The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-11-09
S.clect 5fli5
wRECK.D UPON THE ROCK.
By EMERSON BENNETT.

In the fall of 1859, us was passing down
lake Eri., from SanIusky City to Buffalo. ],
Tirmed some acquaintance with an ell erly
gentleman, who was also passenger Nh i.
Warren, for SO he gave ME his na'ue, had beeI
III. OF the early adventures i'll the western,
country. aud especially along the lake shore
and finding me interested in matters perta IL
ing to early times, he took not little pains i'll
pointing out to me- ii ON the deck of the steam
-r, the different localities where important
events had occurred connected with the early
settlement of the country. With each 'calit,
he had n story to tel-ether longer or shorter
as the case may be; but the most remarkabl,
one of all, and which am going to relate, oc
cured to himself and small party of his dear
est friends
''Do you see tina. dark line, yonder?" h,
said, pointing to the distant shore.
II see somathng."I L replied, that resembles
d small clou stretched along the horizon
s.Well, that, sir, is not literally cloud,
ii ough it praved cloud of sorrow to me-
AS he said this, in vni-e somewhat tremu
lous with emotion, L lonL ed up, and observed
tear stealing down his aged cheek.
"Ah! my friend" he pursued. shaking his
gray head solemnly, and passing his hand
across his eyes, "the sight Of thIt dark spot
yonder brin.s up dark memory, and makes
was great many years ago" he continued
''and have since lived to experience great
many changes and revcrses-have lived TO see
one fri nj aft ier another taken down to his mar
row hone-but the events of that awful day
are as vividly in my reco.lcct on now. looming
above all Others, as if they lad oc ;urred but
Yesterday. Excuse re few minutes, and l
will tell you the story" he added; and turning
away. he seated himself. buried his face in his
hands and dia not a-ain alter lis position till
the dark line he referred to had faded from
my view.
At length he looked up, rs one starting from
dream: and having swept the horizon with
his till keen, bright eye, he turned to me and
requested me to take seat beside him.
That dark line / pointed out TO YOU" he re-
sumed-"and which, thank heaven! is now
gone from my Sights an almost perpendic-
ular bluff Of rocks. of from sixty to eighty feet
in height, upon the base of which the storm
raised waves dash with wild fury. throwing
fine white spray high into the air, and filling
the listening ear with an almost deaiening roar
not unlike the thunders OF Niagara. | heard it
nnce as IA dreadful requiem over the loved and
lost and heaven grant that l may never hear
it aaainl'
Here he paused. as if over owered with the
recollection, brrShe,. another tear from his eye,
and once more resumed
1T was many years ago-I need not tell you
how many, for time counts as nothing in those
great events that rend the heart-it many
years ago. say. that small party of us-cun-
sisting of my mother. sister. younger brother.
and Il y, ung and lovely maiden to whom I was
engagcd-emlsl ked il Canadian bateau at IL
point lar down the lake with the intention of
finishing the remainder OF our long journey
from the eastward by water, and joining lew
friends WHO had gone before us, and settled
just below the rapids of the Mauncc.
For several days we had good sailing-the
weather fair and the wind in our flvor-in con-
sequence of which our hearts became light and
buoyant, for we felt that We were near our
journeys end. and shoul- soon be mingled
with those sought. But who knows aught of
the future ? WHO has right to say that joy
and happiness are lis?-for in single moment
all his brightest hoIes may be dash, forever,
and he be either overtakcn by death, OF by q
calamnity that shall make him a lifelong
mourner!
'.One day, with the most gloomy arprehen-
sions-with a presertimc mt that made me
wretcheG-I saw a stolm legin to gather, and
l watched 1t with feelings of the most painful.
anxiety 1t was not lon: in gathering. but
loomed up quickly and feariuly, and. almost
ere any one save me was aware of the danger,
it burst upon with fury. 10
'sI had taken in sail, and prepared for it as
well as could but the first dash nearly cap
sized US. and t waves suddenly rose, and threw
their spray completely over US. ard we heean
tn drift towards the dark bluff wE.ch l POINTED
out TO you. All was now excitement and con-
fusion on board. for all belize ed that we should
soon go to the bottom. ] pretended to have a
stout heart. and to laugh at their fears, and so
quieted them in ne degree. Tut to tell ycu
the Truth. ] wfs ft aIiuly a'sln yseH 1o1 Il e
boat at once fecame unnIanaeoable, and set
rapidly toward that rocky shore. uron which
tho surge was ROW beating iriehtfullv; and
felt that nothing short of an interposition of
Providence could save US from being dashed to
pieces