M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1860-02-16

OF the White CtOud sIre had bJen cut
fur below the water-line. 3D. i' o.
Il had not dwelt 50 long upon the
rivers hank without famiiarizingmy.
self with the use Of the oar. and with
the aid of two or three Of the frat who
recovered their selEpossession,I I
launched one Of the steamers boats
and pushed off to the assistance
Iof those who were struggling
in the water. | shall never for.
get the faces l saw that night; and l
shudder now as | recall their looks Of
despairing snpplication as the turbid
waters closed over them forever. with.
lin sight, almost within reach ef the
lhelpins hands. s-slliiasfs lis,4..
II was standing in the bow of the
boat as we we're returning slowly from
a long chcuit around the sunken
steamer. when ] saw close before us
the CLEAN of a white garment upou
the water, and faint, bubbling call
reached our cars. The boat shot t'ior-
ward under the impulse Of therowers,
but the object was gone. We were
just turning TO leave the spot, when
the water parted again below US, and
the glare of the torches shone upon an
upturned female face. / needed no
second glarce; my heart leaped into
my throat, and with spring that
carried me far over he boats side, I
grasped the white figure with tremb.
ling fingers, and supported it. until
strong arms in the boat lifted us from
the water. .t- "a "a .ui
"The next evening Mary Marshall
Il could not call her Mary Milton
and sat together in New Orleans,
and talked hour after hour syl.t
"I4et me make her story brief !,
"They had gone directly from 2 ,9-
ton to New Orleans, where l. iris
soon obtained employment as bb
keeper in one of the banks Of the c
lty. But the loss Of his wealth and
position had completely cast down
his weak spirit. lie fell into habits
Of drunkenness, was rarely at home,
sometimes leaving her in their board.
ing.house or days together. He en-
tertained an insane hope of regaining
his lost wealth at the gam;ng-table,
and within twelve months from their
marriage he was brought home dead,
stabbed in a drunken brawl in one of
the gambling hells of the city. For.
tunateIy for Mary, she had gained the
affection and esteem OF the wife o! the
president of the bank where Louis
had been employed, who now offered
her home ostensibly as teacher Of
music for her daughter. And here
she had been ever since, meeting
nothing but kindness, and contented
with her lot. She was accompanying
the family on Northern tour. when
the accident occurred which brought
us together. Lii ..rfl. .;a..g
"More than thirty years tave,"
solemnly continued the old man, at.
ter pause, "rolled away, and never
since then, fot single day, have Ma.
ry and | been parted" l, .t
Mrs. Elmore rose softly from her
chair, and kneeling beside her hus-
band, hid her face in his bosom and
sobbed Ikea child. t IH
Silently | walked down the path
way, and, leaning upon the rustic
gate, looked far down where the light
OF the new.risen moon slept upon the
water, and listened To the night wind
as it whispered softly To the slumber-
ing flowers. Presently | felt, rather
than heard, light step behind me-
A little Write band was laid upon my
shoulder, / passed my arm lovingly
around yiel,ling figure, and then,
with spirits that melted into each 9TH
er, and in that blissful hour lived as
but one essence, Annette and stood
dreaming under the silent stars, until
the old mans voice said: most
Come, children, it is late"
That little hand is not so fair and
plump now as then, and the frosts Of
age are beginning to silver my hair,
butstill the quiet autumn evenings Of.
ten find US standing at the rustic
gate. The same river hows unchang-
ingly at our feet, and Annette and I
are as perfectly one spirit now as
then. -.. 81 ,,l,-