The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1868-07-29

I OF the brave Dut ne nau never Deeu
I generous enough, nor brave enough to
go back to the eastward seaport, where
his mother had left the candle burning
! for him insthe window-never,- never.
Five years gone, and ten, fifteen and
twenty A man nearly forty years of
age stood in Sandy Cameron's shoes
man who led the widest life under
the moon ashore; man to whom fiery
! brandy was as water to child man
who remembered GUd only in his oaths ;
| when the Agamenon came after a long
and stormy voyage just within sight of
the coast-within sight of its light
| house, at least, for in the dark ness of a
stormy night nothing else was visible.
Battered with storms already, bruis
ed by the waves, wounded by rocks,
still the AgamemEon fought her way
homeward by the morrow eve sound
earth would be beneath the feet of the
wave weary mariners--for once at least
all longed for it, even wild Sandy
Cameron. He was glad He watch
| ed the towering lamps with joy, and
swore that they were pleasant sights =
Before he slept he stood long while
Gaming over the taffIial, smoking, and
thinking, if be ever thuuat 1t was an
evil lingering for the Agamemnon. A
spa, from the cigar held IN unsteady
hand, regarded by eyes not brighter
for recent draughts of brandy, made its
way somehow, wind borne or demon
borne, into the places where the cargo
of the vessel had been stored away, and
at the dead of night they Of thu mid
watch saw stealing through the p!anks
beneath them red and yellow tongues
Of fame. The vessel was on fire
I.su': Fire fire fire !'' the word rang its
way to Heaven, shouted by every
tongue on board. --
The scene that followed beegars de-
scription. None who lived to remem-
Der, even could forget it. There was
no hope from the first, none save in
i the boats. They were filled at once.
Who could forget it ! Oh, who could
forgit it, The old man pointing to the
lights on shore and crying:
"I wanted tc see the children once
before 1 died"
The captain, deathly pale, showing
that strar &c bravery which sailors ony
possess at such a time.
Changing from dictatorial old hard
drinker to very hero clinging in re-
mantle foudness to his ship, and while
he did his best for every other soul on
hoard, forgetting himself, and yowing
to sink with her. -.--.a... ..s..r
The young pas enger and his bride
she clipging to him he mother with
babe bound to her breast praying on
her knees amid the tumult. The or
phan child going home to its grand
parents, wonderstricken, and yet scarce
Iy conscious of its dagger. The sailors
changed like the captain into heroes,
! Who could forget all this ? Amidst
them all, gigantic in his strength, So
bered at last by the awful scene around
him, toilcd Sandy Cameron. They re
membercd him, well whose lives he
saved The bronzed man with light
bair, and the grip of Hercules. So the
boats and rafts-some to live, some to
die-wcre all afoat. All gone into the
darkness, and struggling forms Lad van
ished from the flames approaching them
like dancing demons, stood old Captain
Oaks and his first mate, Sandy Cam
erop. - ....-; ...-.-..s ... ...-.
"Captain," exclaimed Sandy Gamer
on, IT'S most over" .---s .-.-.-...-. .-
"Aye, aye, lad" said the captain =
"Givc Us yon: fist. We've sailed to-
gether a good whrls. now. We seem
bound for he long voyage, now. Lord
help us, Sandy -. ..,.....-.. =.
'Thcre's achance yet, may be, )" said
the first mate. '.Tsy for it, Captain
"No," said the sailor, 81 go with her
That was the last Sandy Cameron
saw or head Of the captain. A rush
aud roar from below, where spirits were
stored, ended the words. Then came
blindness and silence, and time paused
for him. g. -..-.....l sd. r.,,.., .. ..
At last there was soupd. again. The
sound of waters. Sight, the red lamps
of the lighthouse. Feeling, that Of
the wet sand against his face. Some
strange providence had saved Sandy
Cameron life. Bruised and weak, still
he staggered 10 his feet at last. .-..
Above him his sailor eye used to
remember such things-toward we'll
known rock, kissed by struggling
moonlight. The sea had flung him in
to the arms of his native seaport and
up above, a man wandering along the
shore, watching the lighthouse signals,
perhaps, was singing a hymn, metho
dist hymn. r. l
''Theres a light in the window for thee,
..- brother; .
There's light in the window for thee"
and then the tears rolled down the sail
or's cheeks, and his softened heart
yearned for the mother who had said,
IN keep light till yc come back,
SANDY"
T Twenty years ago, aud she was near
aly fifty then. Probably size was dead !;
but some one might be in the old home
yet, who could tell him of her, And
SO, in the m midoight darkness, the sailor
staggered up the river-path-through
the changed streets-apd, led by the
compass of his heart, to the land where
his boyhood home had been SO long
before.
Z. The lane was no more-a street OF
houses now-but, at its end, or he
dreamt, Sandy saw a candle-gleam.
He drew nearer. No fancy misled him.
Yes, between the curtains stood can
die, in very truth and in the window
of his own old home, He stag sered on,
his heart beating wildly, He struck
the door with his hand. He waited