Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1847-02-11
be bound to the stakes. They were

their shoulders. Ellie was rather taller
than her mother, bu, this suited the pur-
pose Of their execuiioners all the better
for they would no, have both die al once
II Again came the shepherd lad 10 John.
ston-he said that Mr.. Cameron prayed
him on his knees to take his life, and
spare his wife and chIld--and Johnston
turned and saw the miserable man kneel-
ling upon the hill, with his arms out
stretched for mercy. And again nc
laughed loudly, and still louder-as il
he wished his supplicator to hear his
mockinQ answer. See he does hear
the clasps his hands together, and
h falls upon his face on the green sward.
II Tell the villain said Johnston TO the
boy, to remember his sermon four months
go,-but stay continued he scoffingy,
as the boy was turning slowly away,
ask him why he prays to me am not
Touching the woman-if he be one oi
the saints, let him pray to that God who
| holds, as | have often heard him say,
the waters in the hollow Of his hand and
perhaps lie will prevent the running up
Of the tide--if lie does not, why surely
IFS not my fault
And the soldiers laughed, and swore
among themselves il was q very good
and witty speech oftheir captains. We
shall see.
H Johnston looked to witness the effect
of his message--Cameron walked eager
ly towa ards the lad to hear his tdings.
Suddenly he stood still as if transfix ed
then, wonder Of wonders to his enemy,
he really did kneel down, and stretch
out his hands, no longer downwards to-
wards his unleclng feIlow-man, but up
wards to the calm, magnificent Heav-
en-, and Him who reigns therein.
II What a picture The husband and
father on the hilltop, Gods first altar,
with his arms ouistretched in supplicatlon
To the all-beholding, almighty God
The mother aud daug Inter in the waves
below, with faces on which the dove OF
peace sits visiby brooding, raising their
voices in hymn whose sweet concord
seems to chime in with the harmony Of
the eternal sea, and go up together to
unite with the glorious anthem forever
pealing from the sun, and moon, and
stars And as the tide rises higher and
higher, louder and louder swells that
sweet strain, as if the food swelled fuller
and stronger, it pressed every moment
with increasing force upon the still closed
portal Of heaven.
And between those two pictures, aw-
fol but beauti(ul--the ruthless band Of
soldiory, with dull, swar,hy light upon
their faces, as if upon them shOne The
red, horrible fires Of the Pit
And above all, as we said, the clear,
cain, sky but no, it is clear and calm
no longer-for the tempest IS abroad,
and its cloudy legions are gathering to-
gether. And sudden wind has arisen
ii already begins to blow sharply from
the Wesl--oFV THE LAND. The cheer
ful light of the sun no longer animates
the scene--it is as if the sins Of man had
risen up from the earth, and interposed
between il and the smile Of its Maker
Low in the Wes, the black clouds stretch
from horizon TO horizon--black, heavy,
as if the day Of doom were at hand
And as they mount rapidly up towards
the zenith, how the winds roar and howl.
Now they come on full wing like ten
thousand furies-the trees bend and
creak-ihe air is filled with sand, with
dust and dirt from the ploughed fields,
with leaves and broken boughs-the hur-
ricane is upon them.
And still, unrnoved through all, that
husband and father kneels and prays
upon the hill, and the wife and daughter
in up their song What is it to him
,ha, the elements rage and struggle,
when those most dear TO his heart are at
the point Of doom-he prays earnestly,
but says nothing, except these two words
oh God-oh God thus ever
prays he ,hro' the roaring Of the tempest.
And what is it to them, with the wa
ter already up almost TO the mothers lips,
that the elements rage and struggle
Still rises their hymn Of praise, though
the waves no longer join harmoniously
with il, and The furious winds would fain
drown their weak voices--yctt they know
tha, Gods great ear is still open, and
they still sing on.
The soldiers, however, have left the
beach and now cluster in the cottage,
gazing out through the door and win
dows, whenever the storm subsidies a
little, to see if the waters have yet COW
cred their victims.
But still the wind blows-blows from
the West furiousl y-AND OFF THE LAND.
Glory to God Glory to God
The storm has abated The soldiers
rush down TO the beach. Still rises that
hymn, bu, now very family, scarcely au-
dible, from those glorious women. Sud-
denly one Of the soldiers utters great
shout. Others hosten to the rock upon
which he is gazing.
The tide has turned, cry some.
'The tide has turned others repeat,
with n tone of reverence in their voices,
'The tide has turned, God has listened
to my prayer-he holds the waters in the
hollow Of his hand-ho speaks. and the
winds obey him ! said solemn voice,
as MI. Cameron walked calmly amongst
them.
Il