Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1857-12-05

sail on her, and she moved more like o
bird than o boat from wave to wave,-
Again and again blue wavo went over
us, but she came up like a duck and shook
of the water and dashed on. Now she
staggered as blow was on her bow that
might have stove q man-of-war, but she
kept gallantIy on; and now she rolled
heavily and slowly, but never abated the
fight towards shore. 1t was midnight
when the wind was highest. The bowling
of the cordagc was demoniacal. Now o
scream, now shrek, now wall, and
now q laugh Of mocking madness. On,
on we few
1 looked up and turned quite around
the horizon, but could see no sky, no sea,
no cloud-all was blackness. At that
moment l felt again the strange thrill, aud
at that instant fancied deDser blackness
ahead; and the next, with a crash and
plunge, the Foam was clear gone -
Down went my gallant boat, and with
another vessel, unseen in the black night.
I he wheel to which had been lashed had
broken loose and gone over with me before
she sunk, 1t was heavy and cut it away,
and it went down in the deep sea above
my boat; and seeing spar, seized it, and
a thrill of agony shot through me as re-
cognized the delicate figure of woman 80
Drew her to me. and lashed her t. the
spar by my side, and SO, in the black night
we two foated away on the stormy ocean.
My companion was senseless-for aught
I knew dead. A thousand emotions pass
ed through my mind in the next five min
utes. Who was my companion on the
slight sparl What was the vessel l had
sunk Was ! with the body Of only a
human being, or vas there a spark OF life
left And how could fan it to flame 7
Would it not be better to let it sink than
to float off with me, thus alone to starve,
to die of thirst and agony!
y. chafed her hands, her forehead, aud
her shoulders. In the dense darkness |
could not see feature of her face, nor tell
if she were old or young-scarcely white
or black. The silence of the sea was
fearful.
So long as I had been on deck of my
own boat, and the wind whis ling through
the ropes and around the sp4rs had mad,
continual sound but now heard nothing
but the occasional sparEling of the spray
the dash of foam cap, or the heavy sounc
Of the pressing on my ears.
AT length she moved her hand feebly il
mine. How my heart leaped at that Sigh
evidence that l was not alone on the wild
ocean! 1 redoubled my exertions. Pass
! ed one Of her arms over my neck to keel
it out of the water, while l chafed tn
! other hand with both of mine. Felt tn,
clasp Of that arm tighten; bowed my heaC
toward hers. She drew me close TO her
laid her cheek against mine. Left it res
there 1t might warm hers and so help t
give her life. Then she nestled close t
my bosom and whispered, "Thank you.
d: Why did my brain so wildly throb in m
l head at that whispered sentencei Sh
knew not where she was, that was clear =
Tier mind was wandering. At that ins'ar
, the end of the spar struck some heavy oil
f ject, and we were dashed by large way
!, over it, and to my joy were left on aoa
t ing deck. | cut the lash from the spa
G and fastened my companion and myself
d toe new part oil the raft or wreck, l knc
Y not which, and all the time that arm W;
e around my neck, and rigid as if in deaf
l. Now came the low, wild wall that pr
1t cedes the breaking up of the storm. III
IS air seemed filled with viowless spiri
mournfuly singing and signing. l new
o thought her anything else than hum
v being. 1t was that humanity, that de
! likeness of life that endeared her 10 II
:. Wound my arms around her and drew h
q close to my heart, and bowed my he;
IL over her, and in the wildncss of the momer
IL pressed my lips to hers in long paGsiona
III kiss of intense love and agony. She ga
ii it back, murmuring some name of endea
ID ment. wound both arms around my necl
le and laying her hand on my shoulder wi
N her forehead pressed against my chez
a fell into q calm slumber. The kiss bur
on my lips this hour. Half century
w the cold kisses of the world have not 81
n feed to chill its influence. II thrills
ID now as then =.
a. Twas madness with idol 6orship
he the form God gave in the imsee OF III inse y,
70 which | adored in that ho,r as even uo
n feel the unearthly joy again to day, as
~ knew not, cared not If she were old
~ ~ haggard, or young and fair
Io / only knew pad rejoiced with JOY unto
uo that she was human mortal, of my o.
~ ~ kin by the great father of our race
r. Tive, night of thoughts and emotio
p !. and ynantasms that never can be describe
Mt Morning dawned gravely; the faint glsi
ok of light shoue driving cloud above
o. head-it was welcomed with shudd
n l hated light. wanted to float over Il
Nv heaving ocean with that form clinging
as me, and my arms around it, and my !
ny ever and anon pressed to the passionl
&c lips OF the heavy sleeper. asked no liz
ut it was an intruder on my domain,
as would drive her from my embrace. '
he mad.
lid But as l saw the face of my compani
NJ gradually revealed in the dawning lie
elf as my eyes began to make out, one by
Oh the features, and at length the terri
est truth came slowly burning in my braiH
be-. mourned aloud in agony, " God Of heav
she is dead !" and it was Mary Sinclair
- d. H. ,,o, ,ot daod W. Hoatpd all