South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1837-06-10

The grateful mother smiled uponher
precious boys, while her heart was lift.
ed in adoldng thankfulness to him who
had bestowed these gifts, and was a.
bout restoring to them and to her the
life of all their earthly Joy.
Williams exuberance ofjoy contin-
ued to overflow at his lips, While the
mothers chastened, but far more deep,
kept her silent and Thoughtful, though
she listened with compIacency, and
would now and then reply to the play
full words of her child. They were
.,;tting in this way, when a peal Of
thunder, loud and long, rolled over
their heads, and in a moment Emma
and her boy were at the window. Their
eyes having been directed onlylowards
the water they had not observed the
cloud which had risen in the East, and
which they row perceived had nearly
covered the heavens. Good in mercy
preserve the fathcrp' exclaimed En-
ma, for fear storm is close at hand."
In one Short hour how had the scene
before her changed. Dark and heavy
clouds were driven with frightful "a
pidity across the heavens and the wa
ter was dashed to ioamihg fury by the
violence of the wind. 1t seemed, in
deed, impossible that vessel could
1--WE for a moment on the heaving bill
lows Of that stormy sea. What a
change, too, in the joyous feelings Of
Williams little afoctionate heart. The
bic tears chased each other down his
sweet, pale cheeks, and all his childish
prattle was forgotten.
Ii was now nearly bed time, but poor
Emma thought not Of retiring. Her
unconscious baby, laid to rest in its lit
tie cradle, was softly breathing and
sweetly sleeping, and William, weaii-
ed with watching and weeping, sank
beside him on the floor, and for while
forgot his sorrows in the profound
slumbers of childhood. But not to the
wife and mother came this soothing
balm; her aching head pressed not that
night the Pillow Of repose. How
could she bear to recline to the bed
wherG she had so often rested on the
dear bosom of him who was now, per-
haps stretched on the rocky bed of the
ocean, with the cod and stormy waves
for his covering.
The sun which had SO long gaZed on
the fairest scenes of earth, never look
ed forth Oh a more lovely morning than
that which succeeded this night Of
storm and tempest. The balmihess of,
the air, the serenity ofthe blue sky ,aad
the beauty Of the bright water, were
never exceeded. But when the glad
rays ofthat glorious morning penetfat-
edthe sad chamber Of mlna,she COW
cred her face, and groaned in the bitter
ness Of Fer heart for where was he in
whose arms at this very hour she hoped
to have been embodied? The mothers
deep agomzing groan broke the slum-
bers of her boy, who starting on his feet,
exclaimed, elias father come :" "Oh!
no! my child" answered Emma, burs-
ting for the first time into passionate
fit Of weeping, "nor will he, | fear ever
come again"
Several weeks passed, and as moth
inc was heard of the ship which con
tained the husband of Emma, and as
more than one vessel was known to
have persisted during the storm, the
faint hopes that We're entertained ofhis
safety entirely vanished, and Emma
felt that she was indeed widow.
On such an evening as that which
closed the fatal storm, she was sitting at
the window which overlooked'the wa
ter, and very sad, but quiet and resign
ed. stricken to the dust with her earth
ly hopes, but sweetly resting on Him
who is the widows God and Judge.
Her oldest boy was pensiyely leaning
his head on his mothers arm, while his
baby brother was using ii for play
thing, and twining his tiny fingers in
the silkcn curls which adorned it, thc
only Joyous one ofthe group, for vii
liam was still sorrowtull when bis
Thoughts turned as now to his lost faith
er.
The mothers eye as it was sadly
bent on the water, rested on the group
of men who were standing on its very
edge; at this moment one of them ralS-
cd spyglass to his face. Emma, shud-
dering, turned hastily away, and sick
faint feeling came over her: but she al
most Immediately compelled herselfto
look again, ashamed Of the selfishness
which would not permit her to rejoice
in the happiness OF others, while her
selfwas bereaved and desolate. Some
beating hearts, thought she, are waiting