The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1858-12-22

darkness, and there, close by US, lay a
disabled steamer, sinking rapidly. In
the thick darkness the eye could not
properly measure distances, and in q
rash attempt to cross the course Of the
tWhite Cloud she had been cut Ear be
below the water line.
q 4 had not dwelt o,long upon the
rivers bank without familiari1ing my.
self with the use of the oar, and with
the aid of two or, three of the first who
recovered their self possession, I launched
! one Of the steamers boats and pushed
off to the assistance of those who were
struggling in the water. l shall never
forget the faces saw that night; and l
shudder even now as recall their looks
of despairing supplication as the turbid
waters closed over them forever, within
sight, almos. within reach Of helping
! hands.
Il was standing in the bow of The
boat as we we're returning slowly from .
long circuit around the sunken steamer
when 1 saw close before us the gleam oi
white garment upon the water, aud q
faint, bubbiing call reached our ears
The boat shot forward under the impulse
of the rowers. bht the object was gone
We were just turning to leave the spot
when the water parted again below Us,
and the glare of the torches shone upon
an upturned female face. / needed no
second glance; my heart leaped iato my
throat, and with a spring that carried
me far over the. boats side, l grasped
the white figure with trembling fingers,
and supported it untilstroug arms lifted
us from the water sla ~ $50
The next evening Mary Marshall
could not call her Mary Milton-and l
sat together in Nea Orleans, and talked
hour after hour. st
Let me make her story short.
They had gone directly from Boston
to New Orl- ans, where Louis coon OBJ
tanned employment as b ok keeper in
one of the banks of the city. But the
loss of his wealth and position had COM
pletely cast down his weak spirit. He
fell into habits of drunkenness, was
rarely at home, sometimes leaving her
IN their boarding house for days togeth-
er. He entertained on insane hope of
regaining his lost wealth at the gaming
table, and within twelve months from
their marriage he was brought home
dead, stabbed in drunken bawl in
one of the gambling helis of thecity.-
Fortunately for Mary, she had gained
the affection and esteem of the wife
of the president of the bank where
Louis had been employed, who now Of
fered her home ostensibly as teacher
of music for her daughter. Aud here
she had been ever since, Meeting nothing
but kindness, end oontented with her lot.
She was accompanying the family on a
Northern tour, when the accident occur
red which brought US together.
t'More than thirty years. solemly cor
tinued the old man, after pause, have
rolled away, and never since then, for a
single day, have Mary and I been part
ed
Mrs. Elmore rose softly from her
chair, and kneeliDg beside her husband
hid her face in his bosom, and sobbed
like child.
Silently I walked down the pathway,
and, leaning upon the rustic gate, looked
far down where the light of the new
risen moon slep. upon the water. and
l,s'ened to the night wind as it whispered
softly to the slumbering flowers, Pres
eutly-I felt, rather than heard, light
step behind me. A little white hand
was laid upon my shoulder, I passed my
arm lovingly around yielding figure,
| and then, with spirits that melted into
each other, and in that blissful hour
lived but as one essence, Annette aud l
stood dreaming under the silent stars,
until the old mans voice said:
sCome, children, it is late.
That little hand is not so fair and
plump now as then, and the frosts of age
are beginning to silver my hair, but
still the q1iot autumn evenings often
6ud US standing at the rustic gate. The
same river flows unchaugingly at our
feet, and Annette and are as perfectly
one spirit now as then. -s..,--.=.- -
EE 1t is one great mistake in female
education to keep 5opng fady's time
and attention devoted only to the fash
ionable literature of the day. If you
| wonld qualify her for conversation you