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

by my side, and so, in the black night
we two alone floated away over the
stormy ocean.
My companion was sensclcss-for
Ought knew, dead. A thousand
emotions passed through my mind in
the next five minutes. Who was nv
companion on the slight spar2 What
was the vessel | had suns2 Was / with
the body OF only human being, or was
there spark Of life let2 and how
could fan it 10 flame. Would it
not be better to let her sink than float
off with me, thus alone to starve or
die OF thirst and agony.
IL chafed her hands, her forehead, -,
her shoulders. In the dense darkness
could not sec feature Of her face,
nor tell il she were old or Young
--scarcely white or black. The 81
lencc on the scawas fearful. So long
as 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.
bly, in mine. Ho" my heart leaped
at that slight evidence that was not
alone on the wild ocean. rcdoubled
my exertions. lpassed one of her arms
over my neck 70 keep it. out of the ws
ter, while ! chnfcd the other hand with
beth of mine. !o!: the clasp of,hat 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 as,that 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 left on float
ing deck. cut the lasi,ing from the
spar, and fastercd my companion and
myself to the part Of the new aft or
wreck. knew not which, ana g! .ha;
time that arm was around my neck.
as rigid us in death.
Now came the low wild wall that
proceeds the breaking Of the storm
The air seemed filled with viewless
spirits mournfuIly singing and signing
never thought Of her as any thing
else than human being. 1t was that
humanity, that dear likeness of life
that endenred her to me. | wound
my arm around her, and drew bcr
close to my heart, and bowed NV head
over her, and in the widness of the
moment pressed my lips to hers in
long passionate kiss of intense love
and agony. She gave it back, and
murmurlng some name ofendearment
wound both arms around my neck; and
laying her head on my shoulder. nress
ed her forehead against nv cheek
and fell into calm sIumher. Tha, kiss
burns on my lips this hour. Half n
century ofthc cold kisses of the world
have not sufiiced to chill its influence.
1t thrills me now, as then It was
madness, with idol wnrship of the form
God ga G us in the image of himself
which in that hour adorel.
lteel the unearthly JOY again to
day, as 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 rejoiced With ioy 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
gravIy. The first faint glcaIn of light
showed me driving cloud above nv
head, it was welcomed with shudder
! hated light; wanted to float over
that heaving ocean, with that form
cl'ngIng to me and my arms around il.
AMI my lips ever and anon pressed to
the passionless lips ofthe heavy sleep.
er, asked no light. 1t was an in.
truder on my domain. and would drive
her from my embrace. was mad.
But as saw the face of my com.
Panion gradually revealed in the Jaw.
ming light, MS 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 the
other vessel was saved with one OK.
cePtion. The other vessel was the
Fairy, n schooner yacht belonging to
friend Of Miss Sinclair, with whom
she and her brother and party of Ia.
dies and gentlemen had started but