Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1862-05-22

rs bespoke the agoniziUg apprehension OF
the passengers and crew as we went plunglRg
madly to destruction, scarcely half mile from
the gulf whose dashing waves we could dir
tinctly hear. The captain bad frankly told
us of his inability to gnide us through The per.
ilous passage, Whie the deck, gangway and
cabin were filed with men, women and chill
dren, some of whome were praying, and weep
ing, others intensely crazy with an agony too
intense for utteIance Women eagerly cluch
ed their childrrn, and husbands pressed their
wives to their bosoms with the only hope Of
dying together The captain stood at tho
wheel, assisted by one of the passengers, vain,
ly endeavoring to hold out to the last and uu.
til every effort should prove fruitless while
strained eyes and looks of despair, they gazed
through the almost binding storm upon tho
craggy rocks, lifting high their gray, bare
heads ont of the water, and upon which they
expected every moment to be dashed to pieces
Just as frenzy had begun to calm down into
sober earnest preparation for the doom which
awaited Us, there came ont OF the state-room
fair young creature, over whose head IScarce
sixteen Summers had passed She was of me-
dium height, and fair as the lily of the north
ern cline She donDed dress of plain black
stuff, while the coat of one of the deceased
pilots was buttoned tightly around her slight
form Her face was ashy pale as she mounted
the stairway, and with her hair disheveled by
tie wind she exclaimed in voice which rung
clear as the notes of bugle above thestorm
I" 4 know something of this Lachine rapid,
and will use my best endeavorS to gnide you,
although we have everything of wind and wa.
ter against us. Let two Of you who ere tho
strongest and most sef-possessed stand by me.
at the wheel, while the rest invoke His aid
who ever stilleth the tempest, to guard our life
laden bark safely through the troubled watersP
As if ia dersion of her matchess courage,
the mad waves dashed higher while the thun-
der pealed lcud defiance to her words. With
pale face and lips compressed, she took her
station at the wheel, while two powerful men
stood by to aid her as far as possible. With
firm hand she raised the glass and swept the
scene before her then bidding them to have
courage, the boat entered upon its fearful
course, bounding onward, as if conscious of the
hand that guided its destiny. Her orders were
given iu clear, loud tones, while she stood
proudly erect, her eyes frightened into dark
er blue, until one would have fancied her tha
ruling spirit Of the storm. The water dashed
against the side of the boat, crowning her fair
head with gttering drops yet still she stood
unh eeding, while not an eye in all that group
bat gazen in mingled awe and confidence upon
that delicate form. Once again the spoke OF
the wheel slipped from the grasp Of him who
held it, but fair eweled hand arrested its
progress, and stayed the destruction which 9th.
erwsc would have followed its swerve from
dnty Onward sped the noble bark, and when
darkness shut the last rock from our sight one
deafeniug shout rose high above the storm for
her who had SO bravely guided us through the
shadow of death.
She would receive no thanks for herself bat
bidding US "giVe thanks to Him whose voice
ever Tuleth the storm" she retired to her state
room, and was lost to view.
Around the cabiatabie that night, about aR
hour before we entered the harbor of Montreal,
we learned her history. She was the daugh-
ter OF the merchant who owned the line Of
boats one of which she had just saved from
roiu. Her mother died when she was child,
and her father had, yielding to her wishes, al
lowed her to accompany him in the boat of
which he was captain. By degrees she become
acquainted with every bend in that beautiful
river, while calm aud storm alike brought
scenes OF beauty to her eye. She was now on
her way to visit some friends in Quebec, where
her father proposed joining her to spend the
winter
A gentleman artist sketched a likeness on G
leaf of his portfolio, as she stood at the wheel,
wrapped in the pilots coat, with the glass in
her hand and her full length portrait still
graceS the gallery of the fine arts in MoDtFeel.
Many rough hand grasped the snowy fingers
at parting, and many blessing crowned that
noble head.
A magnificent diamond bracelet, bearing
upon an inside plate the name Of the vessel and
date of the occurrence, was presented to her
about a week after her arrival in Quebec By
the passengers who were on board at the time,
while loud and triumphant were the praises
borne to the ears of fond parent of the noble
conduct OF that frail but fearless one who had
brsved the dangers before which stout hearts
and strong forms had quailed.
md what became of her afterward ?"
inquired.
She married an officer in Quebec, and her
children still live there. One is a noble boy,
or rather nan now, and plows the ocean in
one Of the noble battle-shps Of England"
~G. A el,ort;o .b;pLs - ,varv oxtroor5i,orv