The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1855-02-21

boat. seized it, and thrill ol agony
shot through me as recognized the
delicate finger Of q woman. drew
her to me. and lashed her to the spar
ny my side, and SO, in the black night,
we two alone floated away over the
stormy ocean.
My companion was senseless-for
aught | knew, dead. A thousand
emotions passed through my mind in
the next five minutes. Who was my
companion on the slight sPar3 What
was the vessel had sunk? Was with
the body OF only human being, or was
there spark Of life left2 aud how
could fan it 10 flame. Would it
not be better to let her sink than float
OFT with me, thus alone to starve or
die Of thirst and agony.
81 chafed her hands, her forehead,
her shoulders. In the dense darkness
could not see feature of her face,
nor tell if she were old or young
scarcely white or black. The 81.
lencc on the sea.was fearful. So long
MS had been on the deck of my boat,
the wind whistling through the ropes
and around the spars, had made con-
tinual sound; but now heard nothing
but the occasional sprinkIing Of the
spray, the dash of foam cap, or the
heavy sound Of the wind pressing on
my ears.
"a. length she moved her hand fee.
by in mine. Ho" my heart Ieapcd
at that slight evidence that was not
alone on the wild ocean. rcdoubled
my exertions. passed one Of her arms
over my neck to keep it out of the wa
ter, while chsfcd the other hand with
both of mine. felt the clasp of that arm
tighten, and ! bowed my head towards
her. She drew me close TO her, and laid
her check against mine. let it rest
there-it might warm hers and so
help to give her life. Then she ncs.
tied close to my bosom and whispered
THANK you" Why did my brain SO
wildly throb in my head at that whis
pered sentence ? She knew not where
she was,'hat was clear. Her mind was
wandering. At that instant the end of
the spar struck some heavy object md !
We were dashed by huge wave over
it, and to my joy were lcf, on float.
ing deck cut the flashing from the
spar, and fastened my companion and
myself to the part Of the new aft or
wreck, knew not which, and a j that
time that arm was around my neck.
as rigid as in death.
Now came the low wild wall that
proceeds the breaking Of the storm
The air seemed filled with viewless
spirits mournfnlly singing and sighinr
never thought of her as any tbjno
else than human being. 1t was that
humanity, that dear likeness of life
that endeared her to me. wound
my arm around her, and drew her
close to my heart, and bowed nv head
over her, and in the wIdncss of the
moment pressed my lips to hers in
long passionate kiss Of intense love
and agony. She gave it back, and
murmuring some name ofcndearment
wound both arms around my neck: and
laying her head on my shoulder, press
ed her forehead against my cheek
and fell into calm sumher. That kiss
burns on my lips this hour. Half a
century ofihe cold kisses of the world
have not sufficcd to chill its influence
1t thrills me now, as then It was
madness, with idol worship of the form
God ga us in the image of himself
which in that hour adored.
| feel the unearthly ioy again to
day, rs remember the clasp of
those unknown arms, and the soft pres.
sure of that forehead. knew not. |
cared not, if she were old and haggard
or young and fair. "
| knew and rejoiccd with iov untold
that she was human mortal. of NV
own kin by the great Father of our
race.
" 1t was night Of thought, and
emotions and phantasmas that never
can be described. Morning dawned
gravly. The first faint CLEAN of light
showed me driving cloud above nv
'eh'' ~ was "clcOIneu win Shudder
hated light; wanted to float over
that heaving ocean, with that form
clinging to me and my arms around it,
anI my lips ever and anon pressed to
the passionIess lips ofthc heavy sleep.
er, asked no light. 1t was an in.
truder on my domain, and would drive
her from my embrace. was mad.
" But rs saw the face of nv com
Panion gradually revealed in the daw.
ming light, rs my eyes began, to make
out one by one the features, and at
length the terrible truth came SLOWLY
burning into my brain, | mourned
aloud in my agony, "God of heaven,
she is dead !" And it was Mary Sin.
clair.
But she was not dead.
We floated all day long on the sea,
and at midnight Of the next night /
hailed ship and they took us off,
Every man from the Foam" and tho
other vessel was saved with one OK.
ception. The other vessel was the
Fairy. n schooner Yacht belonoino to