The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1853-03-16

| hUPO W gam the SHORE,
WIN vivid presentiaent of danger,
amounting almost TO certainty, l sought
my state room, where Ifervently eommej. T..
ed myself to he protection Of Him, who
rides upon the storm and rules the m.
g'ng deep. placed my preserver where
could be conveniently reached, and re-
turned to my solitary station.
had been so busily engaged with my
own thoughts and the appearances with.
out, that the gay company, laughing and
chatting around, had made as little i'm.
preston as so many moths circlino in the
light Of brilliant lamp, or had expert
enced but momentary astonisbment AT
their total indifference to, or ignorance Of
the outward gloom. Most of them, and
indeed all the lady passengers, 1 presume
were unconcious Of its existantS. for the
day had, until the latter part ofSe even
ing, beon fair and cloudless lapssOf ann.
shine; but on the countenances of or
three elderly gentlemen, thought could
discern slight shade Of anxiety, which
deepened as they returned from frequent
observation upon the guards. Such indl\
cations were, however, unheeded. wberS
the dreamy harp and the thrilling yiol
were sleeping the soul into delicious for
getiulness Of earth A; and they, who bound
Ell so gaily on the springing boards, could
not know that they were quivering and
stra'ning, not beneath the tread of dane
ing feet, but under the redoubled pressure
OF steam, and before the buffetino n;n;ons
Of. the blast. rr.. >'
An old gentleman for whom I had for.
med quite friendship, entered the side
door OF tho cabin, and approaching, seated
himself upon the divan at my side. n
You have been out, said I, observing
the unpropitious weathcrl
Exactly, was the reply. have been
constant passenger upon this river, for
theiast twenty years, and do not re-
member to have steihmed it upon more
wretehed looking night than this"
am surprised at our captain" said I,
"for running on such night. 1t looks
very mu.i, inc ..s~'~-.-..>--1s rs-...rs...' sns
necessarily. the lives Of 20 many fellow be-
ings. i wonder that some of the passen-
gers do not request him to lay by till NOR.
ming" 1a..'H ..i4A' ~
" They have-several have urged him
to desist, but he persists in saying there is
no danger in running. In truth the riv-
or is high, and there is not very much fear
Of snags At any rate and he declares that
his pilot is perfectly acquainted with the
channel, and that we are just as safe here
IS we would be tied to the shore. But
suspect," says my companion, "the fact is,
the audiences Of the storm has taken the
captain by surprise, and in this impenetra-
bio darkness, it would now be impossible
to make a landing. However. don't be
alarmed, the moon rises Mt ten, and it is
possible the clouds may break, and give
Us = clear night after ALL" ~" .|.
"Oh, no, am not alarmed. know it
is best to preserve ones presence Of mind,
when surrounded by danger, and then you
know, you may console yourself with the
reflection that it is only the body that is
in jeopardy" .l.' . 81"
ID No." said he, al don't know any
such thing (; I wish I did" -,
Such q remark surprised me exceeding
ly; l had often noticed him perusing the
scriptures, and observed that he was .
very devout christian, l thought. w
.Oh, no, far from it, read the Bible
as literary curiosity, and with the hope
Of discovering the truth, ifit is there but
Twill ieays you now, ~ Isee you are az
brave n soldier as l." II
1t was q sad thought, that my silver
haired friend had passed through nearly
three score years, without discovering the
truth Of revelation and the beauty Of holi-
ness but I could but hope and believe
that 80 gentle a spirit as his appeared to
be would at last be led into the paths Of
peace, .I .n". ..."...4 .-
Ipsensibly began watching The gay
surrounding groups Of revelers, believing
at least. 30 far with my friend, as to con:
cluds ituseless 10 harrow my soul with in,-
ages q what might pSt occur after all, a.
he said. ~.
There was, smeng ous many fair pas
sengers, one who had from the frat, inter
ested me deeplr. She was from Florida,
that lovely land Of flowers, and the warm
tint Of 'ts glowing suns had been left upop
her rosestS cheek, and amid the rich mass
e oil her waving hair. She had been, q,
boarding school in New York 10 receive
the finish Of her education, and after visiting
the Northern Lakes, was returning home
under the protectionof Her Brother. Our
scquaistance had progressed rapidly, fo'
my own sad spirit rejoiced 70 gather light
ifom the constant joyousness reigning up
on her broad open brow, and yelling ur
forever from The depth Of her bright blue
eyes. ,-ssle,op
She wssl dspcisg at the time, with {
distinguished looking yospg man, who's.
becoming Uniform, had ! rot previously
known the fact, vonld have snnoancsd hi
destination 70 be the standard of his eoun
| nv, which was aoatpx orcr ihe fsontisf
Of Mexico, begirt by 9 myriad foes.
The eye of The most superficial 6b<esss
would have singled them out e De sppes
lativs pair sfheha al he yotaFies Of Tssp
sicAose. by which tse5 were surrounded
ind thoagAt 70 r6yssIf thst surely TIER
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