Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1858-12-23
AMUSE, TO INSTRUCT. TO BENEFIT.
FREEHOLD, N. ]. THURSDAY MORNING, DECEMBER %. 1858.

4 "SoI will" replied he. "But what
! are you about, Mary 2"
am going too" she uttered. "You,
father has been a father to me also
and it is fit that | should be a child to
him."
You can't" said her husband.
The wind will take you off your feet
cried Brown.
Let me try said Mary Lawrence.
Well. well" cried her husband, after
some more discussion g let her have her
own way it's a kind way at all events.
We must do what we can for you."
And presently they sailed out.
That was a night indeed. All over
England there was a wild terror and CON
fusion. The wind was graphing, like a
fierce beast, on the Somersetshire towns,
raking up roots, dashing in windows,
striking down %pinnacles on the open
villages of Dorsetshire it fell like a con-
quering army 4; haystacks were toppled
over, chimneys crashed down, cottages
fell in, weathercocks were torn off in
the New Forest, brave old oaks that had
wrestled with the winds Of the time OF
William Rufus, fought their last fight that
night and ploughed up the ground with
their dislodged roots many a fair spire
that had seen four hundred winters. left
its stump in ruins to bear witness of what
it had been ; the city streets were swept
by tiles and states as by a shower of ar
tillery the ~scaffolding around the unGn,
ished dome of st. Paul's creaked and
screamed, here and there an upright gave
way, but mans art prevailed in the for.
est glades, the deer died of terror, owls,
goot suckers and other night birds were
dashed on the ground hundreds of barns
were blowed down field, village and
clty-the horror was everywhere the
same.
Now struggling onward along shelter.
ed paths-now breasting the wind in a
comparative lull-now crouching on the
ground when its fury swept over them
our party step by step, won their way /;
and saw through the stormy darkness, the
faint outline of the College above them.
The Chapel only was dark for every
room lighted up, showed that the breth
rem had dared not to go to bed, and had
crowded to that side of the court where
the wind was least. Bravely mounting
the hill, they reached the port and rang
the bell.
You are in time, john" said the por-
ter. Your wife, too why mistress it
is a miracle that you could get onl"
am here, thank God !" said Mary
Lawrence as she set herself to rights in
the porch /; but how l got here I scarcely
know. Now let US go in"
Spite of the wind, the dying mans room
seemed silent.
The nurse rose, drew back the curtain,
shaded the light with her hand, and they
looked on the death bed. The old man
knew them, and welcomed them with a
smile, but speech had failed him.
For four long hours they sat and watch
ed the conquest of death.
And why do l tell you that the priest
was there, to fix the hopes and thoughts
of the soul. while it could hope and think
at all, on Him that by his death had de-
stroyed death Because | am telling you
of a mournful time in the history Of the
church of England when priests were
lukewarm, and people careless and the
dying man was left to die as he might,
and the soul went forth unabsolved and
uncommended to the Judgment seat.
One or two prayers John Lawrence
read but for the most part they kept 81
lence. Outside, the distant roar of the
wind-its nearer rush-its growl and leap
on the building, over and over again !;
inside, no change but the stirring of the
fire, the snufing of the candle, and now
and then the intermitted gasp of the dy-
ing nan
At the turn of the night the soul went
forth !; while the storm Of the elements
was roaring more loudly than ever.
Half an hour later, John prepared him
self for his return. He would go he
would not leave The ;things by themselves
his wife should return next morning.
He reused the porter, and went out.
By that time, the tempest was nearly
at its height. England was half a will
derness Sir Cloudesley Shovel's feet
was dashing to pieces on the Scilly rocks;
Bishop Kidder lay a mangled mass under
the ruins Of his chamber /; Winstantly and
his erection were at the bottom of the
ocean many q many a corpse was bur-
led under the fallen cottage, or in the
town street; huge trees barriered up every
road from three to four hundred vessels
grinding on the English coast, and from
fifty thousand seamen, the last cry for
mercy, or the last blasphemy has gone up
to heaven. To stir, in the full fury Of
the blast was impossible. ,ButlJohn Law
renee, watching his opportunity, got on
by degrees, and at length turned into the
deep, hollow lane that leads down to
Luxford Farm.
A lovely lane indeed, in early spring,
when children go out to look for the first
primrose, and bring home wonderful tales
that the alder is really out, that a lark
really sang, that the daisies are on the
sunny bank, that there is on branch
blackthorn in blossom-and carry back
one half opened primerose bud as a