothing
without his wife's consent, admitting that he was entirely under her
thumb.
When those in the cabin were informed who the visitors were,
and the object they had in coming on board, there was a very effective tableau performed-they would never part! No, never! they
would go overboard in loving embrace and join the mermaids, sooner
than return to the shore alive and unmarried! and all that sort of
thing, you know!
But they were getting sleepy in spite of their love, and so the
admiral's state-room was assigned to la niia, while her hero was given
a spare state-room next to the captain's.
The night was not suffered to go by without more excitement, for
the splash of oars was heard toward one x. m., and another boat swept
up to the side-ladder, and the father mounted to the deck, followed
by two high officials with their army trapping and side-arms on-in
fact, "with all their war-paint and feathers." This was getting interesting.-The mother, it seems, was unrelenting, and would not for a
moment listen to the mild persuasions of her liege lord, but marched
him off to seek the assistance of the military authorities to have her
kidnapped darling restored to her. But, when these warriors heard
from the captain's lips the whole story, they joined with us in smiling
at the "henpecked one," and did not think the pair ought to be
separated; and so they left, the flutter of excitement caused by their
arrival quieted down, and we sought our bunks to await what the coming day would bring forth.
After quarters and morning-drill, parties went ashore to pick up
news, and see what was going on. They found that the news of the
little romance being enacted on board of the had got abroad, and
that the authorities, yielding to the importunities of the infuriated
mother, had determined to arrest the pair should they land, as was
their intention; and, while the fair Sophia was to be immured in a
convent-cell, her lover was to be cast into prison for abduction!
Guards were seen, armed with cutlasses, at every corner, and rumor
had it that a squadron of cavalry was on duty to intercept the pair
should they land on the coast in the vicinity.
So the captain's elephant was growing larger. A consultation was
held, and a cotup d'etat resolved upon, the captain determining, not to
cut, but to tie the gordian knot himself, and that evening the friends
of the hero were invited on board, and in the cabin gathered around
the pair where the ceremony was performed, the surgeon taking the
place of "papa," and giving away the bride. Our able steward had
spread a tempting table in the wardroom in honor of the occasion, to
which the bridal party adjourned, and amid the most uproarious applause bumpers were drunk to the toast of "the bride and groom."
And appetites being sated-after receiving the congratulations of all
-the pair retired to the bridal state-room, while discussion ran high
in the paymaster's little office upon the question as to the legality,
etc., of the ceremony. All concluded, however, that the question
properly next in order was what was to be done, conceding that there
were no doubts on that score. The authorities on shore would certainly ignore it and arrest them-and for a time we were quite puzzled-it being proposed to hire a polacra and smuggle them off in the
night, but this was soon given up, and the difficulty finally solved by
"the sweet little cherub that sits up aloft;" for a steamer unexpectedly
left for Gibraltar, and by an arrangement, of which the authorities
ashore were ignorant, the hero and heroine of our little romance were
put on board when she was fairly under way, and I could see the look
of relief on the captain's face when he saw the last of the handkerchief which was waved to us in parting, as the steamer sped out to
sea.
All the sefioritas ashore soon heard the story, and bright eyes
looked their approval as we met them on the promenade, making us
pleased with the part we had taken.
Some weeks afterward a letter reached the captain from the bride,
announcing their safe arrival in Gibraltar, thanking us for the assistance we had given them, and quieting all misgivings we had, with the
statement that to make sure they had been remarried in the Catholic
church at Gibraltar. And soon after we learned that the parents had
forgiven them, and they were to return to Malaga, where peace and
plenty awaited them, thus placing our minds fully at ease in the assurance that "all's well that ends well."
THE ARTIST'S PRAYER.
W ASHINGTON ALLSTON, in a foreign land,
Went to his studio, and knelt to pray Starving and weak, with want on either hand.
Conscience had risen in his heart that day,
As unto Saul, when hedged about with foes
The accusing prophet out of death arose.
Within the vast cathedral of the night,
The stars, the altar-lamps, their thanks outshine;
Yet he, the painter, from whose soul shone bright
The nobler fire of genius, God's divine
And greatest gift to wan, had never cast
One ray of gratitude for mercies past.
"I have been most ungrateful, Lord," he said,
"And, housed in self, I have forgotten Thee;
Yet now, I pray, vouchsafe me this day's bread,
And I shall pay of my poor thanks the fee,
As I now pay for favors heretofore-'I
The irreverent knocker clanked upon the door.
Marquis of Stafford there the threshold crossed.
"Who bought," he asked, "your' Angel Uriel?' " "It is not sold."-" Not sold! Then name the cost,
And I shall make it mine." So it befell
That friendship followed, and the painter came
To better days, and won the use of fame.
Oh, half the good that daily blooms for men
Is from the seed of prayer. God gives success
Often to test our gratitude, and then
Withdraws it, if we lack, with tenderness;
Yet if we turn, and of His help implore,
A blessing is already at the door.
1870.]
-L-rT-E-RATU-R-E, SCIE-YC-E, A-Y-D A-RT.
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