The Waif of the Cynthia""

received was not very important, but it suffi

the persons who had charge of him. But their investigations proved very unsatisfactory. The solicitor who had formerly had the books in his possession as the receiver of the company about ten years before; did not know what had become of Mr. Churchill. For a moment Dr. Schwaryencrona consoled himself with a false hope. He remembered that the American newspapers usually published a list of the passengers embarking for Europe, and he sent for a number of old gazet

t first make his investigations, and, if unsucce

Transportation Company knew nothing about the passengers of the "Cynthia," and co

, had died several years before, in an hospital, without leaving any known heirs, or probably any

arcasms of Mr. Bredejord, which were wounding, to the doctor'

no longer forbore to speak openly about it, and the results of the

when he had kept his affairs a secret. Now they furnished food for the gossiping of Kajsa and Dame G

never be able to discover the secret of his birth, was in itself a sad thoug

himself, as he thought of those things. "But I am ignorant of all this. I am cast on the globe like a waif, like a grain of dust tossed by the winds, and nobody knows where I came from

ome at Mr. Hersebom's, and that Noroe was his country. He vowed that he would repay their kindness to him f

ections. Sometimes he would ask himself which country he would prefer to be a native of if he had a choice, and he studied history and geography that he might become better acquainted with the civilization of d

hat he was French? There were certainly Celts in France, and it was a country that he would have been proud to claim as his own, with her glorious traditions, her dramatic history, and her fruitful principles, which she had disseminated all over the world. Oh! he could have passionately loved, and served with devotion, such a country.

lready obtained, that he might discover something which might lead to some result, and his activity and zea

al direction; although he was not aware of this fact himself. As he had made up his mind to travel, he commen

as a captain, and then I shall go to New York in my own ve

sonally investigating the matter of his birth

h, which had at first only been an interesting problem in their eyes, engrossed them more and more. They saw how much Erik took it to heart, and as they were s

them that it would be a good idea to make an excursion to New York to

to them both simultaneously; but be this as it may, the proposal was adopted unanimously, and in the month of September the three friends, accompanied by Erik, embarked at Christiana

f. In New York he only saw what would assist him in his search. He was up at daybreak visiting the wharves, accosting

pany? Could you tell me of any officer, or passenger, or sa

ficers, sailors, and employs, of the Canadian Transportation Company. Sometimes he was able to find them. Sometimes all traces of them were lost. But none of them could give him any useful information about the last voyage of the "Cy

however seemed to be w

Patrick O'Donoghan had been on the "Cynthia," on her last voyage, and had been a special attendant of the captain. In all probability he would know the first-class passengers, who alw

Bredejord, when Erik informed them of his discovery,

he doctor tried to draw from this discov

Patrick O'Donoghan is one. Did I not always sa

cabin-boy does not prove much. It would be difficult, I fancy, to find

or three hours, neither of them

ll his energies to the task

nd who was able to give him some information. Patrick O'Donoghan was a native of the County Cork. He was between thirty-thre

d the sailor. "I recollect him very well, althou

k you usually mee

other places; but the la

any information about him, so that I

an lodges there when he is in New York. The name of the hotel-keeper is Mr. Bowles, and he is an o

y-boats that cross the East River, an

w an old woman, who was neatly dressed,

, saluting her politely, after t

man, looking with curiosity at her questioner. "If you have a

answered Erik. "I wish to know whether you are acquainted with a sailor named Patrick

t is five or six years since he has been he

such great disappointment t

O'Donoghan that you are disappointed

one can solve a mystery that I sha

ed a certain amount of experience in human nature. He saw that the curiosity of Mrs. Bowles wa

hairs, but it was empty. This circumstance emboldened Erik to enter into conversatio

t I can want with Patrick O'Donoghan, an

on board. I was picked up by a Norwegian fisherman when I was about nine months old. I was floating in a cradle attached to a buoy

cry that put a stop

ou say? You were

to the stairway. "Bowles! Bowles! come dow

ever would have expected such a thing to happen?" she said

he secret which he was

an, fat and rosy, clothed in a complete suit of blue cloth,

ter?" he asked,

. Bowles; "sit down and listen to the gent

Erik did the same. He repeated in as few wor

oon, his lips parted in a broad smile, and he looked at his wife, a

eady acquainted with my story?"

e sign, and scratching his ea

ength, "and my wife knows it as well as I do. We h

Mr. Bowles had not the gift of either eloquence or clearness, and perhaps his ideas were still clouded with sleep, and i

wo glasses before him, and he had sufficie

to draw any conclusions from it, but Erik listened attentively to all he said, and by questi