Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1845-10-17
to 90 without the knowledge of his mother.


opened il and escaped. 1t was a beautiful
night, and as he proceeded round the corner
of the house to get small bundle of clothes
which he had concealed the day before, his
heart beat with unusual violence, and for
few moments faintness came over him at
the thought Of leaving mother and sister,
the only objects on earth whom he had truly
loved. He stopped for a moment, as if med
itating better resolution, and then proceed
ed to the gate. which he opened and went
out. Here he again Observation-Disclosures
d-liugered-hesitate even put his
hand again on the laichet, half resolved to
creap once more to his little bedroom. But
at that moment the low call Of Thornton, at
some distance, reached his ear-he had lin
gered longer than he was aware, and now
the moment arrived when he must go, il at
all. With sort of desperation of feeling,
he hastcned away, the tears trckling down
his cheeks as lie babe adieu 10 the humble
cottage which contained all he loved on EARTH
His bundle was still under his arm, and in
that bundle I am glad to say, was 'moth-
er's glft'-ihe pocket bible. Charles felt he
could not 60 without that, and perhaps he
felt that the discovery that he had taken it,
might serve somewhat to assuage moth.
er,s sorrow.
Before morning, the young sailors were
long way towards the seaport whence they
expected 10 sail, and couple of days bro't
them quite there. The ship, it so happened,
was ready, and Charles having been accep-
ted on the recommendation of Thornton,
took up his line of duty before the mast.
Shortly after, the ship weighed anchor, and
stretched forth on far and distant voyage.
must leave my reader to imagine, if they
are able, the surprise and even consterna.
ton Of Mrs. Grant and Alice, the morning
following Charles departure, at not finding
him in the house, nor about the premises.
What could 1t mean? what errand could
have called him away? at what hour did
he leave what accident could have be-
fallen him
Search was made for him by the increas.
ingly anxious and terrified mother and sister
for an hour and more, before they ventured
to make known their soicitude to their neigh
bors. My own residence was not far distant;
and before | had finished my breakfast,
messenger in haste made known the truly
distressing situation of Mrs. Grant and Alice,
l FASTENED to the householder friends at no
distance were there-inquirics were ins,itu-
ted-messengers we're despatched around the
town, but not the slightest tdings could be
obtained, and even conjecture was baffled.
At length, however, Mrs. Grant made the
discovery that his better suit was gone, and
there was a trancient CLEAN Of joy on her
face as she announced that his pocket Bible
was also not in his chest. Some days passed
LONG days, and long gloomy nights, before
any satisfactory intelligence was received,
and then the amount of that intelligence was
in short but affectionate letter from Charles
himself, Just then on the eve of sailing for
the Pacific ocean. 1t runs thus:
MY DEAR MOTHER Can you, will you,
forgive me the step have taken without
your knowled &c or consent? My heart has
smote me every hour since left you. am
at -, and on board The ship -, which
sails in an hour for the Pacific ocean. Fond
est, best Of mothers, do not grieve; l will
one day return to bless and comfort you and
my dear Alice. must do something for
you and her. Kiss her for me. Mother l
Can write no more, only hope that shall
have your prayers. have got my pocket
bible, and shall keep it next TO my heart
Farewell. Your affectionate son.
P. S. have somewhere read, what
am sure will prove true in my own case:
"Where'er rove whatever realms see,
My heart, untrammelled, fondly turns to thee"
By some means, the letter did not reach
the post Office as soon as il should have done
and the uncertainty bore heavily on the heart.
of the mother and sister. The post master
on its arrival, kindly sent it to me and hop.
ing that it contained tidings of the lost child
| venturcd to break the seal. The truth
sorrowful as il was-was great relief, ant
vas felt to be so by Mrs. Grant and Alice
Yet for season-and who can marvel p
their hearts were filled with sadness which
scarcely admitted of alleviation-it was q
dark and mysterious providence. and when
friends called in, as they often did, to mingl'
their tears with the weeping, and to admins
ter consola ton, the most they could do wa
TO say His ways are in the sea, and his iudg
ments pas, finding out
But time does something-relpion doe
more. By degrees these sorrowing one
were able to pray, and as the Christian poe
says, Prayer makes the darkest cloud with
draw
So it did for them. They did not, indee,
recover their wonton cheerfulness, but the,
were calm and subdued. No murmur es
3 capped the mothers lips, and even Alic
+ seemed to have imbIbed the spirit of hol
I resignation. Father, thy will be DONE
. But there we're days Of keen and bitter an
: guish, and in those nights, when the storu
swept its angry blast across their humbl
, dwelling, and rocked their bed, il was impos
sible for mothers heart not 10 trembIe 70
i. her sailor boy, far of upon the stormy ocean
and perhaps suffering the perls of the bill
lowy tempest. But even at such times sh
. was enabled to commit herself and her wan
dering child to the care of covenant keep
ing God-uttering the language of holy con
6dsnce-'His faiihfulness is as the evorlasi
|, ing mountains Though He slay me, We,
n will trust in Him.
O Four years elapsed, aud nothing was hear
n of Charles Grant. Sometime during III
d second year of his absence rumor resche
h US that ship supposed 10 be the -
J. which sailed from --, and on board {
J. which Charles wus supposed TO be, was burr
j. al sea, and that bu. two or three only wer
70 saved, ard among them was young ma
% named Grant. But the rumor though NJ
I. contradicted, was not confirmed, and anotht