New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-10-29

speedy, that within week aitet eue y ~ ~
Il, hnai Int dozen Of the men were iet, save inc
family Of Bichard STAFFORD. The captain sun SUI
ssvsd me- ne fearful havoc among his crew had
hrourht him, by sheer anxiety 20 tne aooI VI
Heath while the wan remnant OF his late iui COM
niem,ent Of men went haggardly about their IN.
rrrcased labors as il the skeleton Death stood
bodily before them grinning, with pony nand, 70
clutch them every instant Al! remedies brought
viii, them had failed, and now they put no faith in
them each looked to see his mate sink beneath
Tie next attack, and shuddered for himself.
And vet the sky was fair, and the gale propitious
and the bright sun showered his beams on the
laughing sea as gaily as if never a thing had
bounded there, as If never mortal had been borne
upon its breast but had been strong with life and
free from sorrow. Yet woe was in the ship. The
very beauty of the scene made desolation more
terrible; aud as after another went feet fore
most over the flying vessels side, link after link
was torn away from that chain of hope which
bound the sad survivors to the thoughts OF length
ened life. The great CLASSY main closed over them
with his volumnous mantle, and the forms OF faith
full seamen sunk to eternal rest.
1t was at this time that, standing with the family
one day, Captain Thurston remarked, MT. s ,.,
ford, thangh am not yet believer Ill aiyth
like premonition, such your mnrmer OF tne
waves still fear shall not live to see the port to
which we are bound The dead who have lett us
tell the story. Their fate almost conSlnces me.
Even should the plague assall us no more, we ate
so short handed that storm would prove zoo
much for us. will make for the nearest port az
| any rate. and His jaw became coneulsed as he
smoke, and Mr.. Stanford and his son bore nm Pc
| low The plague pain was upon nm anu ~ i.
| he Law in agony be cried g !, too, now near 1t
distinctly hear it us ever heard the moaning OF
/ coming hurricane. 1t is horrible, and yet it cannot
| be real. The day is fair. And now hear it loud
er-t grows Oakland now the roar q preaks h,,t
| Stafford Straford, you were right IL dle!-oat
| Heaven spare you and my poor men !"
/ Within a few hours the captain was corpse
| and when the survivors committed his manly figure
to the sea, unmtigated despair settled upon every
| - tJ,a ,yyhn
| many a VOYAGE would have plunged into the waves
! after him, but was restrained by his mates yet
they might have spared their Kindness Tor WITHIN an
hour the pestence had placed us Is Virueht nlser
| upon his heart anu sriei anu my WIN WV w
| gether. -
| broad blue face of ocean, where now but a few
scarce perceptibe swells denoted the suos N1
| breeze Night mounted with her stars, and their
I calm gaze watched the sleep of the watery world
with the same imnutable lustre, as if afiiletlon
formed no part of Gods great plan, and all be-
meath their light were as happy as all beyond II;
| How their changeless loneliness and eternal round
| of duty mock the pride of crumhling man! Ihey
| shone, and our world moved round, and morning
streaked their placid waste, and the bereaved snip
stood almost still, as if pausins TO mourn oyer
| those she had left behind. But more were to fol-
low them. Some slumberers OF that peaceful nigt
| awoke--but there were only four! The family OF
Straffords emerged from their berths to hnd that
theirs alone had been the sleep OF ne ~ al1
be called--were warm and breathing men some
they saw living upon the deck with wild, distorted
| feaf1res dead as they had fallen IN the still
watches of the night none but brother sufferers to
hear their diving groans or breathe a word of
sympathetic prayer; while others were found on
the cabin floor, where they had rolled in their
agony. as if greater space than berth could
afford had been sought by them, to give them
better chance to wrestle with death.
