Democratic banner., 1846-04-11

some steps in advance Of the party, watch
ing for the nod to command his march to a
kind of pier where the fisherman and the
bow we're to embark. GOOD luck, good
exclaimed the old man, good luck,
and . safe home again, John, ye want no
more but Gods blessings, and that We may
have for asking; but 70 may as we'll take
mine, too-God bless you, and good bye to
ye.'
The blessing was heartily echoed by his
kind partner and his children, and wihstling
as he went, with his boat hook on his Shout
der, his dog Neptune, before and his boy fol-
lowing, he trudg ed along the beach.
With the earliest dawn of the morning,
the 6sherman's family was astir; the elder
girl was busily arranging their little parlor,
while the younger was preparing the break
fast table, and the mother spreading before
the fire the clothes OF her husband and her
boy. An hour passed and she grew some.
what uneasy that he had remained abroad
beyond the usual period of hrs return An
other hour had elapsed, when she said 10
her father, "Father, 60 out to the hillock,
and try if you can see his sail uponthe wa
ter; he seldom stays out SO long when the
sea is calm and the weather is fair; my lit
tile boy was not quite well last night, and this
alone should have fastened ain home"
The old man went forth, and one by one
his grand children followed him, until the
mother was left alone, rocking the cradle Of
her x~nconcious babe. After the lapse of
another hour, her daughter entered with the
new, that a ueighbor had spsken to her ia
Their in the night and that he would certainly
be soop home
"God grant it," said she, and she spoke
in a tone Of deep anxiety, he never was a.
way so long but once, that vas when he
saved the crew of the ship Mary; and then
the whirI of he sinking vessel we'll nigh
made his grave"
Again she stirred the fire, again arranged
the clothes before it, and poured some hot
" ater into the tea cups Still the breatfas,
remained untouched.
The sun was now soaring to its meridian
height whom once more the family assem-
bledi in their humble dwelling; the prop Of
the whole val yet wanting. They sal
down. to the cherries meal, the seats at Ell
Their side Of the wife remaiaed vacant. The
old man was the only individual who ap'
psared to anticipate no evil;but he hastily
finished his breakfast and went forth.
The noon was rapidly passing, and the sur
had already given tokens of her glory Of
his departure, when the fisherman's wife
lulled her infant to sleep went hersslfto tht
hill that commanded an extensive view Of
the widespread ocean. All that little
household soon assembled on the spot, bu'
no boat was seen on the waters-nothiag
that could give hope except the aspect Of
the waves, which looked too placid to b.
dangerous.
Their deep dread was no longert to be
concealed; and while thsold man paced &c
and fro, looking earnestly at brief interval.
over the lonely sea, the mother and daugh.
ter were sobbing audibly.
"Fearless let him be whose trust is il
lis Cod" exclaimed he father. The sen.
.tcnce was uttered unvoluntarily, but it hat
its effect.
cav" said the mother, she always trus.
ted in his God, and God will not fo.sakc him
now"
do you remember jane" continued The
old man, how often Providence was will
me, amid the storm and the wreck, wheT
help from man was afar off and woIld hav,
been useless if near? And they encoursg-
ed one another to hope for the be,t-buttc
submit to the decree of Heaven, whether i
came as the gentle dew to nourish. or a
the heavy rain to oppsess. From that hill
lock which overlooked the ocean, ascendee
the mingled prayers that God would no
leave them desolate.
The fisherman, the object of their hopes
and fears had been very successful durin.
the night when at daybreak, as he was pre-
pairing to return home he remembered hi
promise to bring with him some sea wes'
to manure the potato plot behind the cottage
lie was now close TO rocks which was onl.
+ observable at low water; he pulled for them
jumped on shore. fastened the painter o.
; his boat to juttirg part Of cliff, and tool
his boat with him.
He collected a sufficient quantity Of thu
2 weed, but in his eagerness TO obtain it, HI
> had wandered from the landing, when hi
heard his boy loudly hallooing and e1claim
, ing that the painter was loose. tie rushe,