Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1863-09-23
THE NOBLE FISHERMAN.

winds anu waves, which threatened to over
whelm it. 4 woman, two children and
sailor, were alone on board this frail vessel.
The woman, wrapped in large cloak, under
the shelter of which she held her children to
her heart, alternately wept and prayed. The
sailor, having for long time struggled
against the tempest, and endeavored in vain
TO urge forward the shallop under his charge,
had closed his arms on his breast, and wait
ed in suIlen silence, the death which seemed
inevitable. Through the thick mist his prac-
ticed eye at length saw hope.
g Land land :" he shouted and, retakiug
his oars, piled them with new Yigor
Vain His exhausted stregth could
mount rebuff, even with apparent safety
IN his reach. His struggle to gain the shore
seemed but To lengthen the distance between
the boat and the strand. At length he again
abandoned the hopeless labor. The quick
eve of the mother detected his purpose, as
he relieved his person of his heavier gar
ments.
Z You viii not abandon my children to per-
ish she cried, in agony
The sailor looked wistfully at the unhappy
sufferers. He measured the distance to the
shore with his eye, and looked over the boats
side, TO waters which, here partially sheltered,
seemed to boil and yeast as if in a cauldron-
the receding tide combating the furious gale
To save one of these helpless ones was i'm
possible He ventured on word of conso-
lation, lest his mercy should master his judg-
ment: but while the mother yet hoped
while she leaned forward with lips apart, and
eyes pressing from their sockets to catch a
a word a sigh a breath in answer-he cut
all short by suddenly diving into the sea.
The boat reeled and shiyered under the
momentum given to ii by the sailors plunge
but He who holds the waters in the hollow of
His hand Watched over the torsaken The
mother clasped the little ones yet closer to
her breast, and raised her eyes to heaven in
an agony OF prayer, too earnest to wait Tor
words. Her face spoke appeal from which
Abaddon's self could not have turned com
passionless. The wave, just about to over
whelm her, was broken its crest by the
strange weight it bore, and, as the water
Beared her, sullen, and unearthly sound
broke on her quick ear, and the spray which
flew across her face became blood-stained.
The dead body OF the sailor who deserted her
bumped an instant against the boats side,
and then drifted away from the sight of NOR
tai man forever. lie had struck against the
sharp points Of rocks beneath the surface,
aud escaped a lingering death to which lie
though he had left his companions by sud
den plunge into the presence of his Maker.
In another instant the deserted woman felt
strange sound beneath her feet The boat
was grating on the sand. Another bound
and it was fast She sounded the water with
her arm, and, to her indispensable Joy, found
solid earth. In an instant she stepped from
the shallop, caught her infants In her arms
and aimed for the beach, which seemed at a
little distance. The water deepcned, she
proceeded, TO her waist-tO her throat she
staggered, and the sitting, bubbling cry r"
of her children nerved her with new strength
An almost superhuman spring, and she was
safe again, and anon she recoiled, as the earth
seemed to sink under her feet, and another
step would have plunged her into an abyss,
IL .
fear, the strength of despair, the lightning of
hope, each seized her by turns, until AZ
length, IN 4 dehrium of JOY, she left the sea
behind her-haying escaped its last enguIf-
ing waye-and, falling on her face IN the
damp sand, she poured out her soul IN graft
tude to God, who had delivered her and her
little ones.
She rose, shuddering with cold now that
the struggle was over Her children, shud-
dering With terror and Sobbing IN discomfort,
elung . her knees. The Wind-as if heaven
had held it back until her escape-increased
in fury. Rain fell IN torrents, and the waves
drowned the shore far above the point at
which she had first felt safety Her eye wan
dered in vain for help the cold skv the
lashing wave. the bleak rock, the barren
sand Knocked the hope of the mother for
comfort or safety 4 reaction of feeling was
taking place-her heart was sinking within
her.
4 voice Again and nearer A man up
on the rocks earnestly beckoning, as if some
new and imminent danger beset the fugitive
from death. She saw no more, but sank in
sensible upon the sand and her children rails
ed a piercing wall beside her Unerring in
sunct They did not shrink so when she
sank down to pray
Another moment, and the man who shouted
: the warning IS beside the shipwrecI moth
er. His hardy wife attends him. SIC has
Il
more strength than gentleness, though with
gentle purpose, and is serambling up the
rocks lie bears the still insensible form of
the mother, and, as he asCends, his hat has
fallen behind him and Is dancing in an eddy
of water over the very spot from which, an
instant before, he haG caught his unconscious
burthea The tide, now At the food has
swept ike an avalanche over the nook among
the rocks, and the fragments of the deserted
boat are fFetting among the craggy points of
that inhospitable shore.
In the cabin of the hsherflan the mother
= soon restored TO life Her first thought Is
for her children, whom she embraces again
and again, in a perfect transport OF JOY She
li1tlasps rich necklace from the bosom OF
her daughter
Take this gage of my gratitude she ex-
claims accept IL as an earnest, you to
whom l owe the life OF my children"
Tie fisherman shook his head.
Il have no use for such riches" said he.
The products of my labor suffice me. To
You TINS gold and these Jewels will De much
more useful than to me Retain them"
The mother took the hand of her preseryer.
Young anu beautiful even in the hum bic vest
menfs which the fsherman's wife had substi,
tuted Tor her rich and drabbIed clothing. her
air was full OF majesty.
Thank your she cried. ..thauk. YOU
You are right. The service YOU have render
ed cannot be repaid With gold, and God
trust, viii put it in my power to testify ms
gratitude IN manner worthy of YOU"
9 Your safety viii be our ample recon.
pense, and We desire no other" said the ash
erman, and the honest face OF his wife. light
ed with placid JOY, bore testimony 20 the same
sentiment.
Tell me, my friends the lady asked, af
ter a pause, ION what coast has this misfor
tune thrown Us ,"
q On that of Denmark"
The mother wrung her hands in despair
Denmark = she cried, then are my chill
dren still lost, though they have survived tn,
perIts of the ocean %
: lille FINN and his wife live" said tn,
fisherman, IN an effort to console their snfor