The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1853-03-09
OUR MINISTER'S WIFE.
fcoNcLUpED ERoM FIRST PAGE.

/
there, but that he had the night before
been taken dangerously i'll, and was the,
out Of his Senses They insisted on see
ing for themselves, and were conducted
to No. 90, where they found stretched up.
on the bed an elderly man, raving wildly
that he could not find Clara-constantly
en9ulring If any one had seen Clara.
Being assured that it could not be
Brown, Istarted instantly with Mr.. r. and
Hubert, to learn what it could all mean,
for | could not conjecture. Trembling with
agitation, entered the sick mans cham
Der, and on approaching the bed, The first
thing on which my eye rested, was the
locket and my mothers miniature, which
had been so rudely torn from me two
years before. Scarcely believing my own
senses, with cry of JOY l seized it, but
the string attached to it was tightly clasp
ed by the inmate of the bed, who was then
lying with his eyes closed, but as he felt
the jerk of the cord as l snatched the pic
ture, he aroused, and attracted my atten-
ton, which had been rivited upon my re-
stored treasure, forgetting for a moment
aught else.
I" Has Clara comc," asked the voice; and
as glanced upon him who spoke, my
blood curdled in my veins-my hair SEEM
ed to lift itself from my head, as stood
rooted to the spot, gazing upon the face
before me, and then, with a piercing cry Of
1t is, it is my father !" I fell powerless
on the floor.
pass over the excitement We all ex-
perlenccd. AS soon as my father-for
though looking very care worn and much
older than he really was-I knew he was
my father, restored to me from the dead
Il say, as soon as lie was sufficiently re-
covered to be removed to my house, the
news Of the result ofhis advertisement was
gently broken to him, and was permitted
to sec him. cannot, Mary, describe the
| scene to you. Whilst he had been un-
conscious to all around, / had constantly
watched over him, fearing that he might
die without my being permitted to know
by waat providence he had escaped the
waves and been restored to me but when
he again became rational, and the danger
was past, it was Judged best that should
keep out Of sight for time, as any ex-
citemcnt might then prove fatal to him.
| My husband remained rs much as posi-
with him, however, but I'll assure you we
were both extremely impatient to learn the
mystery of his appearance, after auppos-
ing him so long dead. At last he was a.
BILE to tell his history, which was as fol-
lows
When he had supposed myself, as well
as my dear mother dead, he had rushed
from the house in state bordering on dis
traction, and without knowing what he
was about, he threw off his hat and coat,
and plunged into the water. The shock
brought him to his senses, but he made no
effort to save himself, when he was sud-
denly pulled into boat by some sailors
who were pushing off from the wharf to a
ship in the distauce, and hearing n heavy
splash, they had rescued him from a wa
terry grave.
1t appears that the two sailors in the
boat had been waiting for one of their
hands who had gone ashore, and as the
ship to which they belonged was already
weighing anchor to sail, wind and tide be
ing fair, they had started off without their
companion, as they could wait no longer;
but on seeing some ono rush down the
wharf and jnmp overheard, they at once
supposed it was the haud for whom they
had delayed, and had instantly pulled him
from the water, and rowed hard towards
the vessel, as it was too dark to perceive
| their mistake.
"Bil must have been half seas over
or he would have hailed u.s." said one.
1t Is we'll we were not further out, or he
would have gone to Davy's locker" was
the response.
Great was their surprise when they
reached their vessel and found out their
mistake, for my father had not spoken
while in the boat, as he had not quite re-
covered from the shock. 1t was no time
then to carry him ashore, as the ship was
already under swift sail, and my father
begged earnestly to remain and take the
place of the missing sailor, which was
granted.
The ships destination was Liverpool,
and when he arrived in England, my faith
er sought out his brother and sister there.
and concluded to remsin with them the
rest Of his days, as he did not wish tore
turn to the land of his degradation and
sorrow. His brother soon after died, leay-
ing him considerable property, which he
divided with his sister, VINO was married
and restless and discontented, he passed
two or three years, when he resolved to
start for India, and endeayor 10 find my
mothers Srother Richard, who was last
heard from there.
| On their passage out they encountered
a violent storm, in which they assisted a
vessel in distress, taking on board their
hands, as the vessel was in sinking con-
dition. One Of tho rescued sailors had a
brokon limb, and was otherwise injured so
badly, that it was feared he would never
recover. AS the ships surgeon was dress
ing his injuries, my father was standing
by, and stopped to pick upsomething that
fell from the seaman's neck, as the cord
which had held it there had broken
What was his great surprise and intense
excitement, to behold my mothers we'll
l Enduvr Enn....r,.s. ..ssl Il