They are all gone, y said Dir. Stanford, Molna
Marcus Elena, before we perform as well as We
can their burial rites, let us talk with God. hnee
kneel my loved ones"
The morning light in all his coursng, never fell
upon holier or more touching spectacle than that
family of four presented, as they knet together in
circle on the deck Of the death ship, feeling every
moment that the unseen minister stood ready to
strike them. while with folded hands they lifted up
their souls to the hearing of their Maker
Mr.. STAFFORD had just passed the meridian OF
life, and the gray streaks mngling with the dark
ness of his hair, made more impressive the manly
look which beamed from every lneament. He was
a man Of time and care his face seemed to sym
bolize the nobility Of that nature which had fought
the battle of life with honor, and which, now sum
moned to resign it, on the very edge OF eternity
sent up its last appeal His wife Molina, the bride
of his youth, knelt beside him, even as she had
knelt at the altar: and her Trailer figure, still
comely, and her purely feminine grace OF counte,
nance, which had captiyated him Of old, contrasted
strongly, yet appropriately, with those OF her
husband, with whom, and with her children, she
now momentarily expected to so before the throne
which he addressed.
Marcus and ELENA, facing them side by side
blending their looks, the looks of both in each
knelt there the mournful Representatives of mans
and woman's estate. Her mothers shining curls
were hers--hers more luxuriant; and IN hel
prayerfu attitude they dropped upon her brotherts
folded hands, almost as if they were conscious
Of the kindred touch and rested there to listen
And there, deaths work around them, the hus
band and father prayed for the souls OF those
who had started from port with them, and haG
| IXnr,,, f1,nvr, RI han np
the living, SO strangely spared to die, one family
together How could death tear so fair GROUP
from life? How could fate doom such group tt
death, thus cruelty robbng them Of their long
cherished hope? They rose from their knees ant
performed the burial of their unfortunate com
panions, and now awaited each others passage
not to a home on earth.
There is little breeze and no hope" said Mr.
STAFFORD +" but Marcus, let the ship keep ne
course before the wind, while we hold communion
with our own souls. Are there no ties, my cnll
dren, which make you unassigned, which max
you reluctant to yield your lives to him who be
slowed them? If so, take heed, and be well pre-
pared for the approaching hour The murmur o
the sea forewarned US of il; our utter LONELINESS
here in the midst of the ocean, in this late busting
ship, as plainly tells of its coming and whether 0.
plague or tempest, it will soon be upon u.s.
@Father," said his son, /" believe never feare
death but to tell the truth, do shun IT, Tor Ellen
| and are young, and both have long looked fol
ward to a union with hearts that love us. me gu
| / love is at home, and even now know mat sh
is waiting for the tidings of our arrival. cahno
be reeonciled to death like this, which tears m
| forever from my long-nourished hopes, ana hlien
think Of her, and of him who so eagerly await
1 her coming"
| g Dear father, dear mother,' said the daughter
| bowling her golden head upon her mothers chez
I shine heart while her tears fell fast, " don't let
| think we are to die thus. Some vessel may al
| proach and take us off. We may not DE: 30
| will not be so hard with us. Let us not dwell upo
| death. Let us think of those we would all see a
| home" MN,
| A storm was darkening in the horizon. Will
the parents and brother attempted to allay the VII
| anguish of Elena, a black and rising tempest nun
/ its scowl of wrath upon all before it and benea!
it, and scaled the heavens as il to hide from incl
4 rebuke the mischief that it meditated sWnt .
| the wings of Eolus, and driving ahead the dreat
4 full dua1a con,7.iers of the wind and kissing wave
on came the spreading monster towards the sun
| and the ocean moaned at his unwilling cooper
I ton. . :,
1 tsThe murmur of the sea! the murmur of til
| sea ~ said Mr. Straford. g This is the murmur
the sea we 50 long have heard-the very sound, til
very aspect of the heavens and the waters in m
dreams. There is no fantasy about TINS; I'm
/ closer to me, wife-my children! me hour
come! This is the death-song of the sea.
They cling together, convinced OF lher lat'
The ship flew, bounded, rushed along. Her ever
sail was set as it had been left by the sailors IN III
calm of the evening before; and straight peiot
the hurting storm she fed, daslng the hyn
waves aside in the giant madness OF despair. An
still the family chung together. Love was IN the
hearts, and deied the elements to sunder lheh
, That was human love. But the love OF God VIZ
with them too. He led the ship. He stayed a.
a Al. la niSn