While the stage was being arranged
for the next scene, John and his Pocahontas were called before the
curtain to receive the applause they had fully earned.
In the next two scenes, Jean had departed widely from the
traditional story. In the former one, the captain took the stage
alone and told over the story of his past life, dwelling with
especial emphasis on his charming wife and thirteen beautiful
children at home in mother England. His soliloquy was interrupted
by the entrance of a messenger from a ship just landed, and, after
a little political discussion, the messenger incidentally told him
of a cyclone which had blown down his house and destroyed his
entire family. The agony of the captain was tragic to behold, and
moved Mr. Baxter to wipe his eyes sympathetically, and then cast a
furtive glance at Aunt Jane who was apparently unmoved by this
strange similarity of fate. Perhaps she was reserving her sympathy
for Pocahontas. However, the captain's grief spent itself, and he
finally recovered himself with the novel consolation that
"thirteen always was an unlucky number." Then, dismissing the
messenger, he proceeded to walk up and down his cabin and take
counsel with his heart, how best to comfort himself in the future.
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