The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1855-03-28
The 0rph an Boy.
s.sHe faded. yet slcslm and meek.
50 gently wan, d sweetly weak !"

S tst,1 sktasfr 81 i---l.- sessssst rs
Tho bussls Of theI6ght was over; the
prisoners had been secured the decks
wssch pipsd !; and I'LL schooner had once
moro relsPsed into midnight quiet and re-
boss. lsought my hammock aud soon
lell 6slesp. But Imy siumbsrs were dis
tusbed BY Wild dtsasns, which, like .h-
Sfoi61s Of fever, axirs,sd and unnerved
he tho late strife tbs i.ardships OF my
taff life. and ikousand other things
Mingii6g scgsther'ss figures in a phAn
tasrsag0riA. Suddenly a hand was lai
% my shoulder, md starting up beheid
ske sufgeon's mae.
S sLillls Dick, cir il dying" he said
AT oncesl spraag from my hammock
Eittls Dick was tort oi protegee Of mine.
lie was pale, dsIicate child. said Is br
On orphan and us1d 10 gentle nurture
and from the first hsur joined the schoon-
es my heart had yssrned toward him. Tor
ttoo had once been triendiess and alone
in the world. tie often talked to the In
confidence of his mother. whose mealoty8
he regarded with a holy reverencs With
shs other boys Of The ship ne had li,tle To-
say for they were rude aud course. he
dsiicate aud sensitive 0Iirn. when they
jssfsa him for Ills melancholy be would
70 tpefs ~ himself and weep. He never
oomplained of his lot. though his com
panions imposesl on him continually.
Foor lad 4 his heart wss ia the grave with.
hisalost parents.
avslIiook strange interest tin him. and
shad ightened his task as much AS posi-
BE. During the late fight | had owed my
slite 70 him. foe he rushed in jnst as a
sabre stroke was leyrlled at me; and by
-mtefpssing his feeble cuilass had averted
3 the deadly blnw. In the hurry and con
slaaion, eince 1 had quite forgotten TO en-
,quirs h he WAS huri, though, al the time.
! had inwardly resolved 10 exert all my
linilusncs 10 procure him = midshipmau's 5
warraatin requiiai for his SERVICE Ii was
= with = pang Of reproaGhful agony, there
! lore, that leapt to myJest--- & lfss !. &
VS. Ny God Z l. exclsimed. you do not
: mean il He is not dying y
z3st 4sars sir. said tho messenger. shak.
ing his head sadly, that he cannot live
till morning s
~ And | have been lying idly here I |
= yexclaimed with remorse. Lead me TO
: him. az
X Ne IL delirious, but in the intervals OF
lnnacy he asks for you, sir, aud as the
.mAasspoke We stood by the bedside Of the
edying boy. I'D 80 81
10 The sufferer, did NOT lie in his usual
hamnock. for il WAS hung in the very
midst ,ofthe Grew. aud ihs close air around
i ajswss to slifhing. but he had been carried
under the open space OF about tour feet
squaFe. From the sound ofths ripples !.
sIjudged the schooner was in motion, while
the clear. calm blue sky seen through the
opening overhead. and dotted with my.
riads OF stars. be. iokened that the log had
broken away. How calmly il smiled down
ON. ths wan face Of the dying boy. DC.
,easionslly ligh. current OF wind-oh
how delicously cool in that .pent up hold
>-eddied down the hatchway and lifted the
! dark chssnut locks oi the sufferer. as, with
HE little head reposing in the lap OF an
old yeiesan, he lay in an upquiet slum-
sbsr.s His shiri.coilar was unbsltoned, aud
zhis childish bosom, as white as that Of q
irisl, iwAs open and exposed. He. breath.
{ ID quick and heavily The wound Of
awbiehs bs was dying had been Intensely
psspfal. but within The last half hour had
somswbst lulled though even now his thin
,6p9ers lightly grasPsd the bed clothes as
IL .hs suffered the greatest agony.
s "a bettle. = aimed and gray ,baired sea
nan ydped bsside him. holding q dull Ian
tesn 10 his hand, and gazing sorrowfully
down upon the sufferer. The surgeon
knsit suiih his finger on the boys pulse
{ As approsehed lbey all looked up The
8 veteran who held him shook his head, and
uepld haze spoken, bat the tears gather
{ "a 400 ehokinsl in his eyes.
+ The eurgsop said--
& sffi q xoipg fast-poor fellow-do you
!, - fbip aud as he spoke he lifted up q
srfeb eoldeai iocket, which had lain upon
,the heys bsesst He has seen betteI
tllays,
.sri esuld not lansvsr for my heart wa,