reckless after my departure. She was my
favorite sister, however, and no matter how she might treat me, I could
never lose my love for her.

"The first voyage in my new ship, was a very long one, and, on my
return, I found that there had been many changes in my absence. Henry
and Annie had been married for sometime, and Henry was then away at sea.
As my father had died shortly after the marriage, Annie was living alone
in New York, where I called upon her. She was pleasantly situated, and
seemed to have everything that could be wished. Lucy was also married,
and was living in Morristown, New Jersey. The old homestead had been
sold at my father's death, the proceeds being divided between my
sisters. A few thousand dollars were left to me, which I deposited in
bank with my savings.

"On my return from another long voyage, I was delighted to find Henry at
home with Annie, and they seemed more devoted to each other than ever.
After this, I saw Henry but twice--once in Singapore, and once in
Calcutta. He was then as much in love with Annie, as when he first
married her, and he said that she made him perfectly happy. The last
time I met him, he had just been notified that he should be given the
command of a fine ship on his return to New York; consequently he was in
high spirits.

"When I next arrived in New York harbor, I made it my first duty to call
on Annie. Much to my surprise, I found that she was teaching music in
Brooklyn, at a very high salary. Her musical education had been very
thorough, so that she was perfectly competent; but I could not see the
necessity for her to teach. She had had one child, but it had died in
infancy, and she was living in a fashionable boarding house. I called in
the evening, intending to ask her to accompany me for a walk, but she
was surrounded by a brilliant company, among whom were several
gentlemen, and all were paying her great attention. She was very
stylishly dressed, and, to my great disgust, she seemed to be coquetting
with several of her admirers. When I was announced, she led me into the
library, as if anxious that the company in the parlor should not know
that a hard-fisted, weather-beaten sailor like me, was her brother.
Still, she spoke very kindly, and seemed glad to see me. She excused
herself from going to walk with me on the ground that she had an
engagement to accompany the rest of the party to the theatre; but she
said that if I would call some other evening, she wo