The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1860-05-30

continued. "do, ny, Will ole with her,
he said in voice of agony, ,yaInly endea-
voring to raise in his enfeebled arms the
seemingly lifeless form of his daughter.
looked into her face. The transition |
from calm despair to hopo had been too
great, and she had indeed tainted. 1t was
no time to hesitate. Hastily raising the
beautiful stranger in my arms, I-called
upon the old man to follow, dashed into
the front cabin, up the companion.wa and
to my utter horror. found the flames had
just crossed the entrance. For a second
1 paused. Death was behind, destruction
perhaps before. Laying my hand on the
old mans shoulder, / urged him ahead,
hu-riedly threw the shawl of the fair girl
around her face and form, made q bold,
desperate push for life. and in another
instant amid the cheers Of my men, had
gained the quarterback
The boat shot to the side, and dozen
arms were extended to receive my burden.
I carefully gave 1t In charge of the near
est, almost slvng the old man after aud
springing with bound into the stern
sheets, waved my arm, and shouted:
"Shove off-board-give way--and if
ever you pulled before, pull now, for your
lives, my men,"
| I was obeyed. With one soul they
bent their brawny arms to tho task, and
while the ash almost snapped beneath
them, made the boat whirl from the quar-
ter, and then sent her with the velocity Of
o seq gull over the deep. Not word
was spoken. The old man sat beside me
In tho bewilderment Of gratitude, aston.
ishment and only hall.dissipated fright
while the form of his still inanimate child
was extended, unaided for the moment, by
his side. 1t was, indeed, no time for de.
lay. Every man know he was pulling for
life or death.
The other boat was nearly mile ahead,
skimming swiftly along from the deserted
ship. Far off on the moonlight horizon,
lay our schooner. with oil her exquisite
tracery reflected in the wave beneath, and
seeming with her thin, taper, raking masts,
like some @rial vessel floating railway
between seq and sky. Down to the right
was the burning ship, presenting vas,
: body Of lurid fire, that roarod along heI
sides. strcamed out her ports, eddicd spi
rally up the masts, and lcaped in huge
masses straight out into the sky. Now
and then, as her guns became heated, they
went of with roar like thunder.
Meantime, the 'dense SMOKE gathering
in o thick cloud above, hing like pal
Q over the consuming ship. For som,
+ moments the flames appeared to die il
r part away; but all at once stream Of in
\ tense FIRE, that almost blinded the eyes
d leaped perpendicularly upward, from tn
: decks; the horizon for miles around u
d illuminated with light more vivid tha
G that of the brightest MONDAY; part G
n the foremast, lifted bodily ont, shot lik
an arrow almost cable length on high;
s conclusion ensued that made tho boa
n shiver like reed, and rock momen
j. frightfully about, and then a stunning roa
IS followed, shaking the armament to its Ger
IS ter, and sounding as if thousand broad
l. sides had been discharged at once. Fo
o a moment, as the burning fragments sale
:, aloft, falling on every hand about, Will
1t the boat rolled to and fro upon the ug
! tated swell, we held our brea,hs in nae
mentary expectation of death, and il
rt voluntarily ejaculated:
y "The Lord have mercy on us ALL"
At "Amen!" said the rescued father at IN
side. sffae. l#flis',
: But we were again most miraculous
D. preserved. The olfing we had game,
e though not sufficient to insure safet
v proved great enough to relieve us fro
1T inevitable destruction. Had any of Il
IS falling timbers, however, struck u.s. v
Id should have all gone down together. a
IN it was, it was one of the narrowest escap,
il I ever had made, and when I gave tt
lie command to the crew to give way again
It: for at that terrible explosion, they had
b. one man paused--a gush of frankfulne
70. and devotion went up from my heart
p. the great Author of my being, who BIT
1e thus second time, preserved my life.
= The deafening uproar, however, reca
n ed the senses of the fair girl at my sid
on But will not describe her gratitude, al
'e. that of her, parent to myself, whom th
at persisted in considering the preserver
at their lives. Suffice it to say we were so
he on board; the Captain deliberately resig
nd ed his own cabin to the strangers, a
is then had leisure to learn some partic
he lars concerning their history. They we
easily told. Mr.. Thornton, the father
"a Isabel, was wealthy West Indiaman, a
ID, was just returning from Great Brits
yer with his daughter, who had been there
ise several years obtaining her educatic
ed Before the Letter Of the Marque sailt
lar she had been fitted up by Mr.. Thornt
he in style bordering on eastern luxul
ed with furniture, intended principally
ce, his mansion-house at Jamaica. But
I'D this moment message arrived, soliciti
et my presence with Mr.. Thornton. As
en- entered the cabin, he frankly extended
ost hand, aud presented me to his now blu:
ing daughter--for what woman, be $
p's who she may, can stand unembarrassed
es- the presence of one to whom she oV