Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1866-12-20

Nov. then, you boys. he shouted Wild
ly, :" can't stand this stand aside and let
some Of the old ones come. sa ,-e t..a O.
= The spell was broken. Women were
hastily thrown aside, and boats crew was
soon made up, amidst the shrieking and
wailing Of sweethearts and wives who ran
about the beach wfinging their hands.
Hurrah for old Marksl" shouted a
voice at my elbow, and the crowd loudly
cheered the old man. The oars we're ship
ped snj all made ready, the old sailor seiz-
ing the steering oar as he stood up in bis
place with life belt on and bis hat blown
off looking nobler than ever. ..-.
e Now are yon all ready2" he shouted.
10" No, no.p was the cry, and in the hush
of expectation, two men rose 10 the boat,
dashed off their life belts, and amidst half
muttered groaus Ieaped out from their
places and ran up the sands to the bank,
where they DISAPPEARED
Two more (" shouted old Marks, and
for few moments, so dread was the peril.
not soul moved, then two stout lads came
rushing toward the boat, pursued by an ell.
derly mana perfect giant.
stop them p" he roared; Eyer shan't
go. lads.
He came up to them by the boat side as
they were climbing in, and endeavored to
stop their progress; but in bis turn he was
seized from behind by couple Of men, and
the two new comers were in half minute
equipped for the dire struggle before them,
and in their places. -.
Let me 90 - shrieked the man, but the
others cluug to him; as the signal was given
the carriage backed down into position, the
time accurately chosen, and with wild
"hurrsh ~ heard above the storm, the life
boat was launched.
Ny attention had been so taken up that l
had ceased to look upon the man who was
struggling to regain his liberty, but just as
the boat was leaving its carTiage by-stsu.
der was driven violently against me, and the
moment after saw figure dash across the
intervening space and seize the side Of the
boat, and then came the roar Of the storm
and the dash of the spray, while for few
moments the life boat was invisible. Then
short distance off she was seen rising upon
wave and then disappearing again into e
E!dull haze which mingled with the coming
night, soon shut everything from our gaze
but the foamipg water. O.. !a.
.'Over seventy, sir shouted voice in
reply toa query. "Old man o'-war's man,
Been in many storm, but this here's
awful" -' w
Awful it was, for so wild night had no,
| fallen upon that part OF the coast for many
years; and as the folks upon the shore ga
zed in the direction the boat had taken, they
shook their heads and shouted in each
| others ears. aarsrt. .Ua. .i. .1. .
3 There was q long and awful pause. only
broken by the sl,riekipg of the wind, and
then came loud shout: Here she comes!'
I a,,I IN nha 20 fhar,
s,eersman. the rowers timed their strokes t.
q second. so that the boat heavily laden. rode
! in upon the summit Of giant wave SO far tha
twenty willing hands were at her side, ant
she was running the sands, and fifteen shiv
erinp, half drowned fellow creatures liftet
out and hurried up the shore.
o "Now. my lads," cried old Marks. "oi
the truck with her, and we re off again.
fr The boat was soon mounted, and every
man at his post. the father OF the two lad
taking his place by the side Of the cockswain
! for no amount of persuasion on either sid,
could effret a change. ..'s.t4U. sIl..
There was another cheer rising above th'
storm. and the gallant crew were launched
binto the serf. that seemed to curl arounC
the boat az though to fillit in an instant
It rose and fell dark mass, amid the whit
foam, for an instant, and then seemed t,
plunge into a'bank of foggy blackness, 10
night had fallen. ''-t. 'ah
I | could not drag myself away from tn
I. stirring scenes around me. for Iseemed he'll
4 to the spot bv astrange fascination. All a
once lurid light shot up, for quantity q
straw had been set on fire, and the fame
I roared md cracked as dry sea weed an
4 pieces Of wood were heaped up to increas
the glare, which appeared to Gid the crest
of the waves, and threw inte bold relief tn
4 figures on tie sands-some gazing out {.
4 sea. some watching eagerly the fringe O
i break ers, ready to rush down and secur
anything that might be washed ashore iron
4 the, wreck. Bod gui'ep g. .L..r. ..5r
4 More straw was heaped upon the FIRE, an
the flames and sparks rushed inland, a
/ they rose with the mighty current of al
! and darfed across the sand bank. Out sea
! ward all seemed black darkness, and tn
p eyes strained after the Gie.boat were 70
q awhile strained in vain. M M,-
"All at once there was cry of "Her
she comesl |" hut it was prolonged into
wall Of despair, for by the light Of the fir
the boat could be seen broadside on, an,
close in shore and then tossing about for
moment. she was dashed bottom upward o.
the sands.
There was rush to aid the men struQ
Cling in the, surf Some were dragge
4 ashore |; some scram bled unaided from th
. water, while more than one was sucke
back, by. the undertow, but the life-5elt
4 kent them sfloat. and at last, more or les
q hurt, the whole crew was ashore-three bt
ing carried up to the village insensible.
T. p, now learned that, about half way to tn
vessel. the steerman's oar had snapped j
b two, aud the boat fell into the trough of tb
4 sea, when, in their efforts to right her,
couple more blades were broken; wav
swept over them and washed two men fror
their seats, hut they regaiRed their places
and then, with the dread Of death upo
4 them, the boat became unmana Reable !
4 their hands, for ia spite Of the efforts OF tn
! old cock swain, he men appeared panic
tstricken and rowed ut random. 5iu
Il The light that glared upon the shore mo-
showed that it WAS completely strewn wit
wreck, and I looked with horror upon th
3 various signs which 80 plainly disclosed th
tate Of tho good ship. Spar, plank. bean
Il hdRcask rentangled with rope, were bein
cburned over and over in the sand, an
twice. I, saw something dragged ashore an
carried away which sent shudder throug
my frame. ''4 ''' w d. '
, At last, heart sick and weary, I turne
. L. II 80 n Il Al