Vol. II. THE LADIES' GARLAND. LINES A WREATH OF MANY FLOWERS. WRITTEN IN A YOUNG LADY'S ALBUM. I'D offer thee this heart of mine, If I could love thee less; "Twould chill thy dearest joy: I'd rather weep to see thee free, Than win thee to destroy. I leave thee in thy happiness, As one I'll think of but to bless, Whilst wretchedly I rove. All bitter though it be, It holds no drop for thee. Then fare thee well; an exile now, Without a friend or home, S. No. 1. vent the risk of collision between them and the citizens, to whom they were, as a matter of course, particularly obnoxious.' The commanding officer on the station, at the period of the following incident, was a man peculiarly unfitted, by inclination at least, for the duties imposed on him by the impressment proceedings, being of a most humane and kind disposition. He was, besides, a native of Leith, where he resided in a house of his own, unless when his presence was necessarily required on board. He had also a private room in the round house (as it may be termed) above mentioned, where he attended with great punctuality, in order that his presence might prove a check to the brutal and licentious natures of the "pressgang," the most reckless and desperate characters amongst the crew, being as is well known always selected for the worse than slave-traffic in which they were employed. In the above room, then, Captain Gillespie was seated one evening, when he was informed that a gentleman desired to speak with him, and, at his desire, the stranger was introduced. He was evidently a mere youth, slightly and elegantly made, and was very fashionably dressed. Captain Gillespie was particularly struck with the handsome, and as he thought, feminine cast of his featuresTHE OUTCAST. a peculiarity that corresponded well with the SUCH of our Scottish readers as were per soft and silvery tones of his voice, when after sonally familiar with the transactions and considerable hesitation, he stated the purpose incidents during the late war, may remember of his visit. This was no other than to rea small building that stood at the end of one quest that he might be taken on board a manof the streets of Leith, at the door of which of-war to serve as a common sailor! Captain the union Jack was seen flying from morning Gillespie expressed no little astonishment at till night. It was the rendezvous of the one of his tender age and elegant appearance press-gang," whilst employed in their re-having adopted so strange a resolution, and volting occupation ashore, and where they begged to question him as to his motives for were regularly locked in every night, to pre- so doing-whether he had reflected suffiGAR.-VOL. II.-No. 1. 66 0 Such an instance did the kind-hearted officer conclude was now before him; and knowing from experience all the rough realities of his profession, he endeavored to persuade the young enthusiast to abandon, or at least postpone his resolution; but finding all his arguments unavailing, he determined to give him a foretaste, at least of the sort of company he would have to associate with on board. When the junior, therefore, came on shore to relieve him for the night, he ordered him to lock the young man in the same apartment with the rascals of the "pressgang" and directed, also, that he should be brought to his house the next morning at breakfast time. VOL. II. ciently on the consequences of such a step, || fore him, and endeavored to soothe her by all the hardships he must endure, and so forth. the persuasion he was master of, but it was The youth declined giving any explanation long before he succeeded. When at length on these points, and merely reiterated his de- she became composed enough to speak, she termination of entering the navy. The frankly told her short and simple tale. She worthy officer was exceedingly moved at the was the youngest daughter of a gentleman youth's situation. He was evidently of a of considerable property in a neighboring superior rank in life, had been carefully and county. About six months previous to the delicately brought up; and his replies showed indiscretion of which she had been guilty, a that he knew nothing at all of the world. The young relative, a lieutenant in the navy, Captain, however, secretly felt more compas- had obtained leave for a short visit to her sion than surprise at the circumstance. He father's house. The young officer had but knew that instances were then of frequent lately obtained his commission, was conseoccurrence, of young men of the very best quently in high spirits, and being quite an families, whose ardent and untutored imagina- enthusiast in his profession, could speak of tions were blown into enthusiasm by the in- nothing else but the scenes and battles-for flated and high colored accounts every day he had already seen a deal of hard fightingput forth of our splendid naval triumphs, and in which he had been engaged, depicting with heads filled with visions of glory, and them of course in the most glowing colors hearts with patriotism, leaving all the com- that a young and ardent imagination could forts and elegancies of home behind, little suggest. In these details, although listened dreaming of the rough ordeal they must un- to with due attention, and perhaps interest, dergo in the path of eminence or glory. by the rest of the family, the young sailor found none, who evidently sympathised, as it were, with his own feelings but the youngest of his cousins, of whom there were four, all daughters. It was natural, therefore, that he should show a preference to her company in comparison with her sisters, although his predilection arose solely from the vain glorious pleasure of having a ready, a delighted listener. Any thing like love addresses he had never once offered to her, (and it afterwards, indeed, appeared that his affections were pre-engaged,) but his buoyant spirits, and joyous language-his aspirations after naval fame-his handsome and animated countenance, together with the decided partiality he displayed for her society-all these The youth accordingly appeared at the ap- wrought upon the young and simple girl's pointed hour, and Captain Gillespie saw, at a imagination, to a degree of which she was glance, that the experiment he had tried had not herself conscious until he was gone. It not been without its effect, or rather that it was then, and for the first time, she felt how had succeeded much beyond what he intend- much her happiness was at the disposal of ed. In fact, he was shocked at the altera another, and what a dreary blank the world tion which he saw in the young man's fea-appeared without his presence. Time, pertures since the preceding evening, and almost haps, might have enabled her to regain her repented the plan he had put in practice. He equanimity, but she was subject to distress shook him kindly by the hand, and then, in from other sources. Her father, a cold, ausas indifferent a tone as he could assume, re- tere man, a stern disciplinarian in his family, quested to know if he still adhered to his de-and who regarded any unbending from that termination of becoming a sailor. For a rigid demeanor of stately and ceremonious while the young man sat mute and rigid as reserve which was the rule of his own demarble, and seemed totally unconscious of portment, as alike an infraction of moral the meaning of the words addressed to him, propriety and a derogation from his rankbut at last fell on his knees before Captain had observed with swelling indignation his Gillespie, and in a passion of tears and sobs, daughter's artless admiration of her cousin, so violent as seemed almost to rend his frame, || and, at the departure of the latter, let loose disclosed what his compassionate hearer had the full measure of his wrath upon her. Her already begun distinctly to suspect-that the sisters, too, whose minds were formed on unhappy young creature before him was a their father's model, and burned, moreover, female! with spite and jealousy, at the preference shown by any eligible and marriageable man Captain Gillespie raised the supplicant be |