Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1845-05-02
MONTPELIER, FRIDAY, MAY 2, Is45.


Never had seen being who looked more beauti-
full than that pale, half fainting creature seemed at
that moment. One arm supported her on the dvan,
and the other was thrown around her fathers neck
the blue veins Just dscernbe as they stole along
beneath the ivory skin. Her head rested on the
bosom Of her parent, and the hair loose and un-
bound, streamed in dark glossy ringlets over her
snowy shoulders. At the noise made by my ent.
rance she started raised her hand, and | could
see through the tears that glistened on her ashes
of the sweetest hazel eyes that had ever looked
upon. quick flash shotover~her face, crimson
ed like rose leaf she beheld stranger; and
half starting to her feet she essaycd moment to
speak, and then stood with half opened lips gazing
almost wildly upon me.
For Gods sake fy," | cried, "the ship is on
fire in every part--we can barely escape by the
companion way--in another instant she will blow
up;-why hesitate? ? For Heavens sake come"
"Oh, sir, God bless you for this kindness-lere
is then hope" exclaimed the old man" but Isabel
has tainted" he continued-"go hy, | will die
with her." he added, in a voice of agony, vany es-
saying TO rise in his enfeebled arms the seemingly
lifeless body of his daughter. | looked into her
face. The transition from calm despair to hope
had been too great, and she had indeed tainted. 1t
was no time to hesitate. Hastily raising the beau.
tfu stranger in'my arms, | called the old man to
follow, dashed into the front cabin, hurried up the
companion way, and to my utter horror found the
flames had Just crossed the entrance. For but
second paused. Death was behind, destruction
perhaps, before. Laying my hand upon the old
mans shoulder, urged him ahead, hurredly threw
the shawl of the fair girl around her face and FORM
made bold, desperate push for life and in another
instant, amid the cheers of my men, had gained the
quarter deck The boat shot to the side, a dozen
arms extended to receive my burden, | care.
fully gave it in charge to the nearest almost sung
the old man AFTER and sprngng with bound into
the stern sheets, waved my arm, and shouted,
pulled before, pull now, for your lives, my men p
obeyod. With one soul they bent their
brawny arms to the task, and while the ash almost
snapped beneath them, made the boat whirl from
the quarter, and then sent her, with the yelocy of
the sea-gull over the deep. Nota word was spok-
en-. The old man sat beside me in the bewder-
ment of gratitude, astonshment, and half dissipal
ed fright; while the form of his still inanirnate
child was extended, unaided for the mot1ent by
his SIDE 1t was indeed no time for delay. Every
man knew we were pulling for life or death. The
other boat was nearly mile ahead, skimming along
swiftly from the devoted ship Far off on the moon
lit horizon lay our schooner with all her exquisite
tracery reflected on the wave beneath and seeming
with her thin, taper, raking masts, like some uria
vessel floating half way between the sea and the
sky. Down to the right the burning ship, pre-
senting vast body Of lurd fire, that roared along
her Sides streamed from her ports, eddied spirally
up the nasts, and leaped in large masses straight
out into the sky. Now and then, as her guns be-
came heated, they went off with roar like thun-
der, Meantime, the dense smoke, gathering in q
thick cloud above, hung like pail over the con-
Stunning ship. For some nstans, the flames ap-
peared TO die in part away; but all once n stream
of intense fire, that almost blinded the eyes, eaped
perpendcularly up from the decks the horizon for
miles around was Illuminated with light more WV
id than that Of the brightest MONDAY; part of the
foremost, lifted bodily out, shot like an arrow al
most cabo-ength on high; a conclusion ensued
that made the boat shiver like reed and rock q
moment frghtfully about; and then a stunning roar
followed, shaking the armament to its centre, and
sounding as if thousand broadsides had been dis
| charged at once. For a moment, as the burning
| fragments sailed aloit, falling on every hand about
while the boat rolled wildly to and fro upon the
agitated swell, we held our breaths in momentary
expectation of death, and invountariy calculated
"The Lord have mercy on us ALL"
"Amen!" said the rescued father at my side.
But we are again almost miraculously preserved
The offng we had gained, though not sufficient tc
ensure safety proved great enough to relieve u:
from inevitable destruction. Had any of the fall
ing timbers, however struck us, we should have al
! gone down together. AS it was, it one of tht
! narrowest escapes | ever made and when gave
the command to the crew to give way again-for a
that terrible explosion they had one man PAUSED
! "a gush of thanktuness and devotion went III
from my heart to the great author of my being
who had thus preserved a second time my life
The deaening uproar, however, recalled the sen
of that fair girl at my side. But will not des
crbe her gratitude, and that of her parent to my
self, whom they persisted in considering the pre-
, server Of their lives Suffice it to say wer
soon on boaad, the Captain delicately resigned hi
own cabin 10 the strangers, and | then had eisur
7 10 learn particulars concerning their histc
} nv. They are easily told. Mr. Thornton, the IA
+ ther of Isabel, was a wealthy West Indaman an
J was just returning from Great Britain, with h
daughter. who had been there tor several years OF
e tanning her education. Before the Letter of Ma
que sailed, she had been fitted up by Mr.. Thorntc
in a style bordering on eastern luxury, with furn
, ture intended principally for his mansion house
d Jamaica. But at this moment message arrive
!. soliciting my presence with Mr. Thornton. As
d entered the cabin, he frankly extended his han
: and presented me to his now blushing daughter
for what woman, be she whom she may, can star
e unembarrassed in the presence of one 10 whom 81
I, fancies she owes her life. have had many m
n men,s of pleasure, but never felt as then fe
o when Isabel Thornton, extending her hand to II
e with her sweetest smile uttered her thanks
!, "But how" said |, to change the subject, I'D
q it happen, my dear Miss Thornton, that you we
, in the cabin, when the rest had escaped"
m " In the general alarm we forgotten, for
of had been hurried to the hold during the confii
Id and when the fire broke out we were overiCokt
IS We had Just reached the cabin through a forwa
Id door below, and believing the ship destroyed, h
W despaired of all hopes of escape, when youy
1t appeared"
or 81 had forgot till this moment we were foe
e. said gaily determined to avoid the coming than
nc But foes or not--contnucd Harry, turning to
e. wife with smile-Isabel is now my bride; a
d, often when speak of the sacrifice she has ma
ly in leaving her native land for me, she reminds I
~ with grateful tears that saved her life that
Ill yentful night.
I'd, For the Waterman and journal
IT. THOUGHTS ON SLAVERY