Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1853-11-15
From Arthurs Home Gazette.
THE BURIAL AT SEA =.
by MRS. sopIIRoNIA cuRRIER.

1t was near the close Of long, sui
try day. For many hours had our YES
sci sped like winged arrow over the
water, but the wind had died away, and
the sails hung idly from the masis. only
when. for a brief instant. breath oil
cooler air lifted their white folds.
Land was far distant; but in the Yves.
tern horizon strip Of dark, heavy
clouds was seen, which might very casi.
ly be mistaken for the outline OF dense
forest; the openings among them were
vistas through tho deep wood, and a
mass Of broken, ragged clouds seemed
the ruins Of huge castle. many Of
whose pinnaclcs and emba,iled walls
We're still towering to the sky. And fat
away, above that seeming forest, stretch
ell out II golden, rubbed sea, among
whose purple islands 1oated many a
proud ship and gaily.bannered arma'
mcnt.
The passengers and crew of our YES
sci were all on deck, but no one appear
cd to enjoy the calmncss and beauty OF
the hour. Many stood with their arms
folded over the breast, or the head rest.
ing upon the hand; few eyes sought the
glance of their companions, and every
face showed deep and serious 'hou2 hi.
And no wonder; for one Of our number
was about to be nsignel 10 an ocean
grave, anil we had met around him TO
take a last look of that countcnatce,
which, though strange to all on board,
had so interested every one. lie was a
Young man, not more than twenty-five
years Of age, tall and very deica'cIy
formed, and with features most finely
and classically modelled. His complex
ion, naturally fair, that long protractoI )
insidious disease had changed 10 alauu~
ter whiteness; but the dark, deep.sct
eyes had retained, til their light was lol
ever quenchcl, all OF their wonderful
brightness and luslrc, and the smile,
which but half concealed the serious.
mes. and melancholy 50 deeply impress
cd on those features, pnsseI not away
llll tnHt sd')iiS Sphi''''u''NN '''A'
tranquil in death.
The young man was taking n voya 20
10 the South for the benefit, so it was
understood, Of his health; yet no one
could perceive that his very rapid do
cline caused him any unpleasant feel
ings.~Indced, as the certainty of spec
div dissolution became more and more
apparent, the smile on Mat face SCENE
less assumed; and, at times, the dark
cloud lifted itself fl ON his brow. Every
day, an hour before sunset, had he come
10 the deck, and after walking once the
length OF the vessel, he would sit down
under an awning spread expressly lor
him, while some one read TO him from a
book of his own selection. twas only
from these readings that we gained AMI
,dea Of the young mans character: Ior'
though ever pleasant and amable, he
very seldom converscd on any toplc-'l
was evident, hoUever, that lcebleness
was not the only cause Of his silence;
and we believed him possessed OF an ar
dent, impulsive, sensitive nature; genet
Gus and sacrificing; and that his in
tellcctual attainments were OF the high
est order. He seemed not naturally in.
clined to melancholy, but his was ma
turc which disappointment ofsr'eI might
crush. His choice was very often the
Bible, and his selections from it showed
him to be student of the Holy Book.
1T was picture which for long time
will not pass from the recollection oil
many of the vessels company--!hat man
in the bloom and beauty of life, lying
there so helpless, yet so cam and resign.
ed; with that pale, marble brow, shaded
by the jet black curling hair, turned to-
wards the western sky, which, perhaps
those lus,rous eyes peercd through to
the brighter world lying farther away
for the words breathed by the friend be.
side him, would often be of the land
where "there shall be no moro DEATH
perhaps he was dreaming If the loved
ones he had left behind, for often the
thin, white hand was pressed tightly to
his brow, and his breathing was quicker
and more labored. .
On the evening before his dissolution
he had sat there, and it was remarked
that he seemed more than usually
thoughtful and melancholy, though he
appeared less feeble than he had often
been before. His eyes were fixed on the
figure ola ship, slowly approaching us
but, though ii had been many days since
a sail had hove in sight, without mani
Testing any Of the curiosity which wa:
felt by the rest Of US, not even when she
came alongside, and it was known tha,
the ship was bound to the port whence
we had sailed. But when the voices o
the two individuals, whom our captain
took on board from the strange ship
fell on the young mans ear, those who
stood near him observed sudden start
and a convulsivs movement Of the mus
cles Of the face. and then his counten'
ance was turned away from all observ'
ara: and that when he desc cended 10 the