The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-01-23

IL, sudkluR INC uvofo NiuuOWb Vi inc Olu
house, and roaring in its vast chimney The
woman was dying when we arrived, and her
drunken husband was sitting in stupid unconcern
In the corner Of the fre-place A little after
midnight she breathed her last
In the mean time the storm had grown
more violent there was binding snowfall in
the air, and we could feel the jar of the great
waves as they broke upon the beach
alt is terrible night for sailors on the COAST
said, breaking our long silence with the dead.
"God grant them sea-room "
Julia shuddered as | spoke, and by the dim
flashing freight / saw she was weeping. Her
thoughts knew were with her old friend and
playmate on the wild waters.
"Julian said l. ado you know that Robert Bar
net loves you with all the strength of an honest
and true heart %
She trembled, and her voice sltered as she
confessed that when Robert was at home, be had
asked her to become his wife
"And, like fool, you refused him. suppose
the brave generous fcllowm
ooh, Doctorw she exclaimed a. how can you
tdlh oOs IL just ucOturC iNVoNie ~ oO SoVu, anu
noble, and generous, that dared not take him at
his word. You yourself, Doctor, would have des-
pissed me if / had taken advantage Of his pity or
his kind remembrance Of the old days when we
were children together. | have already brought
too much disgrace upon those dear to me-"
| was endesvoring to convince her, in reply,
that she was doing injustice to herself and wrong
ing her best friend, whose happiness depended in
a great measure upon her, when, borne on the
strong blast, we both heard q faint cry as of hu-
man being in distress. | threw up the window
which opened seward, and we leaned out into
the wild night, listening breathlessly for repe-
tition OF the sound. - p,l a
Once more, and snce only, we heard ia low,
smothered, despairing cry.
Some one is lost and perishing in the snow
said Julia "The sound comes in the direction
Of the beach plum bushes on the side Of the marsh.
Let US 20 at once"
She snatched up her hood and shawl, and was
already at the door. found and lighted lantern,
and soon overlook her. The snow was already
deep and badly drifted, and it was with extreme
difficulty that we could force our way against the
storm. We stopped often to take breath and
listen; bat the roaring of the wind and waves was
alone audible. At last we reached slightly ele-
waited spot, overgrown with dwarf plum trees
whose branches were dimly visible above the
snow.
"Here bring the lantern heren cried Julia,
who had sirayed few yards from me. fastened
to her, and found her lifting up the body of man
who was apparently insensble. The rays Of the
lantern fell full upon his face, and we both, at the
same instant, recognised Robert Barnet julia
did not shrek nor faint but, kneeing in the
snow, and still supporting the body, she turned
towards me look Of earnest and fearful inquiry
Courage said |, he still lives. lie is only
overcome with fatigue and coldp
With much difiiculty-partly carrying and
partly dragging him through the snow-we sue
in getting him to the house, where, in
short time, he &c lar recovered as to be able to
speak. Julia, who had been ny>prompt and eff
csnt assistant in his restoration reffed into the
shodaw Of the room - Soon as he be~sn b. rouse
himself and look about him. He asked wnere ne
was, and who was with me--saying that his head
was SO confused that he thought he saw Julia
Atkins by the bedside. "You were not mistaken =
said / "Julia is here, and you owe your life to
her" He started up and gazed round tho room
beckoned Julia to the bedside and shall
never forget the grateful earnestness with which
he grasped her hand, and called upon God to
bless her. Some folks think me tough-hearted
old fellow, and so am but that scene was more
than | could bear without shedding tears. Robert
beach mile or two below, and that he feared all
the crew had persisted save himself
Assured of his safety, went out once more, in
the faint hope of hearing the voice Of some sur
vivor of the Disaster but listened only TO the
heavy thunder Of the surf rolling along the hori-
measure ceased the gray light Of dawn was Just
visible, and I was grathed to see two Of the
nearest neigbbors approaching the house. On
being informed Of the wreck, they Immediately
| started for the beach, where several dead bodies,
half-huried in snow, confirmed the fears Of the
solitary survivor.
The result Of all this you can easily conjecture.
Robert Barnet abandoned the sea, and, with the
aid of some Of his friends, purchased the farm
where he now lives, and the anniversary Of his
shipwreck found him the husband of Julia. ! can
assure you | have had every reason to congratu-
late myself on my share in the matchmaking.
Nobody ventured to find fault with it except two
or three sour old busybodies, who, as Elder
Staples well says, would have cursed her whom
Christ had forgiven, and spurned the weeping
Magdalen from the feet Of her Lordp
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