The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-11-14


Robert was last at home, he had ask
ed her to become his wife. ~
And, like fool, you refused him,
the brave, generous fellow"
Oh, doctor" she exclaimed, 6 how
can you talk so? 1t is just because
Robert is so good and noble and gem
erous, thai [ dare not take him at his
word. You, doctor, would have de-
spised me if | had taken advantage of
his pity, or his remembrance of the
old days when we were children to-
gether. | have already brought too
much disgrace on those dear to me-"
| was endeavoriHg to convince her,
in reply, that she was d~iDg injustice
to herself, and wronging her best
friend, whose happiness depended In
a great measure upon her. when, borne
upon the strong blast, we both heard
d faint cry. as of human being in
distress. | threw up the window,
which opened seward, and we leaned
out into the wild night, and listened
breathlessly for the sound 'fa5
Once more, and only once, we heard
| it, a low, smothered, despairing cry.
4" Some one is lost and perishing in
the snow said Julia. 1.-THE sound
comes in the direction of the beach
plum bushes on the side of the marsh
Let US go at once.P @
She snatched up her hood and
shawl. and was already at the door. |
found and lighted lantern and soon
| overlook her. The snow was already
deep. and badly drifted, and it was
with extreme difficulty that we could
force, our way against the storm. We
stopped often to breath and listen =
but the roaring of the wind and waves
were alone audible At last we reach
ed slightly elevated spot: overgrown.
with dwarf plum trees, whose branches
were dimly visible above the snow
9iHHere, bring the lantern here!"
cried Julia, who had strayed a few
yards from me. d fastened to her.
and found her lifting up the body Of
| a man who was apparently insensible
The rays from the lantern fell full
upon his face, and we both at the
metz Julia neither shrieked nor
and still supporting the body, she
turned toward me look of earnest
and fearful inquiry. -. .it,.i
- Courage, y said |, he still lives.
He. lis only overcome with fatigue and
cold"
With much difficulty, partly carry
ing and partly dragging him through
the snow, we succeeded in getting him
to the house, where in short time he
so far recovered as to be able to
speak. Julia, who had been my
prompt and efficient assistant in his
restoration, retired into the shadow
of the room as soon as he began to
rouse himself and look about him.
He asked where he was, and. who was
with me, saying that his head was so
confused that he thought he saw Julia
Atkins by the bedside. - You were
not mistaken" said I =" Julia is here,
and you owe your life to her" He
started up and gazed around the
room. I beckoned Julia to the bed
side, and / never shall forget the
grateful earnestness with which he
grasped her hands and called upon
God to bless her. Some folks think
me a tough hearted old fellow, and
so i am; but that scene was more
than / could bear without shedding
tears Robert told us that his vessel
had been thrown upon the beach
mile or two below, and he feared that
all the crew had persisted save him
self. -
Assured of his safety, I went out
once more in the faint hope of hearing
the voice of some survivor of the dis
aster; but listened only to the heavy
thunder of the surf, rolling along the
horizon of the east. The storm bad
in a great measure ceased, the gray
light of dawn was just visible, and
was gratifed to see two of the nearest
neighbors approaching the house.
On being informed of the wreck, they
Immediately started for the beach,
where several dead bodies, half buried
in snow, confirmed the fears of the
solitary survivor.
The result of all this you can easily
conjecture. Robert BarRet abandon
ed the sea, and with the aid of his
friends. purchased the farm where he
now lives, and the anniversary of the
shipwreck found him the husband of
Julia. / can assure you / have had
every reason to congratulate myself
on my share in the match making.
Nobody ever ventured to- find fault
with it, except two or three old sour
busy-bodies,s who, as Elder Staples
we'll says, would have cursed her
whom Christ had forgiven, and spurn-
ed the weeping Magdalene from the
feet of the Lord"
a Ix"RH~