Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-12-03
select Tales.
THE SHIPWRECK
BY II. 8. BOWERS.


hands, and running to and fro in the crowd
But all turned away There was scarcely a
soul present who had not suffered at the hands
of the hard-hearted money lender
"Oh for the love of God--you who are
fathers, think ofme. My daughter will perish
will you not go for her, Townsend? I'll give
you anything anything in reason"
" Go off for her ! not 7" said the man, with
mocking laugh, shaking off the mser " all
your gold would not tempt me on that boiling
sea- Besides, amt father, too? and think
you I'll sacrifice my life for another? No, no,
old hulk, you must take your gold and carry it
to some other market
"Oh she will die--my child, for whom
have saved all. Peter Jones, will you go if |
will give you a thousand dollars ?"
No. not for ten thousand !" grullly answered
the person addressed " boat couldn't live in
the breakers a moment"
al will give ten thousand to any one"
eagerly said the miser-" ten thousand dollars,
| know you will go for ten thousand dollars,
Simon" and he seized one of the spectators by
the button Of his shaggy jacket. "Oh, 60, and
the blessings OF broken-hearted father will go
with you"
can't think of it, for L never return to
enjoy your money. No, old man" he said in
a more feeling tone than the other had used,
"your daughter must die"
L" Must dit p Oh no, she slant de Take
all that | am worth, good sirs " he sad lifting
up his hands imploringly, " but restore me my
daughter, onIy-onIy | hope you'll spare US
enough to live upon if it's no more than beg
gar enjoys"
It's no use, old man" said the last speaker
" the whole world would not tempt us out on
sea like this It's hard lot you've got to bear,
and ply your daughter, for she was sweet
angel. But the packet will 60 to pieces in half
an hour, so you see there is no more hope"
The father heard the speaker in stony silence,
Then he turned and looked out to sea, where
a few minutes before the stranded packet
might be seen through the approaching twilight,
almost buried IN the whrling foam that howIed
over the bar on which she lay; but now dark
ness had shut her in from view, and the only
knowledge that could be had of her position,
was from the sound of her minute guns boom
ing solemny across the sea The old man
grOaned, and sinking down upon board, buried
his hands, and rocked his body to and fro, DC.
caslonally pausing to listen to the guns, or gaze
seaward, and then reSuming his position, moa-
ming continually Five minutes must have
passed, when young man burst through the
crowd, and shaking the old man by the shoulder
said
I" Mr., SIZZLING, they say your daughter is on
board the packets it so 2"
eyes, good youth, and you have come tc
&rescue her." he exclaimed starting up with
eager Joy but when he recognized the speaker
he said, in a tone of bitter disappointment, its
Harry Martin. Oh surely, young man, you
have not come to triumph over my distress 2"
God forbid was the lervent reply; i came
to aid you, if indeed mortal can in an extremity
like this. Let byegones be 5yegones Only
answer me one question, for no time is to be
lost-wlIl you give me your daughter if l sue
coed in rescuing her?
There was momentary pause, and the mus
Giles of his face worked convulsyeIy. All press
ed forward to hear his answer, for the fury with
which the old man had pursued his daughter
lover, and his declaration that he would sooner
see her dead than married to the young man,
were known to every listener.
AT length he gasped-
YES yes, but go at once. Only save her and
she shall be yours
The youth paused no longer, but dashed thro'
the crowd. In a minute his boat was ahoat,
and, accompanied by one solitary individual
for but one fisherman, and he under great obi
cations to the young man, could be persuaded
to risk his life with the lover-set forth The
boat rose CALAMITY on the wave, shaking the
spray from her Sides and for minute was seen
momentariIy emitting the outlines of the gloomy
sky as she attained the summit of billow; then
she gradually pressed into the darkness, and was
seen no more
For more than all hour the crowd remained
on the beach, almost incredulous of the lovers
success, yet lingering in the faint hope that he
might return with his precious freight, That
he had the good wishes Of all was evident from
the eagerness with which they strained their
eyes into the gloom to see if he was returning
and the audible prayers for his success which
were breathed by more than one of the women
Apart from the general crowd stood the fisher
man whom the miser had last appealed to, sur
rounded by few kindred spirits, who were dis
cussing with him the chances of the young
mans return. 1T was madness to attempt it,
said the fisherman, but when found he woulc
60, insisted that be should make his conditions
with the old man before he ventured; for you see
if his daughter was once fairly restored to tn
old usurer's arms, little gratitude would he hav
for her preseVer aud Harry would stand as ba
a chance as ever. Between us, | think sh
thought as much of the young man as he did c
her, and if her father sent her away, as I NOR
than half suspect, to drive Martin from her mind
her present danger would seem to be somethin
like the retrlbution of higher power as pur
ishment for his conduct But bark was nc