The Van Buren press., 1860-06-22
NO. 81.

ter deck amid the cheers Of my men. TIL,
boat shot to the side, and dozen arms
were extended to receive my burden.
carefully gave it III charge of the nearest.
almost slung the old man after. and spring
ing with bound into the stern sheets.
waved my arm, and shouted Shove of
-board-give way--and ii ever you pull
ed before, pull now. for our lives. my men,"
was obeyed. With one soul they bent
their brawny arms 10 the task, and whiic
the ash almost snapped beneath them.
made the boat whirl from the quarter, and
then sent her with the velocity Of sea gull
over the deep. Not = word was spoken.
The old man sat beside me in the bewilder-
ment of gratituls, assonishnent and only
half-dissipaed fright-whilsthe form Of his
still inanip9te Gbild. was extended unhecd-
ed ~ hissidc. II was, indeed, no time for
delay. Every man knew he was pulling
for life or death. The other boat was near
ly mile ahead skimming swiftly along
from the deserted ship. Far off on the
moonlight horizon. lay our schooner, with
all her exquisite traeery reflected in the wave
beneath, ami soelaiing With her thin, taper.
rakInS masts, like some Giial vessel float
ing halfway between sea and sky. Down
to the right was the burning ship, present
ing vast body Of lurid fire, that roared
along her sides, streamed out her ports, ed
died spiIally up the masts, and leaped in
huge masses straight out into the sky. Now
and then, as her guns became heated, they
went oil with roar like thunder. Mean
time the dense smoke, gathering in thick
cloud above, hung like pail over the con-
suInlnS ship. For some III ON cntS the flames
appearedto die in Part away but all at once
stream OF intense fire, that almost blinded
the eyes, leaped perpendicularly upward
from the decks the horizon, for miles
around us illuminated with light more
vivid than that oi the brightest noon day
a part of the iorenast lifted bodily out shot
like an arrow almost cable length on high.
y conclusion ensued that made the boat
| shiver like a reed, and rock fiightfully
about, and then n stunning roar followed.
shaking the frmament to its center, and
sounding rs if a thousand broadsides had
been discharged at once. For moment,
as the burning fragments sailed aloft, fall
ing about us on every hand, while the boat
rolled to and fro upon the agitated swell
we held our breaths in momentary expccta-
tion of death, ami involuntarily ejacula-
ted
The Lord have mercy on us all"
Amcn!" said the rescued father at my
side
But we Were again most miraculously
preserved. The oifing we had gained, though
not sufficient to insure safety, proved great
enough to relieve us from inevitable dc.
strnction However, had any Of the falling
timbers struck us, we should all have gone
down together. AS it was, it was one of
the narrowest escapes ever had made, and
whom gave the command to the crew to
give way ayain--for ut that terrible explo-
sion, they had as one man paused-a gush
OF thank!uness went up from my heart to
the great Author of my being, who had
thus second time preserved my life
The dcalening uproar, however, recalled
the senses OF tho lair girl at my side But |
Will not describe her gratitude. and that of
her parent to myself, whom they persisted
III cons sldcring the pIcserver of their lives.
Sutiice 1t to say we Were soon on board
the captain deliberately resigned his own
cabin to the strangers, and then had leis-
ure to learn some particulars concerning
their history. They were easily told. Mr..
Thornton the father of Isabel, was u veal
thy West lndiaman, and was Just return
ing from Great Britain with his daughter,
who had becn there for several years OBJ
tanning her education. Before the :. Letter Of
Alarque sailed, she had been fitted up by MIR.
Thornton iii u s.ylc bordering on eastern
luxury, with furniture intended principally
for his mansion house at Jamaica. But at
tins moment a message arrived, soliciting
my presence with Mr.. Thornton AsI en-
tered the cabin, he frankly extended his
hand, and presented met to his now blush
ing danghter-tor what woman, be she who
she may, can stand uncmbarrassed in tho
presence of one to whom she owes her live ?
l have had many moments of pleasure, but
l never felt l then felt, when Isabel
Thornton, extending her delicate hand to
me, with her sweetest smile uttered her
thanks.
But how said l, to change the subject.
did it happen, my dear Miss Thornton.
that you were in the cabin when the rest
had escaped ?''
"In the general alarm we were forgotten
for we had been hurried to the hold, during
the conflict, and when the fire broke out we
were overlooked. We found our way back
but only when the whole ship was in flames.
! We had Just reached the cabin through
forward door below, and believing the ship
destroyed, had despairej of all escape,
when you-you-appeared."
had forgot till this moment we were
foes" said l, gayly, determined to avoid
the coming thanks.
But foes, or not, - continued Harry,
turning to his wife with smile, 90 Isabel
is now my bride, and often when l speak
Of the sacrifices she has made for me in
leaving her native land. she reminds me
with grateful heart, that saved her life
on that eventful night"
The vile looked up as che spoke and
sworn bachelor as AMI envied Harry.
! the tender look of those confidinc ewes