The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1855-02-21
don society, and was lost il the whirl.

don society, and was lost in the whirl
pool.
"One evening, at q crowded assem-
bly,, was standing near the window
in recess, talking with a lady, whel
felt strange thrill. cannot de
scribe it to you, but its effect was visi
ble to my companion, who Instant,
said, you are nnwelI, Mr.. Stewart
are you not?' Your face became sud
denly flushed, and your hand trembled
so rs to shake the curtain"
sit was inexplicablc to myself bu,
| was startled at the announcement OF
Mr.. and Miss Sinclair turned, and
saw she was entering on her brothers
arm, more beautiful than ever. How
| escaped did not know, but did so
"Ihrice afterwards was warned oil
her presence in this mysterious way
till believed that there was some link
between us two, Of unknown but pow.
erful character. | have since learned
co believe the communion of spirit
with spirit, sometimes without materi.
al intervention.
81 heard Of her frequently now as
engaged to marry Mr.. Waller; q
man whom | knew we'll, and was ready
to do honor rs worthy of her love-
When ut length saw, as | supposed,
very satisfactory evidence of the truth
OF the rumor left London and met
them no more. The same rumor fol-.
lowed me in letters, and yet | was
mad enough to dream Of Mary Sin.
clair, until months after | awoke to
the sense Of what fool had been.
Convinced Of this, went on board my
yacht about midsummer, and for four
weeks never sat foot on shore.
One suItry day, when pitch was
frying on the deck, in the hot sun, We
rolled heavily in the Bay Of Biscay,
and | passed the afternoon under
sail on the larboard quarter deck.
Toward evening, fanci ed storm was
brewing, and having made all ready
for it. smoked on the taffraiI till mid
night, and then turned in. Will YOU
believe me. felt that strange thrill
through my veins, as lay in my ham.
mock, and awoke with it, fifteen sec.
onds before the watch OH deck called
suddenly to the man at the wheel,
"l'ort-port your helm sni on
the lee bow. Steady so J."
81 was on the deck in an instant, and
snw .hat = stiff breeze was blowing.
aud small schooner, showing no
lights, had crossed our fore. foot with
in pistol shot, and was now bearing
up to the northwest. The sky was
cloudy and dark, but the breeze was
very steady, and went below again,
and after cndcavoring vainIy to ac.
count for the emotion had felt, in
any reasonable way, lat length fell
asleep, and the rocking of my vessel,
a. she flew before the wind, CAV. iu>t
motion enough to my hammock to lull
me into sound slumber. But /
dreamed all night Of Mary Sinclair.
! dreamed of her, but it was in un.
pleasant dreams. | saw her standing
on the deck OF the "Foam," and as |
would advance towards her the form
of Waller would intcrposc. would
fancy, at times, that my arms were
around her, aud her form was resting
against my side, and her head lay on
my shoulder; and then by The strange
mutations of dreams, it was not !, but
Waller that was holding her, 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 awake.
reasoning myself out of my iancies.
BY noon | had enough to 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 as we flew before the terrible
blast. ] was on deck lashed to the
wheel, by which | stood with q knife
within reach to cut the lashing, if ne.
cessary. We had but rag of sail on
her, and yet she moved more like q
bird than boat, from wave to wave.
- E''' o'"A hssa'u, " Uluc wave went
over us; but she came up like a du k
and shook off the water and dashed on.
Now she staggered rs a blow was on
the weather bow, that might have
stavcd man Of war, but kept gallant.
ly on; and now she rolled heavily and
slowly. but never abated the swift
flight towards shore. 1t was midnight
when the wild was highest. The how.
ling of the cordage Vas demonia iacal.
Now scream, now shrek, now n
wall, and now n laugh of mocking mad.
ness; on on we flew.
! looked up, ard turned quite
around the horizon, but could see no
sky, no sea, no cloud all was black
ness. At that moment felt again
that strange thrill, and at the instant
fnnced dcnser blackness ahead: and
the next with crash and plunge. the
"foam" was gone! Down went nv
gallant boat, and with her, another
vessel, unseen in the black night.
The wheel to which had been lashed
had broken loose, and gone over with