116 TRAGIC STORY 



made some observations to my friend, who, shaking his 

 head said, "You will know all presently." And true 

 enough I did ; for her story took fast hold of my heart, 

 and awakened all its sympathy. It was simply this, but 

 told with such deep feeling and pathos — long sorrowing 

 and disappointed hope being its chief burden — as only a 

 mother could tell it, of whose acute and lengthened 

 suiFerings my pen would fail to give a description. 



She had a son, " the only son of his mother, and she 

 was a widow." This son entered the Navy at an early 

 age ; had readied the rank of lieutenant ; was a promising 

 young officer, and bade fair to be an ornament to his 

 profession, as well as a comfort to a fond and doting 

 mother, of both of which, with melancholy pride, she 

 produced handsome testimonials. 



He was appointed to the Hannibal, 74:, on the West 

 India station, and in some operations against the enemy 

 on the Spanish ]\Iain — as that part of the i\-merican con- 

 tinent immediately to the south of the Isthmus was then 

 called — was taken prisoner with his boat's crew. No 

 tidings had since been heard of him. "When the aggres- 

 sive policy of the French Emperor against the Spanish 

 Monarchy, followed by his invasion of the Peninsula, 

 caused the Spaniards to throw off the French yoke, and 

 make a treaty of alliance with us, it raised her hopes to 

 the highest pitch ; and she had been vainly expecting, 

 upon every arrival from that part of the world, to embrace 

 her son, or at least to hear some good tidings of him. 

 But alas ! year after year had flown away, and nothing 

 authentic could be gathered from either officers or seamen 

 Avho had previously known him, as to his ultimate fate. 



