The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1849-06-14

butterfly, now watching tho angler from
the village bridge, but ever lettering on my
way. ] saw my little sister die, and alter
her, one By one, in that season Of terrible
epidemic, my four brothers. followed my
father to the grave, the last victim Of that
pestilence: wept with my surviving pa
rent: proposed always 10 stay by her:
was her al ia all. And then, with the
fight Of years, came other pictures. Twas
older and more adventurous, but, fear,
not wiser nor better. A strange longing
Tor the sea had seized me. had secretly
joined ship sailing to the Mediterranean.
and was nov on INV return. But, alas!
was never to see that happy home again.
The svenging bolt Of God had overtaken
me. No mother would ever weep above
nv ashes. no kind hand would deck the sod
with flowers. NV doom was to be tossed to
and fro. midway down the depths Of ocean.
until tho trumpe. Of the archangel should
sound.
The night began to close in. Darker
and darker the shades Of evening fell around
the waste Of waters, and tho wind n il
went by, seemed moaning my requiem
Occasionally the lightning threw CHASTITY
radiance across the water. ] was cold,
weary, and bali supplied. No longer able
to buffet against fate ss had done. took
in each moment larger draughts OF the bri-
nv element. In fact I was drowning
Things actual and things visionary-thc
present and the past--began to commingle
in my brain in . wild phantasmagoria.-
Feccs Of childhood. the sweet faces Of my
dear brothers and sisters, looked at me from
the sky above; while hidcous ones, the
counienances seen in fever dreams, grin
ned out from the spray around. Confused
noises, too, were in INV cars. There was
music 6 if from celestial spheres; then
notes as il demons laughed 10 the gale
Gradually oil things. soen OF heard, became
more and more indistinct; . dead blank
swan before me, leaving only the sensa-
iion Of blacknc.s: and then followed utter
forgeifalness, tho stupor Of the dead-or
rather that trance between liio and death,
when the body il exhausted but the vital
spark not yet fled--that one dead pause be-
tween this world and the next.
have no recollection Of any thing Fur
Their, until was partially reused from my
insensihiitv by hand being laid on me.
The mex, instant was dragged violently
through the water. and thrown on my chest
across some sharp substance, which ] con-
cluded was the gunwnle Of boat. fell
with such force a. to eject from me, ~ from
. force pump, tho water ::.ad swallowed
The excessive pain reused me 10 more COM
plete consciousness. languidlv opened
nv eyes. thought ] recognized familiar
faces; the doubt was settled Immediately
by veil known voice.
"Easy here, Jack--poor fellow! he il
almost gonc--now, my hearties!"
The words were spoken in the kind tone
of the mate. knew now that had been
picked up by our ships boat. She Was ~
ing head-on 10 the waves To prevent her
being swamped while she took me up. O.
beving the directions of tho mate, the men
With a second effort lifted me completely
out Of the water, and laid mo in tho stern
sheets Of the boat.
allow do you feel!'' asked the mate
"God help US, NC we're looking Tor You 10
the wrong direction. ill, all At once. l re-
membered YOU ought 10 be TO windward,
and 80 IT last made you out, mere spcck
on the horizon. We bad hard pull to
reach you too! At first thought We should
be swampcd. But here you are safe
And now. lads. give way Justify"
The crew II these words. put double
strength into their oars, and away Ne sped
toward the ship. What q sensation Of
comfort and security came over me a.
felt the planks under me, and heard the
waters, which. cheated Of their PROV, fol-
lowed roaring in her wake.
looked up toward the mate, who steer
ing with one hand, vas covering me With
his jacket with the other. He was doing il,
too, rs tcnderly m q mother wraps Der
babe. Oh! how full nv heart vas. ltrisd
10 raise myself on my elbow and speak.
"Nay, shipmatc." be said, placing his
hand on my shoulder gently. ~ IL TO press
me down. "not q word. You need rest !;
you were three hours in the water"
In truth this little excrtion had made me
dizzy. ] heard bis words a in a dream,
and sunk back, while all things seemed to
whirl around me. closed my eyes. and
presently, in whisper, the mate said
HE sleeps. don't think BIO could have
stood il five minutes looees. Who would
have told bis moiher?n
From this time until awoke in nv berth
| lay 10 state Of profound insensibiIisy.-
They have since told mo that on reaching
tho ship they thought ne gone; but that By
chatting my limbs, and employing strineen.
restoratives they recovered me. soon
after sunk into a refreshing sleep. and
when swoke in tho morning VS. perfect.