Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1855-09-19

So long as had been on the deck OF
my boat, the wind whistled through the
ropes and around the spars had made a
continual sound but now 1 heard the
occasional sperkling of the spray, the
dash ofa foam cap, or the heavy sound
of the wind DRESSINGS on my ears.
Atlength she moved her hand gently
in mine. How my heart leaped at that
slight evidence that I was not alone on the
wild ocean. I redoubled my exertions. I
passed 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
close to her-laid her cheek against mine.
1 let her rest it there-it might warm
hers, and so help to give herlife. Then
she nestled close to my bosom and whis-
pered. Thank YOU Why did my
brain SO wildly throb in my head 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 were dased by huge wave over it,
and to my JOY were left on floating deck.
cut the lash from the spar, and fastened
my companion and myself to the new
part of the raft or wreck. I knew not
which, and all the time that arm was
around my neck, and rigid as if in death
Now came the low, wild wall that pre-
cedes the breaking up of the storm. The
air seemed filed with viewlesss spirits
mournfulIy singing and signing. I never
thought her anything else than human
being. 1t was that humanity. that dear
likenesss of life, that endeared her to me.
wound my arm around her and drew her
close to my heart, and bowed my head
over her, and in the wildness of the mo-
ment, pressed my lips to hers in long
passionate kiss of intense love and agony
She gave it back, murmuring some name
of endearment, wound both arms round
my neck /; and laying her head on my
shoulder with her forehead pressed against
my Geek, fell into calm slumber. The
kiss burns on my lips this hour Half
century of the cold Kisses of the world
have not sufficed to chill It's influence. 1T
thrills me now as them
It was madness with idol worship. of
the form God gave in the image of him
self, which adored in that hour as even
God! feel the unearthly JOY again to~day
MS remember the clasp of those unknown
arms, and the soft pressure Of that fore
head. knew not, l cared not, if she
were old and haggard, or young and fair.
l only knew and fejoiced with Joy un.
told that she was human, mortal, of my
own kin, By the great Father of the race.
1t WAS night of thoughts and emo>
tions, and phantoms that never can be
described. Morning dawned gravely i
the faint CLEAN of light showed me dri-
coined with shudder. hated light: l
wanted to float over that heavy ocean
with that form cinging TO me, and my
arms around it, and my lips ever and anon
pressed TO the passionIess lips of the hea-
Wy sleeper, l asked no light. It was an
intruder on my domain, and would drive
her from my embrace. was mad.
But as [ saw the face of my companion
gradually revealed in the dawning light,
as my eyes began TO make out one by one
the features, and at length the terrible
truth came slowly burning in my brain, l
mourned aloud in my agony God Of
heavens she is dead % and it was Mary
Sinclair. But she was not dead. We
n0ated all day long on the sea, and at
midnight of the next hailed ship, and
they took US off. Every man from the
!" Foam" and the other vessel, was saved
with one exception: The other vessel
was the " Fairy" schooner yacht, be-
longing to friend of Miss Sinclair, with
whom she and brother, and party of la
dies and gentlemen, had started but three
days previously for weeks cruise. l
need not tell you how l explained that
strange thrill as the schooner crossed our
bow the night before the conclusion, and
what l felt again at the moment Of the
crash, nor what Interpretation gave To-
the wild tumult of emotions all that night.
married Mary Sinclair. and buried
her thirty years afterward and some
times have the same evidence of her pre-.
sence how, that used to have when she
lived on the same earth with me.
~ a pious old lady who was too un-
well to attend meeting. used to send her
thick-headed husband to church, to End
out the text the preacher selected as the
foundation of his discourse. The poor
Ounce was rarely fortunate enough to re-
member the words of the text, or even
Il Al 4borv