Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1857-06-12

URG, FRIDAY. JUNE l2.,
4. Wei. Lieutenant Harol. what doyou
thinksof the Eolus o., sl36 s9.,ti s.sg5 10
- Commander I,jreplied 'hI thinl
she has nobly unpheld the honor Io
France, and that the English know The
weight Of her broad dsides," ns,i 3
"Brayo. and have examined her from
deck to hold ?" 5ssn. sa 5adft
mo, commander." 9ibV
"How long will5it be- think you ere
she will sink 2, iaz
What mean you commander?
"I mean that i have not been idle.--
The Eolus has four feet Of water in her
hold now. and il rises one inch every IF
teen minutes. Calculate 70
"But the pumps?" F@ ii
"Aye. the pumps! The pumps might
save us if you had two hundred vigorous
arms to work them with; but what can
you expect from thirty.two men, some OF
them wounded at that. Besides. :o.mor-
row we should ell be English prisoners.
The feet cannot rally-we are surround
ed by enemies alone protects us.
At daylight we shall be lost. for the
grape shot has cut up our rigging, and
torn our sails into ribbons. while the wa>
ter flows into our hold through about
twenty shot holes. Even since I called
you, we are fifteen minutes nearer deathl"
GA bad prospect, commander. But
what do you intend doing? What are
your orders q
First, sir, it will be better to die,
than to FIJI an English prison hulk y
Brayo!" si4g
Further, we had better risk all than
have the Englishmen to say that they
have sunk US. So call all hands to quar-.
ter without beat of drums."
"1 obey"
One word more"
Commander"
Have the long boat launched as qui-
city as possible. Twill soon join you on
deck"
In five minutes all the surviving crew
were at work. the long boat was launch-
ed, and the men then came aft to the
quarter deck rail one poor boy dragging
himself along on his hands, for his feet
had been injured by shell: The COM
mander soon Joined US nor shall i ever
forget his appearance. His eyes beamed
like the North Star, and his pale fore
head was as smooth as a ne mast. ALI
thought hefhad some good news to tell.
Ny lads" said he. "t this has been a
fine day. and they will applaud you in
Paris; but itcan have no better ending
listen ! The Eolus is on the point Of
sinking. and were not the night soIdark.
you would now see the spray near the
lower deck ports. We must lose no time
in getting into the long boat and showing
off. So far SO good | But it must not be
said, my lads that the English could
boast of having sunk the Eolus-no i
Sooner let the old men say that the craft
blew up, rather than have her flag dis
honored. And thus we will cheat the
English, who doubtless hope, with to.
morrow's sun to disgrace us. and to dis
honor our dead comrades
There was convulsive movement and
had not silence been previously enjoined. /.
loud cheers would have hailed the COM
mander's proposition with rapture.
All is ready" continued the COM
mander, F" and in ten minutes thesfre will
reach the magazine. Who will light the
match" No one volunteered. Some
propose drawing lots; (; and others that
the oldest should remain.
Come, come cried the commander, if
you are afraid. will stay myself"
"While this selection was being made,
an affecting scene took place between the
wounded young sailor and his old father,
the quarter master.
Father" said the lad. "let me stay.
At any rate am badly wounded. and I
may as well die glorious death. You
will be proud to hear my praises, and to
be complimented about your son, who
died for the honor of France-who saved
his ship from dishonor."
And thy mother" sobbed the yete.
ran.
"My mother-to console her. tell her
| died thinking of herr" then addressing
The captain I:
Now. sir. order your men into the
long boat will attend to the maga-
zine"
" solemnly did the survivors deile be-
fore Joseph. ere they passed over the
ships side, each one silently pressing the
poor boys hand. They were in the long
boat, and no one remained but Pierre, the
quarter master. who stood clasping his
son to his heart.
leave me. father" /" said the boy.
Z" No. no, Joseph, will die with thee"
"And my mother-who needs thy
support? Wilt thou kill her."
"she will not survive thy death. at any
rate"
"But thou mus. go-harkg They call
thee r.