Delaware inquirer. (Wilmington, Del.) 1859-18??, 1860-04-07

4 aBhlii tilt tDluChntsS1 huo tHt hulNt
| line OF the rushing tide coming up the bay. 1t
looked not a mile from MS and when the wind
blows up the bay, it comes swifter than gal
Looping horse. Lord help us I saidf; and then
l were sorry I'd spoken, to frighten Lefty, but
the words were crushed out Of my heart by the
terror. | felt her shiver up by my side, and
clutch my coat. And as it the pig las had
screeched himself hoarse some time ago) had
/ found out the danger we were all in, h0 took
to squealing again, enough to bewider any
man. cursed him between my teeth for his
\ noise; and yet il was Gods answer to my
prayer, blind sinner as was, Aye you may
| smile, sir, but God can work through many
scornful thing, if need be-
"By this time the mare were all in lather,
and trembling and painting as if in mortal
| fright; for though we were on the last bank
afore the second channel she stood still, and
not all my fogging could get her to stir she
i fairly groaned aloud, and shook in a terrible
| quaking way. Till now Lefty had not spoken;
only held my coat tightly, | heard her say
something and bent down my head,
"I think, John-I thnk--I shall never see
baby again
| "And then she sent up such cry-so loud
and shrill, and pitiful It fairly maddened me-
| pulled out my knife 10 spur on the old mare,
that il might end one way or the other for the
water was stealing sulenly up to the very axle
\ tree let alone the white waves that knew
mercy in their steady advance. That one
/ quarter of an hour, sir, seemed as long as all
my life since. Thoughts, and iancies. and
| dreams, and memory, ran into each other.
| The mist, the heavy mist, that was like ghast-
| ly curtain, shutting us in for death, seemed 10
i bring with il the scents of the flowers that
i grew around our own threshold lit might be,
| Tor it was falling on them like blessed dew,
/ though TO us il was n shrond. Lefty told me
/ at after she heard her baby crying for her,
above the gurgle of the rising waters, as plain
as ever she heard anything but the sea-birds
were skirling, and the pig shrieking-l never
| caught it; it was miles away, at any rate.
| "Just MS I'd gotten my knife out, another
sound was close upon us, blending with the
| purgle of the near waters, and the roar of the
| distant mot so distant, thoughil we could
| hardly see, but we thought We saw something
| black against the deep lead color Of wave, and
| mist, and sky, 1t neared and nearcd with
| slow, steady motion it came across the channel
| right to where we were. o God it was Gill
/ bert Dawson on his strong bay horse
/ "Few words did We speak, and little time
had we to say them in. | had no knowledge
at that moment of past or future-only of one
| present thought-how to save Lefty, and, If
| could myself. | only remembered afterwards
that Gilbert said he had been guided by an
animals shrek OF terror. | only heard, when
| all was over, that he had been uneasy about
our return, because of the depth of fresh; and
| had borrowed pillion, and saddled his horse
| early in the evening, and ridden down to Cart
| lane TO watch for us. II all had gone well, we
should meier have heard Of it. As it was, old
Jonas told it, the tears housekeeping from
| his withered checks.
iWe fastened his horse to the shandry. We
lifted Lefty to the pllion. The waters rose
every instant with sullen sound They were
| all but in the shandry. Lefty clung to the
piion- n-handles but drooped her head as if she
had yet no hope of life. Swifter than thought,
| (and yet he might have had time for thought
and for temptation, sir ;-if he had ridden of
with Lefty, he would have been saved-not
mel Gilbert was in the shandry by my side.
| "'Quick J said he, clear and firm. You
must ride before her, and keep her up. The
horse can swim. By Gods mercy will fol-
| low. | can cut the traces, and if the mare is
not hampered with the shandry, she'll carry
me safely through. At any rate you are u
| husband and father. No Que cares for me.
| ''Do not hate me, gentlemen. often wish
| that night was dream. 1t has haunted my
sleep ever since like dream; aud yet it was
no dream. | took his place on the saddle, and
put Lefty arms around me, and felt her head
/ rest on my shoulder trust in God spoke
some words of thanks but can't remember,
| only recollect Lefty raising her head, and
| calling out
"sGod bless you, Gilbert Dawson, for saving
| my DADN lTOul DclHH H'SNt
| And then she fell againstm as If unconscious
~ bore her through or, rather, the strong
horse swan bravely through the gathering
waves. We were dripping wet when we reach
ed the banks in-shOre but we could have but
one ethought-where was Gilbert? Thick mists
and heaying waters compassed MS round
Where was he? We shouted. Lefty, faint as
she was, raised her voice and shouted, clear
and shril No answer came. The sea doomed
on with ceaseless, sulen beat. rode TO the
guides house. He was a-bed, and would not
get up, though offered him more than was
worth. Perhaps he knew 1.-THE cursed old
villain. At any rate, I'd have paid it II I'd
toiled my life long. He said might take his
horn, and welcome. did, and blew such
blast through the STILL black night, the echoes
came back upon the heavy air; but no human
voice or sound was heard; that wild blast
could not awaken the dead.
~ took Lefty home to her baby, over whom
she wept the live-long night. rode back 10
the shore about Cart-lanei and to and fro with
weary march did pace along the brink of the
waters, now and then shouting ont into the
silence vain cry for Gilbert The waters
went back, and left no trace. Two days after
wards he was washed ashore near Fluke-
borough The shandry and poor old mare were
found half buried in q heap Of sand By Arnsde
Knot As far as We could CHESS, lie had drop
ped his knife while trying to cut the traces,
and SO had lost all chance oil me- ANY rate,
the knife was found in cleft of the shaft.
"IIis friends came over from Garstang to his
funeral. | wanted to go chief mourner, but it
was not my right, and might not; though
I've never done mourning him to this day
When his sister packed up his things, begged
hard for something that had been his. She
would give me none Of his clothes, (shc was
right-down having woman,l as she had boys
of her own, who might grow up into them
But she threw me his Bible, as she said they'd
gotten one already, and his were but poor
used-up thing 1t was his, and so ! cared for
it. 1t were a black leather one, with pockets
at the sides, old-fashioned-wise and in one
were bunch of wild flowers Lefty said she
: could almost be sure were some she had once
, given him.
"There were many a text in the gospel mark
ed broad with his carpenters pencil, which
more than bore him out in his refusal 10 fight.
! OF surety, sir, there's call enough for bravery
, in the service of God, and to show love to man,
without quarreling and fighting.
/ "Thank you, gentlemen, for listening TO me.
! Your words called up the thoughts of him, and
my heart was full to speaking. But | must
, make up; I've to dig grave for a little child,
who is to be buried Tomorrow morning, Just
when his playmates are trooping off to school,
"But tell us of Lettyi is she yet alive?' ask
} ed Jeremy.
The old man shook his head, and struggled
Q against choking sigh. After minutes
: pause, he said.
4 UShe died in less'th two year at after that