The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1869-08-12

uOW.
"Alas, no." she said. "You will be
one more. Via. hope is there fol
either of u.s."
l looked around the boat and my
heart sank within me. Not q single
thing did it contain beside ourselves
The oars had been left on shore.
There is hope where life is, Ireplied.
The food tide will surely carry US back
again
We could do nothing but sit still and
await its return. I tried to lead Miss
Gardner's attention away from our fear
ful situation ; and with that end in view
l talked of other things. I told her
stories, I quoted poetry; we criticised
the last books we read; we discussed
botany, geology, and philosophy; we
sang songs together, and when tired of
all these things we made puns at each
other, and laughed till tears rolled down
our cheeks. The sun descended into
the sea scarlet, fiery ball, and the stars
came out in countless myriads, and we
saw the glittering armies form together
and take up their march through space.
Under the glorious dome of night we
drifted out upon the darkcning sea.
was wet and cold, and so the little
school. mistress modcstly removed one
of her skirts and insisted on wrapping
itabout my shoulders. l told herwe would
divide the night into watches, and that
mine should be the first but she stout
ly declared that we would watch togeth-
or. Before long, however, her eyclids
began to droop, determination gave way
to nature and Miss Gardner leaned her
head against me and fell asleep.
For the first time in my life clasped
her tightly in my arms. We were a.
lone beneath the stars, drifting helpless.
ly out upon an unknown sea; but |
would dot have exchanged those pre-
cious moments for the happiest one l
had ever passed on shore, nor would |
ior kingdom lose my remembrance OF
them now.
1t was nearly midnight when she un-
closed her eyes aud looked up into my
face
"Where arc we ?" she asked.
"We're afoat, we're afloat," l said
and cheerily tried to strike up, "A Life
on the Ocean Wave
She smiled family, but lay in my
arms quite still.
"Has the tide turned yet"
81 expect it has; but it don t seem to
make much difference to u.s."
"Is there nothing before US, then"
Il see nothing but water said 1 look
ing round.
"And DEATH"
'And death' I repeated. "But death
with you will be sweet. For me life
alone is nothing.
bent down over her more closely.
She made no reply; but her little hand
stole gently and softly into mine.
"For all time p asked.
For all time she said, "whcthcr we
live or die .....
Now might the wind and waves do
their worst. Now might the heavens
fall or the earth stand still. What would
it matter to me.
We were floating, floating silently on,
hut in the depth ofmy joys I cared not.
1t was neutrality-suspicious.. Had I
the means, I would not have returned.
So I sat still, holding her closely to me.
and showering kisses on her lips.
The night had seemed scarce begun
before morning had painted her first
gray streaks across the east By oul
united exertions, we succeeded in tear
ing off of the long cleats from the side
of the boat, and after an hours labor
succeeded in raising it in the bow with
the skirt stretched across it for a sal
which, after all, was not so much of 1
sail as signal of distress. now be
gan to feel the torturcs of a raging thirst
but my companion was so still and un
complaining I felt ashamed to say an.
thing of my misery.
Slowly, step by step, the sun mount
ed the stairs of day, and the sea becam
hot, and burned our eyes. The land hat
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