The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1867-07-30

| been called TO witness only made our sit
uation more terrific, while wild and
fearful eyes around bespoke the agonizine
apprehensions Of the passengers and crew
as we went plungng madly to destruction
scarcely half Il mile from the Gulf, whose
dashing waves we could distincly hear
.. The captain had frankly stated his in
ability to guide us through the perilous
= passage, while deck, gangway and cabin
were filed with men women and children,
some were weeping, some praying, others
intensely crazy with an agony too intense
for utlcrenc3. Women eagerly clutchcd
their children, and husbands pressed their
wives to their bosoms with only the hope
of dying together.
The captain stood at the wheel assisted
10y ore OF the passengers, vainly endeavorcd
TO hold out till the last, and guide her
until every effort should prove fruitless
while, with strained eyes and looks of
despair, they glz.d through the almost
hlInding storm upon tie craggy rocks
lifting high their grey, bare heads out
of the water and upon which they eX-
prctcd every moment to be dashed to
pieces.
Just as frenzy hal begun tucnm down
into sober preparation for the doom which
awaited them, there came ont of the state
room fair young creature. over whose
head scarce sixteen summers had passed.
She was of medium hight, AMI as far as
a lily Of her northern cline She donncd
Il dress Of plain llack stun, while the
coat of one Of the deceased pilots was but
toned tightly around her Sight form
Her face was ashy pale as She mounted
the stairway, and with her Luir~7li@hcvel
ed by the wind, she exclaimed in voice
Whicl rung clear as bugle above the
storm:
81 know something of this Lachine
rpid, and will use my best endcavors to
guide yoI, although we have everything
o. wind aud water again.t us. Let two
OF You who are the strongest and most
scli posrssed Stand by me at the wheel
willie til, rest invoke His aid who ever
siiIIdh the tempest, to gni lie our life
laden bark safely through the troubled
waters"
As if in dcrision Of her matches cour.
ag", mad waves dashed higher, while The
thunler pcaled Il loud DIFF lncc to her
wcrds With paGil face, anl lips com
pressed She took her station al the wheel,
while too men stood 10y to aid her as far
as possible. With lirn hand she raised
the glass and swept the scene before her,
and then hi lring them to have courage
the boat entered upon It's fearful course,
aS if conscious Of the hand that guided l>
destiny. Her orders were given in Il
clear, loud tone while she stood proudly
erect, her eyes Frightened into darker
blue until one would have fincicd her the
ruling spirit Of tie storm. The water
dashed against the side of the boat crown
ing hel fair head with gliucring drops
yet she stood unbcnling, while not an
eye in all that group but gazed in mingled
awe and confidence upon the delicate
form. Once aGain the wheel slipped
from the hand which held it, but fair
JewcIcd hand arrested its progress, and
st wed the destruction which woull other
wise have followed It's swer,ing from
duty. Onward sped the noble bark,
and when darkness shut the last rock
from view, shout Jose high above the
storm for her who had so bpavcly guided
Us through the shadow of death
She would receive no thanks for herself
but badc Us give thanks TO Him whose
voice ructh the storm" She retired to
her state room AMI vas lost to view.
Around The cabin table that NIGHT.
about an hour b fore we entered the har-
bor OF Montreal we learned her history.
She was the daughter of the merchlnt
who owned the line of boats one OF which
size had in-t saved from ruin Her mother
died when she was a child, and her father
had yielded to her wishes and allowed her
to accompany him on the boat of which
lie was captain BY degrees she became
acquainted with every bend in the beautiful |
river, while calm and storm alike brought
scenes OF beauty to her eye. She was
no" on her way to visit some friends in |
Qlebec where her father proposed joining
her to spend the winter.
a gentleman artist skrtchel likeness
ON a leaf of his portfolio. rs she ,too at
the wheel wrapped in the pilots coat ;
and the full length portrait graccs the
gallery of arts in Montreal Many "A
rough hand grasped the snowy fingers at
parting, and many a blessing crowned
her noble head.
a magnificent diamond bracelet. bear
ing upon an inside plate the name of the /
vessel and the date of the occurrence WAS /
presented TO her about week after her /
arrival IN Quebec, by the passengers who |
were on board at the time, while loud .
and triumphant were the praises borne to |
the ears of the kind parent " the noble .
conduct of that frail but fearless one who .
had braved the dangers before which stout |
hearts anl strong forms had quailcd
"What became Of her afterwards ?" | .
inquired.
"Shr married an off, Ger in Quebec, and
her children still live there. One is a
noble boy, or rather man now, and
pIows the ocean in one of the battl, ships
of England.
LADY JERSEY AND LORD BYRON She
alone with her husband constantly by her
side, could with proprcty oifar an asylum
to Lord Byron when every other door