Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-09-24

IL.
"But you know not, my friends, that a
| price is now upon this head and On those Of
my children. We were flying from the soil
/ of Denmark, when the storm forced US back
| upon it. l am"
Keep your secret-do not tell 1t to me ="
cried the fisherman, abruptly checking the
| revelation she was about to make. "All that
| | have need to know is, that you came here in
| distress, and that you are in worse distress
while you remain. The storm will soon abate
the coast of the Low Countries is not far
distant: o-morrow-perhaps this very even
ing-I will conduct you from this kingdom, to
a place where the persecution of your enc
mics, whoever they are, shall not reach you.
| Snatch some repose, meanwhile, and confde
in my hospitality"
The good but humble couple fastened to
prepare, near the hearth, pallet of straw,
upon which the beautiful unknown did not
| hesitate an instant to place herself with her
children.
With an arm around each, SIZE was in a
moment wrapped in sleep. The good man
| Finn stood breathlessly attentive, while his
! guest clasped her children convulsively mo-
ment, and struggled almost from the bed to
| the door. Then a "change came DER the
| spirit of her dream"-an eloquent expression
| Of Joy passed over her pale features,-her
lips moved in earnest thanksgiving, and her
countenance settled into placid and calm re-
pose, betokening the consciousness of safety
| The fisher and his wife conversed, with quick
and intelligent glances, over their sleeping
guest. They both knew that she had passed
| through her perils i'll that vision; they both
| felt happy for her calm slumber which spoke
| SO well the sense of safety.
| In this calm rest she passed many hours. At
moth hnp gin 1hnr Il ct,, bod
voices outside the hut-they were roughly
| interrogating the fisherman. The questions
| she needed not to hear to distinctly under
stand-the answer of Finn she did, catch, for
| it was spoken for her ears as well as for the
| soldiers who had visited the cabin.
GA hundred pieces of gold !" cried the
| fisher. 'Truly, captain, sum like that would
| be worth striving for. Be assured | will take
| good care Of the runaways if they fall into
my hands. A hundred pieces of gold! Not
a soul shall escape shipwreck, from this day
forth, for twelve month, but | will bring TO
your quarters A hundred pieces of gold =
But, Captain" added Finn, with the charac-
teristic GOODNESS of a Danish peasant ''but
captain, will you enter my humble cottage a
moment for rest and refreshment 2"
| The mother shuddered, lest the invitation
| given in bravado might be accepted in ear
| lives Of her children were at stake-for an
| instant she trembled at the possibility that
her host might intend to betray her. The
| voice of the captain as he declined the prof
| tered civility and renewed his promises to the
| fisherman, treasured her, as its tones died
away in the distance. In a moment more,
Finn entered the cabin.
| lose not a moment, madam" he said
The storm has abated-the waves are more
worthy of trust than man and we must en-
bark on the instant !"
All the strength of the mother returned at
| this new exigency, and hushing her children
into silence by sign, she followed Finn as he
| took clrcultous path among the rocks, known
| only to himself; and in a few moments, with
out the exchange of a word, they were en-
| barked in the fisherman's skiff, the fasts were
! cast off, the honest fisher worked at his oars
| with WILL and, in ten hours, the dawning
| light showed him the coasts OF the Low Coun-
tries. Through the night he had been guided
| by his familiar pilots the stars; and labor was
so much his habitual custom in his hard call
| ing-he so often endured it as matter of
course and of habit-that, with such a stake
| IN success, he did not once think of fatigue
Suddenly new and startling danger caught
| his eye
Two armed boats were pursuing him; and,
! notwithstanding they were crowded with sol
diers, and awkward afoat as a cow on stilts
they rapidly gained upon him. 1t was evident
that they had been laying in wait near the
coast, to intercept the very precious burden
which he carried. He uttered not a word of
surprise.
Down, madam" he said, without any ap-
pearance Of being disconnected, clown in
| the bottom of the boat for it very much needs
ballast"
The mother, unconscious of the threatened
| danger, obeyed mechanically. In the next
instant musket balls whistled past the ears of
the intrepid fisherman-had they sped an in
slant before, the mother would have escaped
| the perilS of the sea but to have been MUIR
dered by the hirelings.
Finn examined with his eye the distance
| between his boat and the shore: and he saw
| that it was impossible for him to reach it be-
fore his pursuers would overtake him. He
! formed a sudden resolution-he ceased to fiy
He even turned his DU2t's head toward his
pursuers, and, making a trumpet with his
hands, shouted
Boats ahoy! What do you wish ?"
| "You are not alone" answered his pursu-
ers positively.
| "True," replied the fisherman, as the boats
were now so near each other that they could
| converse Win less EFFORT. 'Irue-l have q
good cargo of fish for companions. You can
provision yourselves with them if you wish :;
There was no need for you to fire on me for
| that"
advance! /"
"Aye, aye!" cried Finn, gaily, yet tremu-
lousy.
1t was proper and natural that poor fish
erman should be awkward and alarmed before
two boat-loads of soldiers The coarse brutes
enjoyed what they thought was the trepida-
ton and energy of fear, and, as they stood
| up, their boats reeled under their shouts of
! laughter, as the tisherman's skitf, urged by
| his nervous arms, shot toward them.
A scream from the lubbers A splash =
The awkward fishers clumsy boat has struck
their bows, and the awkward soldiers fall
over the gunwale all around into the sea-
| Nor is there less confusion among the other
| ter first over one side and then over the 9TH
er, as the soldiers swung their arms, and sway
ed and fell upon each other, in vain attempts
to succor their drowning brethren.
What another accident! The awkward
and frightened fisherman has taken a sudden
sweep, and run into them, too. And now he
is pulling away for dear life, without thought
for the safety of the soldiers of Denmark
What a head peeping over the side of the
| hShermanS boat-a wOman's head
"Never mind the men overboard-pursue
pursue "
g But the oars have all been thrown to the
| drowning men,"
Fire upon them"
But the muskets have fallen overheard with