The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1852-01-13

BYTHE WANDBRER.

| "AlI tho stsrboard watch. shoy-oy! Eieh,
bells! Do you hear the news down ihere!'-
SAY. ay" But what means the low tone ia
which the call is spokenl Generally the whole
ship echoes to the sound, merry to the watch
below for II rouses them from their warm berth
after only four hours rest, perhaps much less
TO the ungra,sful task OF dreary wakefuIness
| and duty. | asked what ment the low tone,
now scarce breaking the air-lpked chain which
hends the sleeper silent TO his couch. What
means il! Oh! thoie is moro meaning than even
the startling cry ar .All hands save ship" ID
that smothersd call. 1t tell that he. our ship.
favorite. il,le Harry is dying! 1t tells tha,
one frail vessel. but short time launched up
on the waters OF this troubled life, is about sot.
ting sail on that long, long voyage, that ends
not within our ken, tha, reaches along through
all tin,e--the ocean of Eternity!
In this world we have pilot. Conscience,
whose directions we can follow or moi, al we
che. Gao: but once ahoat on that ocean, dark
ve,S dark 10 nss, we have discharged our pilot;
he has left us o., the dreass.@d bar, the bar OF
death. that stretches out u; the NOUN y. '"e
harbo, Of life. whence we have sailed ano
now we have no director, no guidence; the
useles rudder is LETT without a helmsmau.--
Yet If we have followed the course in The llar
bor which our pilot marked out Tor us, than
have we left land with sure hope Of gaining
our desired porr, even heaven; but il we have
neglected his directions. alas! I is too lae!-
We cannot shift our wheel now; the storm is
on u.s. our pilot has left US. We hear his cry
ringing in our ears, "You would no; steer the
course told your We have none TO guide
US over the troubled ocean. and we are already
srecked amid the rugged breakers from which
there is no escape. for they roar over the rocks
OF hell. Bot TO return.
"llow is Harry nowf' / asked, as | came on
deck, OF one of The mon who stood near mis-
bed, which was spread out on the quarter deck
Yet stay. Before proceed with my narrative
let me ret.ace IN a few words The history of
the poor boys forme, life, for il is n tale, If
not of told, sill one often painted 10 the harsh
stern colors of reality; though many picture
traced by The master hand Of this great artist
is never seen hut by The "One all seeing Eye,
to whom the secrets OF all hearts are open.'
"fsitile Harry" as he was called on board
ship, was, when first knew him, about four
teen years old. His deep-blue eye. like tho
blue ocean spoke Of depth which had never
been fathomed; an eye into which you could
look, and although seeing their con6ding truth
trusting love. formless. aspirations. still nne
Ielt that, deep as you might pierce, you pene-
trated scarce beyond tho surface. Around q
high forehead. chiselled as from azure -veined
snowy marble, flowed flaxeo curls, that chased
each other over the rose kissed cheek, and
harmonzed with mouth that showed at the
same time the characteristics OF boldness and
irresolu,ion. But now, alasi sunken and dim
was the eye, the damp dews of death hung
heavy on the forehead; contracted with throbs
Of pain was the mouth, and the luxnrIanr curls
had boen shorn close, 10 cool the levered he ad
while the attenuated limbs, and psllid cheek
foII hat ,cl, taG of tba hoe
liful boy, whose le-g lass was now spinning ou,
lie nau oecn found on board secieaed in the
Storage, the day after we left port; and al
though y; first he spoke Of parents, friends
and all dead, afterwafd in The still n ht watch
es when we were alone together. (he was in
my wafch) he confded to me his simple but
touching s,o,y.
Brought up by tender. well-loved mother.
widowed and alone in The world, for his father
died ere he was bonn, he for time liv' verv
happily. A, her knee he hai been fought to
lisp the blessed name OF Cop, when his child e.
ish lips could scarce from The Eoy word Alright.
From her gentle teachings he learned TO fr
his voice in humble prayer aud graft uded To
heaven. kneehng side by side With her at morn
and eve. Happy were they, though alone in
The world; yet not alone, for they were all the
world to each other. Ten years Of peaceful.
dreamy quite quickly passed away and still left
both unconscious OF the lapse OF time. But
all this happiness was to charge. The spoiler
was even then close beside them. He came
One evehiug-how well. poor boy, he remem scr.
ed it-a fine, dark-looking, handsome man call
ed, IL can see him now" Harry used to say.
"Mother and were together 10 our little par
lor. Mother was sitting on the sofa sewing.
and |. at her side, was reading to her from The
Bible. This was always our favorite book for
;s olI 81 r. vl,o 4 ~ -,
chance nor change-'the Father Of tho father
less. and Ged of the widow II was in the
early part Of June; and although the sun had
some time set behind the distant hills and one
or two STARS were twinkling, yet 10 the western
sky were some faint InIs Of is tracing still ie
rnaioing. We sat facing an open window that
looked toward he west; and although The light
was burning, | would ever and anon look up
fiom my book 10 enjoy the beauty Of the even
tide; then on my mothers face, as she leaned
over her work, for there, at least, / thought,
| shall ever find comfort; my spirt's-sun csG
have no setting. The door bell rang, and he
was ushered in. know il was the draurh at
the opening Of the door which blew the candl 10
OUT, YET, although | am not supersticious.
cannot tell Why. at the momen, he entered 1T
seemed to me as il my hsppinesa faded, flicker
ed and was extingushed with the candle; and
notwithstanding the evening was warm, q chill
passed through me that oltentimes returns
when bring TO mind the recollection of that
fearful hour.
''The gentleman turned out TO be an old
(riond Of my fathers W no had but just arrived
from the Indies, where he had been absent for
some years. flo spoke Of the regret With
which ho had hoard of my fathers death while
abi ssd. and OF his determination TO seek out
his widow on his return, and offer her any as
sis,suce in 'is power. He apparently strove 10
make himself as agreeable as possible. both TO
mother and myself. but more especially to mo,
and told me many story Of his wandericgs.
| remember one especially Of a Hindoo widow
burnt with her husbands body; also Of combats
and hair. esdIh escapes from wild beasts aod
wilder savages; although every tale was one OF
horror. sIiIl there was something facinatng
about them at which | could not help listen,