Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1856-12-26
DRTFTING.

It was only the other day that man
fell asleep in his boat on the Niagara
River.' Daring his slumber the boat
broke loose from her moorings, and he
awoke to find himself shooting down the
rapids directly towards tile cataract. In
vain he shrieked for help, in vain he
tried to row against the current, lie drift
ed on, and on, till his light craft upset,
when he was borne rapidly to the abyss,
and disappeared forever.
In the great battle Of Gibralter when
the united fleets of France and Spain
attacked the impregnabIe fortress, one Of
the gigantic floating batteries broke from
her anchorage, and began TO drift direct
" into the hottest of The British fire. The
thousand men who oiormed the crew Of the
unwieldly mass, vainly strove o oarrest its
progress or divert it from its path. Every
minute It drilled nearer to the Englisi
guns, every minute some new part took
ire from -riss reyE -s,,ss .slls., every minute
anotherscore ofits hap!ess defenders were
swept like chaff from its decks. The most
superhuman efforts failed to prevent it.
drifting with lis human freight to newt
able death.
a ship was wrecked atsea. The pas
scngers and crew took refuge on raft.
the boats having been stove in the attempt
to launch them. For DAYS and weeks
these unfortunate men drifted, withoa.
oar or sail, on the hot, brazen. tropical
ocean. AT last their provisions failed
and then the water still they drifted
about, vainly looking for a sight of land
I The time had now come when that fear.
ful alternative became inevitabIe-deatl
from starvation, or feeding on human
fesh-and they were just beginning tc
cast lois fora victim when a vessel wa.
seen far away on the horizon. They aban
fdoned their terrible design; the stranger
would approach The ship came towarc
them; she drew nearer and nearer F; the5
strove to attract her attention by shout
and by raising their clothing, bat th,
indoIent lookout saw them not. The,
shouted louder and still they were no
seen. At last the vessel tackled. With
= frantic terror they arose in one body
shouting aud waving their garments.
was in vain the unconscious ship stoo
steadily away. Night drew on, and a
= the darkness fell the raft drifted and drift
= ed in the other direction, til the last trac
D of the vessel was lost forever.
t So it Is with lie. The temperate, ma
: who thinks he al least viii never die
D .drunkard, whatever his neighbor may d,
5 only wakes 10 fad himself drifting dow
p the cataract, aud all hope gone. Til
sensuaIisl, who lives merely for bis ow
IS qualification, drifts into an emaseulate
q old age, to be tortured with passion h
3 cannot crafty, and perish by mercile
z agonizing diseases. The undiscipline
IS who never learn to control themselye
: who are spendtlfFilts, or passionate. or Il
dolent, or visionary, soon make smpwre'
a Of themselves, and drift about the sea
} life, the prey Of every wind, and carrer
y yainly shrieking for help, till at last th'
o drift away into darkness and death.
a Take care that you are not drifiin
a See that you have fast bold Of The he.lf
10 The breakers Of life forever roar und'
+ the lee; and adverse gales continual
is blow on the shore. Are you waiehiI
NJ how she headss Do you keep iifm 81
D. on the wheelS IF you give way for b
D. one moment, you may sink helpless
le into the boiling vortex. 1oang man, "a.
At care Il rests with yourself alone, und
n God, whether sos reach port trump
antiy er drift 70 ruin.