Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1842-12-02

Il
d passed across his face, and he answered in
j. tone of grief that brought the tears into othe
y eyes than mine.
o II feel 1 am. Oh! my poor mother :
!, my poor, poor widowed mother, who viii
II care for you when I am gone /"
III WILL" said with emotion "if Go,
u spares me to reach the land, will seek he
out, and tell her all about you-what a nobl,
fellow you were."
: "And--and," and here blush shot ove
: his pale face, twill you see that she nevel
wants; will youl" he continued eagerly
g! will" said I, "rest easy on that point
my dear, noble boy"
. faye and while there 5 a shot in The
locker for Bill Seaton she shall never want, y
said the tepman, pressing in his own horny
hand the more delicate one of the boy.
"God bless you'll" murmured the lad
family, and he closed his eyes. For mo.
ment there was silence, the hot tears falling
on his face as leaned over him. At length
ne looked mp; smile Of joy was on his
countenance, and his lips moved. put nv
ear to them and listened.
",Mother-father-I die happy, for we
shall! meet in heaven" were the words that
tell IN broken murmurs from his lips, and
the then ne sunk back on my lap and was dead.
The sun, at the instant, was lust sinking be-.
hind the distant seaboard. All! little did
MS mother, asshe gazed on the declining H.
minary, from her humble cottage window,
think that that sun beheld the dying hour of
her boy. Little did she think, as she knelt
that night in prayer for him, that she was
praying for one whose silent corpse rocked
tar away on the fathomless sea. Let Us hone
that when, in her sleep, she dreamed of
hearing his loved voice once more, his spirit
was lowering over her, whispering comfort
in her ear. Thank God that we can believe
the dead thus revisit earth, and become min
lsterlng angels to the sorrowing who are left
behind?
Another sun went and came, and even
the stoutest of hearts began to give way
For twenty-three days had we drifted on the
painless deep, and in all that time not sail
had appeared; nothing had met our sight
but the brazen sky above and the unbroken
deep below. During the greater portion of
that period we had lain motionIess on the
gitterlng sea, for a succession of Gains had
prevailed, keeping US idly rocking on the
long, monotonous swell. When the sun of
the twenty-fourth day, rose, vast and red,
there was not one of US whose strength was
more than that Of an infant; and though, at
the ilrst intimation of dawn, we gazed around
the horizon as we were wont, there was lit
lie Of hope in our dim and glazing eyes.
Suddenly, however, the topman's look be.
came animated and the color went and came
INTO his face, betokening his agitation. Fol-
lowing the direction of his eyes, l saw a
small, white speck far off on the horizon. L
felt the blood rushing to the ends of nv fin
gers, while dizziness came over nv sight.
controlled my emotion, however, with an
effort. AT the same instant the doubts of
the topman appeared TOT give way, and wav-
ing his hand around his head, he shouted.
"A sail! Ia sail I"
Whereaway ?" eagerly asked dozen
feeble voices, while others of the crew who
were too far gone TO speak, turned their fad
ing eyes in the direction in which all were
now looking.
"Just under yonder feecy cloud"
:" can't see it," said one, ''surely there
is mistake"
" No; we are in the trough of the sea
wait till we rise--there!'
81 see i'll see it-huzza I" shouted
several.
Asudden animation seemed to peryade all.
Some rose to their feet and clasping each
other in their arms, wept deliriously some
cast themselves on their knees and returned
thanks to God, while some gazed vacantly
from one face to another, every now and
then breaking out into hysterca laughter.
For time it seemed as if all had forgotten
that the strange sail was still far away, and
that she might never approach near enough
to be hailed. But these thoughts fnaiIy
found their way into the hearts Of the most
sangune, and gradually the exhiaration of
sudden hope gave way to despair, or the even
more dreadful uncertainty ofsuspense. Hour
after hour, with flushed cheeks and eager
eyes. the sufferers watched the course of that
strange sail, and when at length her topsails
began to lift. and her approach was no longer
faint huzza rose up from their
overcharged hearts, and once more they ex-
hibited the wild deirious Joy which had
characterized the first discovery of the stran-
ger.
The approaching sail was apparently a |
merchant ship of the largest class, and the |
number of her look-outs seemed to intimate
that she was armed. She was coming down
toward US in gallant style, her canvass belly.
ing out in the breeze, and the foam rolling
in cataracts under her bows. Once we |
thought that she was about to alter her course
her head turned partially around and one |
or two OF her sails shook in the wind-but,
after moments anxious suspense, we saw
her resume her course, her head pointed near. |
ly towards US. For some time we watched
her in silence, eagerly awaiting the moment,
when she should perceive her lug sail. But
we were doomed to be disappointed. Min
ute after minute passed by, after we had as
sured ourselves that we were nigh enough
TO be seen, and yet the stranger appeared
unconscious of our vicinity. She was ow
nearly abreast of us, running free before the
wind, just out of hail. Our hearts throbbed |
with intense anxiety. But though several
minutes more had passed, and she was d.