Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1841-12-02
WOODSTOCK, VIRGINIA: DECEMBER ,, ls4l

would have given thousands to see it re-
turn on the same hand; but now an
convinced that he. is amoug the unknell
ed victims that feed the monsters Of thu
Deep
.iIow long since your husbands de
| parture:?'
Fourteen years.
Gould you recognize him after 50 lon5
an absence?'
T 'Most certainly could. If his Tea.
lures are so changed, just behind tbs
thumb Of his left wrist, his name is in
scribed IN usfading characters, in that
cannot be deceived
| Read that says the stranger, as she
gave her his callous hand. The lady was
/ Just able to read sDavid Potter and
sank exhausted By her agitated feelings.
The noise of her fall brought Morane in-
to the apartment with several of the
wedding guests who had now arrived up
on the floor, and surprising some vio-
lence had been done. to her person, they
ordered the supposed ruAian to leave the
house immediately. In vain did he pro-
test his innocence. He was seized and
| forcibly dragged out. As soon as Mrs.
P. had recovered sutficienty.to speak
:merciful heaven, exclaimed the anxious
lady, where is my husband, where is
Captain Potter? Dol dream, or is it a
reality?' sfhe woman is mad, says enc,
'her brain is crazed, cried another. sit
is the wild impulse Of "a DREAM continu-
ed third.
Capt. Potter, who had been thus for
chilly dragged from his own house, was
at length called back to the scene from
which he had been compelled, tho reluc-
family to retire. The priest, who had
arrived, was overoyed to see his Old
friend the Captain. sRejoice,' said he
to Mrs. Potter. thy husband was dead
and is alive, was lost and is found. -
Captain Potter now requested all to be
seated, that he might make known to
them the story of his long absence
Order was soon restored, and he pro-
ceeded as follows: You behold in me
the same Captain Potter who has been
an unwilling exile from his home for four
teen years. was captured by an Alge-
rine pfate-ship near the Island Of Malta,
and compelled to serve these vile hordes.
Oh, how hard is servitude among a peo-
pie whose tenderest mercies are cruel
was forced to labor at the oar, and
when from fatigue, could no longer
grasp it, the mascies of my wrists were
scared with hot brick until my hands
were immovably clenched. | sighed for
death to remove may insupportable load.
Every year seemed an age.so tardily did
the wheels of time move along. At length
by treaty with the United States, the
Dey Of Algiers was required to release
all American slaves. Being set at lib
erty, we encountered furious gale
which drove the vessel on desert Islands
Here all the crew persisted except four,
who were taken p by merchant ship
in state of insensibility. The vessel
which rescued us was bound for the East
Indies. On her return to Liverpool,
was pressed on board man Of war, and
compelled to serve three years before J
could make my escape.
From the moment learned this in
tended marriage, resolved to surprise
you in the manner you have seen: you
saw me weep at the sight of my own
Mary; they were the tears Of joy. Hav-
ing suffered incredible hardships both BY
sea and land, | stand before you in these
tattere6 garments with a broken constitu-
ton. rendered infirm by intense bodily
exercise, yet rejoicing that am permit
ted to stand among my former friends.
and in the land Of the free. and said
the sterm-beatean mariner, addressing
himself to his wife, If you prefer your
former husband, he will be happy in
your CHOICE LET me have my first be-
trothed,' said the agitated lady.
Poor Morane sat ike one forlnrn, he
attempted to appear Indifferent, but re-
| tired as soon as the forms OF ceremony
would permit. His career was short, he
\same to the grave wretched inebriate
lew short years. On the following
ntain Potter invited his friends and
20 meet him at his country
80 was one Of lively IN
indelibly stamp
Aneyer to fofsake