Spirit of the age., 1858-07-21


50 low, that they almost seemed to toxch pa
the waves. m
The little vessel rode galantly upon the nc
dark waters, while all around her were W
gathering the fearful legions of the storIa = I;
God, to burst like an avalanche upon her, 81
and with one bold stroke sweep the speck m
from creation. ca
At length such a storm as is seldom wit
messed rushed over the sea. In the roar b.
of the waves and the howling of the winds, ie
were family heard the shouts of command = y
and the groanings Of despair. Prayers and
curses were mingled with the rattling Of the Q,
cordagc in strange and fearful confusion.- h
The vessel labored fearfully. 1t was with
the greatest difficulty that her head could t
be kept to the wind. P
The matches were battened down and '
the passengers placed below; but soon the
water rising in the hold compelled them !
10 come on deck or meet death by suffoca-
ton.
For q long time the storm ragged with
dreadful fury, and now the vessel which
had fast been filling with water lay coul-
pete wreck. Wave after wave broke over
the deck, sweeping all who stoodin its way
to certain destruction.
The sailors remained dashed TO their po- |
stions, and determined to stand by them
until all hope of saving the vessel should I
be given up.
All through that dreadful dag, these iron
hearted men toilcd on with scarcely hope
of being saved, and when they saw that
the vessel must 90 down, with disregard
of their own safety worthy to be admired
they hastened to prepare means by which
the lives of those who were entrusted to
their care, might be saved. All the ships
boats had long been washed overheard, or
burst in pieces by the rude bwSettings of
the sea so that their only hope lay in
constructing a raft, by which they might
hoatupon the sea till they could be res scued.
At length raft having been constructed
and the wind abating, the ships passengers
and sufficient number of sailors to mana
it were placed upon it. But when those
who were left upon the sinking wreck, saw
it ready to depart with its burden Of human
lives and leave them to perish, the love oi
life ovcrcamc every other consideration :
= and with one wild rush they poured cvel
= the vessels side upon the frail support
D Numbers were crowded into the boiling
t waves and sunk to rise no more. DYING
: wretches, clinging to others for support
- were shook into the sea. Eugene knel
) over the almost lifeless body of Flora AM
d her mother, and protected them as best h
10 could, from the rushing crowd maddene
J. by terror and love for life. He though
ie not of his own danger but of theirs.
I'd He looked into the pale face of Flor
a. and kissed those trembling lips which hs
to once said, 81 cannot love you" He gaze
to upon her as she lay unconscious of her dal
nd ger with her long waving curls throw
he hack nnnn-her naln -hrow- and vnvnd- 4
Iy As she lay protected by his arms, 81
to opened her eyes and looked into his fac
p The next moment a wave broke over tt
nd raft and carried him into the sea. 81
- heard no cry as he disappeared among tt
ke pillows. lie thought not of his own deaf
de Springing to her feet she looked cut
lss on the water. Far away among the foa
and waves, she saw him clinging in wi
NJ despair to a fragment of the wreck.
be was eagerly gazing towards the place whe
er she was standing, as ifhe wished to heho
in her for the last time. She had only tin
Ike to shrek ere he passed from view.
ed We will not attempt to follow Flora a
Mrs. Beaumont, or to depict their sufferin
III while tossed upon the lonely sea. with scar
mo ly food enough to sustain existence. it
=. sufficient to say that they were at length r.
Id, cued from their fearful situation, after sper
ad ing two nights upon the raft; and havi
NC passed through numerous dangers at Ii
on reached their home on Roanoke
I'VE The few months in which Mrs BeaumC
iro had been absent from her home had indC
,od been the most cventful period of her life S
- had seen her daughter united in maria
ou' with Eugene, and in few days beheld
10 to all appearances widow. She had left
ma husband to sleep beneath the skies of
nd tant land. She had witnessed danger a
ed death, in its most frightful shapes. And n
.he that she had been again permitted to behold
,lya quiet home, she wished to seek in its reti
oro ment that peace and enjoyment of soltu
which only a mind saddened by misfortl
hcl can appreciate.
Flora, too, after all the danger and tri
the through which she had passed, was clad
- seek again the old walks and moss cove
DDS seats where she had spent the happiest l
the ments of her life Often she would wan
,,s through the grove and seat herself upon a
- vorite rustic seat, to gaze out upon the sill
SuildCC Vi Tic IlIllc Ddy. 1Uen nef L0Oug
Ike would wander back to the time when Eug
lat- walked by her side in that selfsame grove
rig- But alas where was he now? This was
the her source of trouble. True she had ne
ING loved him but then she was anxious to kr
her if he lived There was to her scarcely ;
1t doubt but that he had been long since sv
S lowed up in the waves. Yet he mieht Ii
'Nu He might one day come and claim her for
ing wife.
She never forgot his deSpairing look W
the she saw him struggling for life amid
Der foaming billows 1t was so full of unutt
faca ble-untold love She knew if he lived
r. would come to her.
~, Fanny Rynders, the beautiful dark-e
lusI girl of whom we have before spoken,
not now her almost constant companion. VI
lself such friend as Fanny, she could not
lide be very unhappy. The strongest friends
an had always existed between them and s
He Flora had returned from Bermuda, Fa
y;tb had used every exertion in her power to
! ~ pei the gloom cast over the spirit of her yo
" friend.
y at Five long years passed away like DIRE
lght and still Flora had heard no tidngs from
we're gene. She had long since almost cease
b;s | think of him ONLY as dead and had uyaU