St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1860-03-22

60, which at the best, was little better than
eight points, so that with her great lee
way, Willie soon found that, in spite of
his utmost skill, his craft was rapidly drift
ing out to sea.
Nearer and nearer rolled on the embat-
tied legion of black storm clouds; louder
came the fearful thunder crashes; more
vivid gloamed the red lightnings flash :;
wider the shrieking gale swept by, bowling
and screaming dread notes Of terror to the
young voyagers. The water-which in
with the land was quite smooth-began to
heave up in huge, foam-crested waves here
and there all around them, curling over
and breaking all feather white, in long
lines Of snowy, Kissing spray: Great round
drops Of rain came pattering down in the
water, and pelting ON the thwarts and gun
wales of the boat with a sharp clicking
noise, that smote startling]y dismal on the
ears Of the three little ocean wanderers.
Young as he was, Willie retained in his
mind much Of what he had heard his faith
er relate at various times in regard to the
management of ship in gale, and the
knowledge which he had thus gained in
theory, now stood him in good stead
He had also heard of keeping ship before
it in squall, and scudding in gale-and
the dull sailing, clumsy boat was his ship.
The theory which he had learned he pro-
ceeded to put in practice; and when the
first mad gust Of the yelling tornado fell
upon the launch, she was going off dead
before the wind-otherwise her sail would
have been blown away, or she would have
been swamped in an instant. AS it was,
she went flashing on through the wild
storm and screaming surges, scudding away
right out into the mighty wilderness Of
waters.
Ten, fifteen minutes went by, and still
the war of elements went Oh in all its ter
rible fury; and still the brave little fellow
stood there at the helm, bare headed, his
cap blown away, his clothes dripping with
water, and steady to his purpose, stcered
his tiny bark on and away before the fierce,
ho~ling blast ~
| Once only he faltered, and that was
when the launch quivered for moment
on the crest of a mighty surge, and then
went reeling and plunging, standing al
most on end, down into the Kissing vortex
of the liquid ravine Then single, quick
cry of horror escaped the boys lips but
the next moment Jenny crept up to his
side, laid her hand upon his shoulder, and
spoke in a low, soothing tone thai
almost instantly called back his confidence
and elected from his lips cry of adnira
tion for his sisters heroism.
"Don't be fri rigntened, dear Willie" sale
the little angel. Smother says that Goo
watches over people that live on the sea
And don't you remember, brother, how
often our dear mother has told US that Je
sus loved little children? IfGod watchc:
over us, and Jesus loves US, We shall b<
safe. So, don't be atraid.''
Night-dark, wild and gloomy nj ght
came down upon the world of waters, ane
still the terrible tornado ragged in all it
horrors of wind, lightning, rain and thun
der; and there, in their frail, open boat
we will leave the hapless young voyager
speeding on and away, right out into th'
very heart of the vast Atlantic. il. We vii
bid them adieu, and glance back to thei
home-to their fond mother, rendered des
olate in heart by the dread calamity tha
has fallen upon her in the loss of he
children. - ,>'a s'----.- -
At the moment when the children frs
embarked, Mrs. Walton bad glanced ou
towards the cove, and for few moments
she watched them with all a mothers fone
pride, as she saw them sailing to and fr,
on the quiet waters Of the bay; and ther
some visitors called, and she forgot he
children till just as the storm came down
when neighbor~ came rushing in with
the heartless intelligence that the launch
had been seen only a few minutes. previ
ously several miles out to sea. H.. -. :.
The first terrible shock almost killed
her; but soon rallying all her woman :
energy aad mother love, she rushed forth
from her home, and needless of the efurious
storm, aroused her neighbors, and besoughi
them with all the cloquence called up BY
the deep anguish Of her riven heart, to lend
their aid in the recovery Of her lost dariings,
There was no vessel at Rockway OF
Faulkner's Island, and to venture out "a
sea in such storm with such small craft
as were kept along the shore, was worse
than madness; and 50 Immediately dis
patches; were sent to New York, not only
to the owners Of the ship commanded by
Capt. Walton, but to the pilots, and within
an hour after the news reached the city,
two Of the staunchest pilot boats, manned
by extra picked crews of gallant souls,
were underweigh, and speeding on their
swift winged course in search Of the ocean
lost children. ~,*fatu a.a. xasg I.z, 3 u
Mrs. Walton herself hastened to the city,
to urge With presence and influence more
prompt action but the tSo vessels had
been gone an hour when she arriyed, and
50 she repaired to the house Of Mr. Alvin,
the owner Of the ship which her husband