The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1845-06-25

knowing that Mrs Howe would feel lonely
and sad, and had come early in the morning
10 the cottage, and was now weeping too
probably out ofsympathy. An old lady,"ho
was rather fond of peering into other peo-
pies matters, reported that the damsel was
seen to weep even before she had got to the
widows and that John whispered something
in her ear, Just as he bent over her to bid her
good bye, which made the tears come in tor
cents; but it seems so improbable that he
would have taken that hour 10 say any thing
so cruel as to make beautiful girl weep
that never could believe more than half of
the old lady's story. Nor can | really believe
that she wcpt, because in the hurry aud ex-
element of the occasion, John snatched his
mothers scissors, and in twinkling, while
she was half refusing aud halfconsenting, eat
of a curl ofhair which seemed to hang la
lilly upon her fair, high forehead.
The life ola sailor is hard one. He ex-
poses his life every moment, and endures ia
iigues which shortly wear him into cid age
or he early Yields up his breath to a foreign
hospital, or Is buried in the oceans bed. Too
brave TO ask pity or complain, we, who dwell
in ceiled houses, and sleep in ease while
storms rage without, knowing nothing of
hardships, unless now and then, we chance
TO read of a shipwreck, which occupies, per-
haps haIfa dozen lines, while column Is Ia
ken up in describing the foot and the dress of
a shamelessdanc
The boys had now been gone over three
ycars.-Thcy had been 10 almost every port
which is visited by ships. They had pro-
cured another chest for curiOsities, while
their mountaIn-chest was shared between
them. They had sustained a good charac-
ter-had saved their wages-had unaccoun-
tably resisted the strongest temptations to
open sin, and were now on their way home.
In the Till of the chest was the Bible their
mother put there, and which they sOemnly
promised that they would read every day, till
their return, even il it were but two verses,
unless in such storm that they could not all
day 90 to their chest. This promise they
faithfully kept, and this was one secret OF
their power TO resist temptation. Another
was, that they we're not generally both temp
ted at the same time, or in the same degree
consequently one always bad strength by
which to aid the other,
They were now on their way home, and
hoped that in 4 few days more the lofty summit
of MCunt Washington would lift itself up in
the distant horizon, aud in Il few days more,
they should shout under the widows bed
room, and make her rise even at midnight to
get their supper. In their new chest they
had divers pretty things from foreign shores,
which they had collected for morher.' Ia
one corner, however, il small parcel carefully
tucked away, containing one OF The pretiiest
shawls 10 be found in Canton, and which, as
james averred, was 'abomuablc waste OF
money'-thc only point i'll which they were
known to disagree.
The wind had been southwest, and the
sky overcast during the day and nightprcce
dug. About sunset the captain came on
deck to prepare for the night. He gazed al
the heavens with an anxious eye.
'.iloltthere, men,
In few moments the men were on the
yards.
/ Send down the royal masts and the roya
! rigs ing-take in the tOp-gallant sals-bear ;
hand, there's no time to loose
! Al this was done, and the ship was uudcl
/ snug sail. The captain himself remained OF
/ the watch till twelve at night, when he wa:
succeeded by the mate and he retired TO rest
| The passengers were all in the cabin while
all the seamen were ON deck, except the two
+ brOthers-who, on account of having been
calledto do double duty the night before, were
now in the foacastlc. Al seemed incrci sing
ly secure, and the sky seemed to be promis
ing better weather. when the ship was sud
denly struck by squalI. The noise awakeC
the Captain, and in a moment he was CT decl
with the speaking trumpet in his hand.
Mr.. Jones, are all the men on deck =
! All but John and Jem, sin
/ Call them up in a trice-stay-lct go th,
topsaii- halyards-;ake hold here, and he'll
me let go the spanker-sheet.
Before these orders could be obeyed- ant
in attempting to let igo the spanker, the cap
tain lost his hold, and was plunged into the
sea, and in a moment the ship was on hel
beam ends. So unexpected and sudden wa:
all this, that only three passengers had time
10 escape from tie cabin, and neither OF thI
brothers from the forecasiie. The captain
succeeded in regaiuing the ship, bet finding
her on her beam ends, aud apparently com
/ pietely full of water. he with the remaining
passengers and seameu cleared the long boat
! in which they all embarked, in the darknes:
( of midnight The hours which were to pass
before DAYLIGHT. seemed TO move on wings o.
/ lead. As daylight opened, however, a shiI
was providcnlially seen TO the southwark, by
/ which they were discovered and taken up
/ The captain ofthe new ship turned his course
and came near the wreck but seeing thai
the sea made complete breach over her, he
concluded it " ould be in vain TO attempt saw
ing any thing.
4 We return to the two brothers. They
/ soon became aware of their situation, few to
the scutie and made desperate attempt 10
remove the boody- hatch, butin vain; the sea
was against it, and the water pouring in on
every side. Within few minutes, it required
their utmost exertions to keep from drown
lug. They were in perfect darkness, some
times, as the ship rolled under water, with
no space of air to breath in. aud nothing be-
B fore them but the prospect of immediate
death. in this situation their minds were
filed with horror. They recalled and talked
{ over the past, the days of their boyhood, the
teachings of their mother, and above all, the
teachings oftbe Holy Bible. They prayed
aloud, by turns, and called upon God, and
made ihe most solemn VOWS, should He de
liver them. Some hours after daylight, they
found their wayto the bulk-head Of the fore
castle, where they found two planks loose
enough to be removed, land the cargo so much
shifted to the leeward ~ to leave a sDace