Monmouth weekly herald., 1859-02-03
Jnterestmp Storg,
A MODERN HERO.
By RICHARD cRANsHAw.

By RICHARD CRANsHAw.
i Trente Leycroff, as he stood upon hi
vessels quarter deck, the, clear breez
hitting the LOCKS from his forehead. as
playful hand might fondle with the ring
lets OF child. and his bright black eve
scanning the surrounding horizon, looked
tstandlng there, i" every inch a king r.
not OF the pent up and confined land, bu
OF the merry, free and dashiDg ocean-o
the sky bounded, heaving mass of water,
ol,lng in all their grandeur at his feet
his klugly throne the white deck of his
proud vessel, and his shadowing can
opy the 1eecy clouds floating above hiu
IN the blue summer sky.
Pleasant lh.ughts ofhome were passing
through Trente Leycroff smird, and home
pictures and home anticipations were
chasing one another through his brain, as
ne leaned over the vessels side, thous.
and miles away from the subject of his
creams. The last letter from his young
wife told him news that sent thrill
through his heart, until now known be.
lore.a lie aeas a father! The handwrit-
ing was tremulous from recent illness.
but the news it had to communicate had
bestowed strength that de6ed longer
delay. And in the lowest corner of the
sheet, there was a shapeless, indistinct
mark made with the pens poiGt Guided
by the mothers band, this had been-the
6aby's mark. And as he gained upon the
falnt evidence of the existence of his baby
boy, Irente Leycrof let fall gentle tear
upon It--a tear that manhood could not
nlush 70 have recorded upon the tablet
OF bis llfe,s past actions.
Every dash of the waves against the
side tells him that he is nearer to home !;
every passing weed floating out upon the
wave be watches, until it is lost to view.
There, from the recesses of his thoughts
he has bullded the form of the we'll re
membered homestead, and slowly it rises
Us from the waves and stands there before
him, ready to be peopled from the same
airy realms that called it into existence.
It.is morning. They are all there =
his gray haired father and mother, the
former seated before the open Bible read
lug aloud the accustomed. lesson of The
DAY while the mother is reverently lean
ing her head upon her hand, on the op-
.poslte side of the table; his wife quiet
Ing the child upon her knee, who is laugh
ing gleefulIy at the bright morning sun
silue beaming in through the window (;
ana the two or three servants Of the fan.-
liy listening quietly to the voice oil the
old man, as he asks blessing on the la
oors and occupations of the coming day.
he hears his own name mentioned in a
suppllcation for his safety, aud notes the
tear that rolls down his wifes cheek, and
crops upon the laughing brow OF his in
fant boy as she listens.
1t is night. They are seated around
the pleasant ireside. The old man smokes
ms usual pipe before going to rest, and
the partner of his lifc's pilgrimage sets
silently knitting and thinking Of her boy
far out upon the sea. The baby is lying
in the cradle, and the voice of his wife
softly humming over one of his own ia
vorlte bailods is heard, trying to lull the
infant to its slumbers. The pictures of
his fancy are right pleasant as he thus
builds them from the store houses of his
wandering thoughts. A voice at his side
scatters them to the air forever, and the
cloud built visions don again their heecy
wings and aoated away to their enchant
ed realms.s
Mr. Leycrof. there's leak in the
hold, and it's gaining on US so rapidly,
that I'm afraid We cannot stop itT
de turned towards the carpenter, who
had thus spoken to him in a quick, hoarse
whisper, and there arose sickness at his
heart as the dreadful news reached bis
ear, thus suddenly. But this was not a
time for thought but action; and so he
Instantly descended into the hold to see
the extent Of the damage. 1t was even
SO. The hold was then half full of water,
and the leak was gaining rapidly, and so
situated amongst the heaviest of the car.
go, that approach was difficult, and the
repairing Of the damage next to an i'm
possibility. A heavy gale through which
the ship had passed the day previous, was
evidently the cause Of the INJURY until
within a short time previously totally
undreamed of by all on board.
The pumps then, were the only hope
and the order was instantly given thai
they might be manned and set to work
to try to keep her aaoat. Stout hearts
and ready hands were there, and soon
every nerve was being strained in the ef
forts for safety. But the good ship was
doomed, and slowly, but surely she sank
Istill deeper in the bosom of the vast en-
circling food.
| The water now rushed in, in perfecl
torrent, and as it gained each moment
new impetus. the injury became still
greater, and it tore its way through tht
stout barrier Of wood and iron as though
lit bad bssn but paper. Men ran abou
liz haste collecting such necessaries q.