prayers and good wishes are to restore you to "health, you have them in full. God grant that you may be restored to health, and to our prayers! "Your congregation now knows and feels the use of "the good shepherd. As short as you have left Barbados, many of them have missed you. How many times it has been said, 'If Parson had been "here, that never would have been: however, if it "please God, he will return again! All of your "congregation, Society and College, join me in their duty to you both. "I remain, dear Sir, "Your most obedient Servant, "ROBERT CLARKE." son. "The following extract is from a letter of Addoh's His family are described in a former com"munication made to the Society. They are free "colored persons, possessed of a small, but comfort"able share of property, and constant attendants at my chapel. 66 Sir, I "James Edward to his reverend father. joy to write to you of the regularity of the chapel "since the clergyman has arrived. The first Sunday "he arrived at the chapel, my mother was there, " and my sisters; and they told me, as soon as they "came home, of his plainness and instructions; and "the chapel was full, and the congregation likes. "him very much; they all attend, Sir, very well. My sisters and all the family join me in duty to you and all with you, and wish, through the grace "of the Lord, you may recover, and return again, "fresh and strong, to bring souls unto the Lord.' "I beg most earnestly to express my gratitude to "the Society, for the provision so liberally made for my residence, by the directions which they have "transmitted for the purchase of Mrs. Carter's "house. Its proximity to the scene of my duty, independently of its strength, size, and situation, "will be highly advantageous; and it is my wish "that the well-known fertility of the land, (formerly 66 a part of the Society's plantation, as I am informed,) may in process of time repay their liberality. It "remains only for me, in conclusion, to entreat a "continuance of the Society's favours; to solicit "their guiding counsels, and wise suggestions, in "a season of so much difficulty; and to assure them " of my unabated desire to discharge faithfully the "sacred duties of my office, which my departure from England, at an early period of the Spring, "will enable me, under the blessing of Providence, shortly to resume. 66 The above documents, useful, entertaining, and interesting as they are, are nevertheless somewhat prosing; and although not incompatible with the spirit of a memoir, which treats solely on West India affairs, they remind me of an ancient military cousin of mine, who was famous for relating, what he called long stories, and good ones," concerning his exploits on the Continent; which his impatient hearers would gladly have exchanged for "short stories, and bad ones." Perhaps, too, some of my readers would rather con over one of mine own "short chapters," about the fire of Bridgetown, or the fire of love, than peruse a long chapter of papers and documents; therefore, I will give them a few minutes respite; and before I produce the remainder of the said papers, will do my best to entertain them with the narrative of an interesting circumstance that verily and indeed did occur "While I was living in the Western Isles." CHAPTER XV. THE DESERTED. "She never told her love; "But let concealment, like a worm ï'the bud, "Feed on her damask cheek; she pin'd in thought, "Sat, like patience on a monument, smiling at grief." Shakespeare. A BRITISH West India colony is never overburthened with news, and trifling incidents generally become the topics of conversation, when there are few matters of vital interest to attract the attention of the inhabitants: no inimitable forgeries, no monstrous thefts, no atrocious murders; a total want of new inventions, curious circumstances, and alarming accidents, such as are wont to occupy the minds of the people, and fill the columns of the newspapers of Old England. Indeed there is seldom any thing to talk about, save a little scandal; the arrival of some new governor; the drenching of some unfortunate boat party; the appointment of a new commander in chief; the relieving an old garrison; the reviewing a body of militia troops; a sermon preached by the Bishop; a salute fired on the king's birth-day, accession, coronation, or some event equally memorable, and, (I beg pardon, I had nearly omitted births, marriages, and deaths,)" though last not least," on this, my limited on this, list of small talk topics, a ball, and of these I have found balls, maroons, parties, and festivities of all and every kind, more amusing to the gentlemen, and more attractive to the ladies. On the last day of the old year there were grand doings in the island of St. There had been for some time past, a run of balls, and a continuation of social and amusing evening parties, which had roused the spirits of the inhabitants, making them gay and lively, and full of life; but on this night there was to be a ball—a ball, indeed; something more grand than usual, the entertainment more splendid, the ladies more numerous, the dancing more spirited; people expected more display, more fascination, more beauty and fashion, more "haut ton" than was common; for this was no affair of every day, no usual occurrence; it was one of those balls which happen once a year, and once a year only. It had been the topic of island conversation for a month at least. The gentlemen had time to determine how they should dress, and it was rumoured (oh! that there were any truth in rumours), that a certain well known votary of fashion, handsome and somewhat inconstant to boot, had read, nay, studied with more than ordinary attention, a moral essay on tying cravats, and had actually made sufficient progress to come to a just and discreet decision, as to the manner in which his own should be tied, one whole day before that overwhelming and truly important occasion arrived. Each lady had time to arrange in her own mind, |