Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-07-19
JOB PRINTING, Of every description,
NEATLY EXECUTED AT THIS OFFICE.

tual my arms were around hef, ller mead lay
on my shoulder; and then by the straHgemu-
tations of dreams, it was not |, but Waller,
that was holding, and was chained to
post, looking at them; and she would kiss
him, and again the kiss would be burning on
my lips. The morning found me wide a.
wake reasoning myself out of NY fancies-
by noon | had enough 10 do. The ocean
was reused. A tempest was out on the sea,
and the Foam went before it.
Night came down gloomily. The very
blackness of darkness was on the water "a
we flew before the terrible blast. was on
deck lashed to the wheel, bv which I stood,
with knife ready within reach to cut the
iashIng IT necessary. We had not rag of
sail on her, and yet she moved more like a
bird than boat, from wave to wave. Again
and again, blue wave went over us, but
she came up like duck and shook off the
water and dashed on. Now she staggered
as a blow was on the weather bow that
might have STAYED a man of war, but kept
gallantly on and now she rolled heavily and
slowly, but never abated the swift flioht
towards shore. It was midnight when the
wind was highest The howling of the
cordage was demoniacal Now a scream,
now shrek, now wall, and now laugh
of mocking madness. On, on we flew.
looked up, and turned quite around the
horizon, but could see no sky, no sea, no
cloud-all was biackness At that moment
felt again that strange thrill and at the in
slant fancied denser blackness ahead and
the next, with crash and plunge,the Foam
was gone Down went INV gallant boat,
and with her, another vessel, unseen in The
black night. The wheel to which I had
been sashed had broke loose, and gone over
with me before she sank twas hea,y and
cpt it away, and seeing a spar, went down
IN the deep sea above ms boat, | seized it,
and thrill Of agony shot through me as I
recognized the delicate fingers Of a woman.
drew her to me. and lashed her to the spar
by my SIDE and so, in the black night we
two alone foated away over the stormy
ocean.
My companion was senseless-for aught
| knew, dead A thousand emotions pas
sed through my mind in the next five min
utes. Who was my companion or the slight
spar! What was the vessel | had sunk?
Was with the body only ofa human being,
- "ce9 ehOlC q Cpdih VI tll6 leu anu NOW
could fan it to flame Would it not be
better to let her sink than float off With me.
thus alone to starve or die of thirst and
Shoulders. In the dense darkness l could
not see feature of her face, nor tell if she
were old or young-scarcely white or black.
The silence on the sea was fearful So long
as had been on the deck of my boat, the
wind whistling through the ropes and around
the spars had made continual sound but
now | heard nothing but the occasional
springiDg of the spray, the dash of foam
cap or the heavy sound of the wind passing
on my ears.
At length she moved her hand fcebly in
mine. How my heart leaped at that slight
evidence that was not alone on the wide
world. | redoubled nv exertions. I pas
sed one of her arms over my neck to keep it
out of the water, while | chafed the other
hand with both of mine. | felt the clasp Of
that arm tighten. bowed my head towards
hers. She drew me closer to her, and laid
her cheek against mine. | let it rest there
it might warm hers, and so help to give
her life. Then she nestled close to my
bosom, and whispered thank you Why
did my blood SO wildly throb in my heart
at that whispered sentence? She knew not
where she was, that was clear. Her mind
was wandering. At that instant the end OF
the spar struck some heavy object, and we
we're dashed by huge wave on it, and tC
my joy were left on floating deck. ] cut
the lashes from the spar, and fastened my
companion and myself to part Of the new
raft or wreck, knew not which, and all tht
time that arm was around my neck, anC
rigid as if in death.
{ Now came the low wild wall that preceede
= the breaking of the storm. The air seeme'
f filed with yiewIess spirits mournfully sing
: ing and sighing. l never thought of her .
anything else than human being. 1t va
/ that humanity. that dear likeness of life tia
v endeared her to me- [ wound my arr
If around her, drew her close to my heart. an
' bowed my head over her, and in the wildne,
b of the moment pressed my Epsto hers in
n long passionate kiss Of intense love and az
n ny. She gave it back, and murmured son
N name of endearment, wound both arms arour
se my neck, and laying her head on n
= shoulder with her forehead pressed upon \
at neck, fell into calm slumber That k
sr burns on my lips this hour. Half centu
of the cold kisses of the wo:ld have 4
On suficed to chill its influence. 1t thrills !
lv now as then. 1t was madness with i'd
r. worship of the form God gave us in q
or image of himself which in that hour ador
m as even God.
or / feel the unearthly joy again to-day, as
nd remember the clasp of those unknown arm
cit and the soft pressure of that forehead
/ knew not, if she were old and haggard,
ff- young and fair.
al only knew and rejoiced with joy untc
,rt that she wars human mortal Of my own
dy by the great Father ofour race.
1t was night of thought, and emotic
lat and phantasms that never can be describe
on- Morning dawned grayly. TIE first IA
re- geam Of light showed me a driving clc
ar above my head, it was welcomed wit
dy shudder. I detested light wanted
ly, float on over that heaving ocean, with t
ing form clinging me, and to my arms arol
my it, and my lips ever and anon pressed to
md passionless lip of the heavy sleeper q
ore ed no light. 1t was an intruder on my
my main, and would drive her from my embr
Der. | was mad
- Bat as / saw the face of my compar
'ant gradually revealed in the daWning igh'