True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-03-24
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STEUBENVILLE, OHIO, WEDNESDAY, MARCH "a, 1868.

least hesitation she cut the long glossy
iresses Of hair from her head. and in
brief period bore the appearance Of any
young man of eighteen, moi more than her
age. Having made these arrangements
with rapidity that only a desperate
resolve could cause, she instantly left the
house, passing down the avenue. before
her fathers face, he little thinking that
the spruce young waterman who chose to
breast such storm, was the person of
his accomplished daughter.
Hurrying down to boat house which
fronted the avenue she loosened one of
those small light skiGs which are still the
models Of the pilots at Hurl gate, hoisted'
small sail, and in few minutes was out
upon lhe last of the food tides as freely
and boldly as If she had been in stout
ship, instead Of so frail and small boat.
1t was no new thing for her to be upon
the water, being reared close to it, and
hundreds Of times she had been dancing
upon those waves but never in such a
gale as that. Yet coolIy she sIeered her
Tiny craft, avoiding the dangerous whirl
pools and rocks, and heading towards the
frigate which, impatient for pilot, had
fired another gun.
Within less than twenty minutes from
The time she started, she had luffed
alongside the man of war, having caught
the lines cast oat 10 her and fastened the
boat, she mounted the vessels side and
stood upon the quarter deck in the pres
ence Of the commander.
"Are you pilOt!" said the latter,
impatiently.
81 am, sir" was the reply.
"Young for such business. Gould
you take us through Hurl Gate :"
GAS we'll as my father, who has beer
a pilot here these thirty years." was :h'
reply.
Why did he NOT come out instead o
sending boy like you. in blow as fresl
as this I"
/" Because he is laid up with the rheu
matism, sir, and then he knows Cal
pilot you through as well as he can. 81
Henry Clinton knows me, sir"
All! does he-well, that is all right
Can we bear away yet :"
"No sir-not within an hour-till th'
\ tide runs ebb."
That is bad-this gale keeps rising
Is there no anchorage hereabouts! 7"
"No sir-not within twenty mile
about, where your anchor would hold.
"Then we must 60 through :"
, " Yes, sir, as soon as the tide comes
, / would not risk it till then, for if th
current should catch you on either side c
: the bow, you'd 60 on the rocks, sure !"
, "That is true young man. Let m
know the earlies: possible moment W
can go through"
"Aye, aye, sir"
E And while the English captain turne
of to speak to one Of his officers, tn
= patriot pilo. calmly went out to th
3 gangway, and looked over the sides as
9 watching for The, change Of tide.
] But what was passing in her hea
0 lheni
: "There were between three and 70,
hundred souls in that fated vessel. 81
had lost the only loved thing, besides h
! father on earth. when Nathan Hale va
hung as spy on that morning. She W
!, no thinking how many hearts would
b broken by her intended act was nj
d thinking Of the mothers, sisters and wive
- in England, who would soon mourn {
9 her deed-she was only thinking tn
9 soon she would Join him in the spi
g land, and that dearly would his loss
n avenged. For her own life she cared n
g thought not-not even did she think
G that worshlpping father, who sadly Pac
his room, believing she was praying
p patience 10 bear his loss.
IS Meantime, there were these three
t. four hundred Of happy hearts bea.i
sr with glsdness that they had got over
IN long and sickening voyage and soon wou
le BIZ anchored before the sheet of gree
even though the storm hoverej over the
ID AT last, after looking towards the hor
id in which she was born--she knew
ID would be her last-she turned and We
re to the commander and said
"The tide is slack, it changes sudden
e, and we had better fill away at Once.'
te The commander gave the necess'
RS order to his lieutenant, and the n
if moment the main topsail. which had be
he lain aback, was braced around, the he
sheets eased away, and the vessel heat
as for the narrow channel, where thous'
nd crafts have, ere this, laid their oal
10 bones.
A AS she approached the channel
p, saw the black rocks, the whirling ed
Nv the tauuting breakers, dashing high
every hand, the officers and crew lool
air out upon the danger But so calm
fearless seemed the young pilot
all reinsurance had home in every hear
SO clear above the gale his bugle !
Ter voice sounded as he gave the order,
"a "Port, steady so--luff a point. ETC."
The They were more than half through
'as The tumbling breakers Of the I" Pu
as Bowl' and the I" hogs back" had b
icy passed a few hundred fathoms more
The they would be safe from danger.