The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1870-06-02

more rapidly past into the mist by the
furious tide from the shore. i passed
only some twenty yards from the sand
bank upon which they were standing
Fontaine and Dick, and the two other
men. &
"Good heavens! ons of them is
gone" said Dick, beginning, by sort
OF instinct, to fasten rope round his
waist
Fontaine pointing to an object float
ing upon wave. "Look," said he,
"what is that?" and as he spoke in his
excitement, he seized a rope,, and dash
ed into the water before any one could
prevent~him Poor fellow, it was only
a barrel, and as he caught at it it slip
ped from his grasp. There came a
shrek from the wind, and a sudden
squall Of rain, and the rope came slack
into the hand vf the man who held it.
"He has let 60 the rope" said one Of
the men, horrided, and then, somehow,
it was Dick: in bis turn, who was strug-
Cling in the sea.
1t was strange and awful moment
as he rose upon the great roaring wave
which caught him off his feet. The
sky seemed to fail to meet him, his
heart stood still, chill mountains were
rising and falling. At first he was
quite conscious he could even notice
4 long string OF black sea-weed pass be-
fore his face. Suddenly, sooner than
he expected, he seemed flung with
dash against some floating substance,
which he clutched the water closed
over his head; and then they began to
pull the rope in from the shore. He
scarcely knew what he was grasping ;
his senses seemed to fail; stunned and
bewillered, hs struggled through the
terrible valley Of the shadow of death.
When he came to himself he was lying
on the shingle, some one was pouring
brandy down his throat, aud some one
else rubbing his hands.
Richard SIT up, bewildered. They
had carried him far away to sheltered
place, where they we're less exposed to
the storm the SEA was roaring still, but
the fury Of the wind had abated. AS
he looked, he saw that some people
we're carrying away the lifeless form Of
a man upon their shoulders ; woman
with tluttering garments, and child,
sobbiug in plteous tones, were trudging
alongside.
"Thauk God!' said Madame de
Tracy; aingiug her arms round Dicks
neck, while Jean nodded and put up
his brandy.Aask. Y
"You must take him home in the
carriage, mamms," said Tracy; "and
now I will go and see how it fares with
my poor Fontaine."
How it Jared! He lay quite still
upon his bed, with Toto still sobbing
and holding his hand, and the old
Mersrds coming and going with scared
white faces, and with remedies that
were not wanted now, for he would
suffer no more. Some terrible blow in
the water had stunned him to death.
1t was no living man that poor Dick
had brought to shore. Poor Fon'
taine had been dashed by the storm
against tho barrel or some suuken rock.
Dear simple heart! So foolish, SO
absurd, so confident, SO tender and
thoughtful for others I! "he could
swim like fish," he had said, to some
one. "It was not for him to remain
behind when others were going to their
deaths.' Ridicule is hushed, the
humble are crowned with good things
when the solemn wave which cast
Fontaine upon the unknown shore
comes for each in turn. Some Of those
who had laughed at his odd, kindly
| ways were waiting outside in the rain
With eyes full Of tears; some who had
prayed more fervently, felt more deeply,
perhaps realized the solemn mysteries
Of life and death more wildly, than
this simple so1l, were awe-strickeu and
silent as they thought Of him now, for
he vas wiser than they. Love thy
neighbor as thyself is the divine law Of
life, and if ever man fulfilled it cheer
fully, unpretendingly, it was Fontaine.
He had done his task gayly, kindly,
ungrudgingly; he had gone his way.
and died in harness.
| Madame Do Tracy awoko from tronbl
ed sleep in great agitation and depres
sion on the morning after the storm
She could not rest =: her nerves hal
been greatly shaken by the terribl
calamity Of the day before, by tn
sight Of the poor little widows terro
:, and anguish. The good chatelain long
ed to be Of use to her, but Catharin'
had begged her to 60, to leave he
alone.
Poor lady! oil night long she ha
wondered, reproacLed herself, sorrovc
f,r her friend, trembled, and reproacl
ed herself again. Madame de Trac
rose at last from her uneasy bed, wbel
the little sharp points Of couscien<
, were piercing the down and the e!astj
, mattresses !; she went to one Of th
. windows, and opened it, and locke
i. out. From this window she could sc