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

tunste guest. ssyou have nothing to- fer,,
madame for yourssf, or for yoar children y
"EuI you Know not, D! friends, that a
nrice ia now upon this head and on those OF
! of Denmark, when the storm forced us back
upon It. I JAM ~F~ ~Y~Ts s~~ g
Keep Your secret-de not tell it 70 me p
cried the fisherman, abruptly che king the
| revelation she was about 70 make. "All that
| l have need to know is th 1t you came here in
| distress, and that you are in worse distress
while you remain, The storm viii soon abats
the coast of the Low Countries is not far
distant: o-morrow-perhaps this very even
ing-I viii conduct you from this kingdom, to
place where the persecution OF your enc
mics, whoever they are, shall not reach you.
| Snatch some repose, meanwhile, and con.de
| in Fay hospitality"
The good but humble couple fastened to
prepare, near the hearth, a pallet of straw,
upon which the beautiful unknown did not
hesitate an instant 20 place herself with her
children.
With an arm around each, she was in a
moment wrapped in sleep. The good man
Finn stood breathlessly attentive, while his
guest clasped her children convulsively a mo-
| ment, and struggled almost from the bed to
the door, Then '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 in that vision; they both
felt happy for her calm sluInber, which spoke
so well the sense of safety.
Ia this calm rest she passed many hours. At
length her slumber was disturbed by coarse
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.
"a hundred pieces of gold p cried the
fisher. Truly, captain, a sum ike 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 goldl Not
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 ?"
The mother shuddered lest the invitation
given in bravado might be accepted in ear
nest, and then-she was mother, and the
lives of her children were at stake-for an
instant she trembled at the possibility that
her host might intend 20 betray her. The
voice of the captain as he declined the prof
fered civihty and renewed his promises to the
fisherman, treasured her, its tones died
away in the distance. In moment more
Finn entered the cabin.
Lose not 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 ~ 1850. - .-.
All the strength of the mother returned at
this new exigency, and hushing her children
into silence by a sign, she followed Finn he
took a circuitous path among the rocks, known
only to himself; and in few moments with
out the exchange of word, they were en-
barked in the fsherman's skif, 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
50 much his habitual custom In his hard call
ing-he so often endured it as Il matter of
course and of habit--that, with such stake
IN success, he did nCt 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 adoat as COW on stills
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 APP
pearance Of being disconnected, " down in
the bottom OF the boat, for IL very much needs
ballast" .a -E 20 -
The mother, unconscious of the threatened
DANGER obeyed mechanically In the next
instant musAet balls whistled past the ears of
the intrepid fisherman-had they sped an in
stant before, the mother would have escaped
the perils of the but to have been muir
dered by the hirelings.
Finn examined with his eve 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 oyertake him. He
formed a sudden Tesolution-he ceased to fly.
He even turned his boats head toward his
pursuers, and, making 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 with less effort. True have a
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 tsherman's skif, urged by
| his nervous arms, shot toward them.
\ 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
| skitf-load OF soldiers. Their boat dipped wa
ter first over one side end then over the 9TH
| er, as the soldiers swung their arms, aud sway
| ed and fell upon each other, in vain attempts
| to ssceor their drowning brethren.
| What !-another accidentl The awkward
! and frightened fisherman has taken sudden
sweep, and run into them, too. AnG now he
is pulling away for dear life, without thought
tor the safety of the soldiers of Denmark
What head peeping over the side of the
! fisnerman's boat-a woman's head
| Never mind the men oyerboard-pursue
| pursue 7"
/ . But the oars have all been thrown to the
| drowning men,
. Fire upon them ~
| Rut the musk cts have fallen overheard VII ri