True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1857-06-03

lcsness, suddenly shadowing their bright
visions; iahd ttliero. was n world ofipai
thos in little Jepny's sweet low voice, as
she laid her hand gently upon her broth
er's arm and looking up into his eyes.
whispered:
90, Willie let US go home. Mother
would feel very bad if she knew we had
come away out here"
Willie bent down his head and kissed
his sisters fair pale cheek, as he replied,
Y "We will go back home, Jenny, | was
naughty to come out SO far from the land.
But don't cry sister. am very sorry.
Don't blame mel couldn't help it /; do
love the sea so much"
(" No we won't blame you, Willie only
let us hurry back; for yonder is terri
bile black cloud coming in the west and |
am afraid if we do not"
The child's speech was Interrupted by
groan Of anguish from her brother,
whose eye for the first time, had been d.
rected towards a bank Of dark murky
clouds heaving up in the western board,
by his sisters remark /; and at the very
instant that his vision first rested upon the
black pail, a chain of brilliant zigzag
lightning rose quivering along its upper
edge and few moments later there came
to their ears the low muttered roar of far
off thunder.
. The young captain had hauled his little
vessel by the wind. but the clumsy thing
lay broad off under her i'll fitted sail. Be-
sides, the wind, which she had scarcely
felt while running off before il. had now
increased SO much that she heeled over
till there was great danger of her capsi-
zing, to prevent which, Willie, assisted
by his two sisters, set about reefing he
sail. sga
This was soon accomplish ed, and again
the boat waststeered as close as she would
90, which at best was little better than
either points, so that with her great lee
way, Willie soon found that, in spite oI
his utmost skill, his craft was drifting
rapidly out 10 sea. u.% I
Nearer and nearer rolled on the embat-
tied legions Of black storm clouds; louder
came the fearful thunder crashes more
vi vid cleaned the red lightning's flash
winGier the shrieking gale swept by,
bowling and screaming dread notes of ter.
ror to the young voyagers. The wate1
which in with the land was quite
smooth-began to heaye up in huge
foam crested waves, here and there all a
around them, curling over and breaking
all feather-white in long lines Of snowy
Kissing spray, Great round drops Of rail-
came palting down in the water, and pelt
ing on the thwarts and gun-wales Of tho
boat with asharp, clicking noise that smol'
startling dismal OH the ears Of the thre,
little ocean wanderers.
Young as he was, Willie retained ii
his mind much of what he had heard hi
father relate at various times in regard 4
the management of a ship in gale; ant
the knowledge which he had thus gainet
| in theory, now stood him in good stead
He had heard Of keeping ship before
in squall, and Of scudding i'll gale
and the dull.sailing, clumsy boat was hi
ship. The theory which he had learned
he proceeded to put into practice; an
when the first mad gust Of the yellini
tornado fell uponthe launch, she was go
\ ing off dead before the wind-otherwis
her sail would have been blown away, o
she would have been swamped in an in
slant. AS il was, she went flashing o
through the wild storm and screamin
surges, scudding away, right out into .h
mighty wilderness of waters.
Ten, fifteen minutes went by, and sti
! the war of elements went on in all its tel
! rible fury and still the brave little fello,
stood there at the helm, bare headed, hi
cap blown away, his clothes dripping wit
water, and steady to his purpose. steere
his tiny bark on away before the fierce
bowling blast. ~
Once only he faltcred, and that wa
when the launch quivered for momer
on the crest Of a mighty surge, and the
went reeling and plunging, standing almo'
on end, down into the kissing vortex
the liquidravine. Then, a single, quic
cry ofhorror escaped the boys lips |; bt
the next moment, Jenny crept up to h
side, laid her hand upon bis shoulder, an
spoke in a low soothing tore, thai almo
|, instantly called back his confidence, an
: elected from his lips a cry Of admilatio
for his sisters heroism.
"Don't be frightened, dear Willie,
spoke the little angel .'Mother says th'
! God watches over people that live on Il
sea, And don'tyou remember, brothe
! how often our dear mother has told !
! that Jesus loved little children If &c
watches over us. and Jesus loves US, Y
. shall be safe. So don't be afraid,
d Night--dark, wild and gloomy nigh
= came down upon The world Of water
. and still the terrible tornado ragged in (
= Ills horrors Of wind, lightning, rain al
d dllhunder and there, in their frail, OPP
3 boat, we will leave the hapless youi
. yoysgers speed on and away right .
81 into The very heart Of the vast Atlantic.
/, We will bid them adieu, and glance bat
J. 70 their home. 10 their fond mothor,re
.sIdared desolate in heart By the dread {