The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1851-11-22


lent laAss that fell dirk and fAst, while she
encircled her unenaseioua el,lldFon more eA-
griy in her arms she remembered the ma
ny days and nights of weary toll she had ch'
.anred 20 gather portion of tbe litila silh
ihAi waa b convey thom away from the scenes
of thcir snAefine, and which they wprr 20 Sc
riife humble home farther west Dui nov
all was gone The bright An,icipaiionp Of >
hurhv Of their own, jn come quiet spot, had
long bSea her strength, and many an hourvi
sorrow hAd been iiabteRcd via, the thought
that one day they should see the bright grain
waving, aAd ihs prairie 0gweV sprinRing luK-
uriously around their dwelling; aud her heart
beat with Joy, nj, in tmTFiHaUur1 mn INV mr.
children bounding upon the greenswnril, aud
breathing tho fresh, pure air, that had thus
Gar been dcnicd thcm aud, ai,ove all, sho
would see her husband freed from The influ-
-rurvT rfrHr rircw i1HI and KiE IlaFI earnings 10
the ga,iting tal,rr With such magnetic witch.
.ery, despite all bis resolutions and proniisnal
Hut poor Mary's imagination had travelled
too fad,And her happy dreams werc all crush
~ HNNH Afh NWA W FNlWhN'N ANAINh wv
.lips, though she shuddorod As sho listened 10
tho night wind, aud thought how sooti they
.hould bc without shelter. Her uncomplain.
ing sorrow touched the heart Of the gambler,
and again he thruw himself down upon the
old Ghost, aud buryinE his lace in his hand~,
awaited thcsumnions he momcniaril, ,'cxpcct
cd from tie captain,
There they sat ill milniFla Approaehed.--
Quiet hal taken the place of tho nolsy ctnfa-
sioa OF a. evening, ~ one aftcr auoihcr
dropped s~.y in sluuller The heavy rum
bling Alnd Of the machinery fel painfully
upon tho nervous ear Of tho gambler, a. hc
listened the approach Of every rootstcp, ill
suddenly the sound ceased, and only the
rushing waters and the dismal whgtlinE OF
the wind broke the stiIlncss. Presently the
captain, accompanied by man carrying n
lantern, appeared, and or,icrd the uhwcl-
come passengers forward, They arose, aud
without worl obcycd tho summons
The boat was already lowered, and two mon
at the oars awaited orders. Mary prepared
to descend, and placing the babe in her Young
daughters arms, with word Of caution, turn
ed from them and wEs safely seated in tho
boat Ia tho ias light ef t,e ls't,,, chr. wn,,-i,
I'd the coming Of Anna, with her precious
burden, and with anxious fear saw them liA.
cd TO the boats edge. She reached forward
To secure them, but Anna totinrod, and in a
moment was plunged into the rolling waters.
A shrill shrick rent the air and rang through
the boat with such Wild agony as awokc every
sleeper.
"Aiy child My Anna y cried the frantic
nnthnr "a shs sazsd- -ssisl, isi.s liss 4iAsi va
terp that had closed over her loved ones
"Savo them! save tbem!" she shEieked,
while she struggled TO throw herself after
them, though firmly held by ono Of the oars
men. The lights flung broad glare upon
the water, and enabled him to discern any
object that appeared. The father peercd in
to tina distance with keen, quick gaze, and
then gave loud shout, as dark mass rose
to the -siiEiaes- With a Few expert stF,,hes-
the swimmer reached Anna, as she was sink
nag beneath the waves again, and with a
strong hold he graspcd and'@.efe her eafely to
tho arms Of the distracted mother, wiro folded
the dripping, exhausted child to her bosom.
Still she shricked--
"My child my babe is gone oh, save him
too - Aud with Wild gestures she entrcated
them to find IL.
What does she mean ?" asked the aston
ished oarsmen- . ...
"Anua had the babe in her arms when
lined her down to you," replied the excited
and beH;ldered father.
Without another word the generous boat
man plunged into the water again, aud gided
here and there in search of the lost, In vain
the lights flashed hithcr and thither throwing
a long streak Of brightness to the shore
Nothing was visible, and hope sank in the
hearts Of the lockers on who had gathered up
on the deck, and even the harsh captain pit
led the mother as he heard her agonized sobs,
and when the search was abandoned, the boat
man returned, chilled and wearied from fruit.
less efforts. No one spoke, aud many eyes
anxiously watched the rufiled waters Amid
the silence, save the halEstiacd grief OF the
bercaved mot6cr,the boat gIided slowly away,
the oars dipping lightly into the waters that
had embosomed the sleeping babe On and
on thSy softly moved till the boat lights glim-
mored in the distance, and they could see the
wavy lines ofthe sherc and the dark, dreary
wood that bordercdit - ~ 'f.
Close upon tht shure stood few hamlets
and here, in the midnighs darkhoss, they left
the halfdrowped Anna. Poor Mary sat moap-
ing upon the river bank, clasping her only
remaining child, and straining her gaze upon
the water in search Of the lost one. The con
sciencc-stpicken father FASTENED 20 the near
est cottage for relief, while the skif pushed
from the shore and returned to tho steamboat
which in a littlo time was noisclesSly pushing
and putting along the river, and leaving far
behind the broken group that had been de-
spoiled OF their trcasure.
Quiet was agnin restored Rmitug thu pasA
seneers, and each returned 10 his drsahisi or
bis waking thoughts Of the unhappy midnight
to sympathise, some to cefistrc,
-