The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1871-05-20
Jhe lbaiig gegister.
lea Out Of Danger.
ny JEAN IsaE1ow.

visiting for the coach it comes up pres
emily. And he goes on top of it, and
begins TO look about him.
hind them his eye wanders with delight
over the harvest fields. He smells the
honey>suckle in the hedge row aud wish
% he was down among the hazel bushes
that he might strip them of the milky
nuts; then he sees great vain piled
up with barley, and he wishes he was on
the top Of it; then the checkered shad-
ows of the trees lying across the road,
and then a squirrel runs up bough, and
he cannot forbear to whoop and halloo,
though he cannot chase it to its nest.
The other passengers were delighted
with his simplicity and child-like glee;
aud they encouraged him to talk about
the sea and the ships, especially Her
Majesty's, wherein he has the honor to
sail. In the jargon of the seas, he des-
cribes her many perfections, upon her
peculiar advantages; he then confdes to
them how certain MILDLY, having been
ordered to the mast head as punishment
had seen, while sitting on the top-mast
cross trees, something uncommonly like
the sea serpent-but finding this hint
was received with incredulous smiles, he
begins to tell them how hea hopes that
some day he shall be promotedito have
charge of the poop. The passengers
hope he will have that honor they have
no doubt that he deserves it. His cheeks
flush with pleasure to hear them say SO,
aud he little thinks that they have no
notion in what 'that honor" may happen
20 consist. sst
The coach stops; the midshipman,
with his hands in his pockets, sits rat,
tling his money and singing. There is a
poor woman standing by the door of the
village inn; she looks careworn, aud well
she may, for in the spring her husband
went up to London to seek for work He
goes for work, ard she was expecting
soon to join him there, when, alas
fellow workman wrote her word how he
had met with an accident, how he was
very bad, and wanted his wife to come
and nurse him. But as she has two
children, and is destitute, she must walk
all the way, aud she is sick at heart when
she thinks that perhaps he may die
among strangers before she can reach
him.
She docs not think of begging, but
seeing the boys eyes attracted to her,
she makes courtesy, and he withdraws
his hand and throws down q sovereign.
She looks at it with incredulous joy, aud
then she looks at him.
sits all right" he says, and the coach
starts again, while full of gratitude, she
hires a cart to take her across the country
to the railway, that the next night she
may sit by the bedside of her sick hus-
band.
The midshipmau knows nothing abou;
that-and he never will know.
The passengers go on talking-the lit
lie midshipman has told them who he is,
and where he is going. But there is one
who has never joined in the conversation;
he is a rk-looking and restless man
be sits apart, he sees the glitter OF the |
falling coin, and now he watches the
boy more closely than he did before.
He is strong man, rcsolute aud de-
the boy with his pockets full
Of money will be no match for him. He
has told the others that his fathers house
is the parsonage at Y, the coach
goes within five miles ofit, and he means
to get out at the nearest point, and walk
or rather run, over to his home through
the great wood.
The man decided to get down, too, and
go through the wood; he will rob the
little midshipman; perhaps, if be cries
out and struggles, he will do worse. The
boy. he thinks, will have no chance
against him. it is quite impossible that
he can escape the way is lonely, and
the sun will be down.
No. There seemed indeed little chance
Of his escape the hah-fedged bird just
AutteriDg down from his nest has no
more chance against the keen eyed hawk,
than the little light-hearted sailor boy
win have against him. Al
And now they reach the village where
the boy is to alight. He wishes the
ether passengers s.Good eyeninglY and
runs lightly down between the scattered
houses. The man has also got down and
il following. HE aaregs
The path lies through sthepevillage
eharch yard there is evening service
and the door is wide open, Tfgrfdt was
warm. The little nidshipmap steals up
70 the porch, looks in and listens. The
clergyman has just risen from his knees,
in the pulpit, and is giving out the text.
Thirteen months have passed since the
boy was in house of prayer; and a feel
ing Of pleasure induced him feS stand
still and listen. rs1 eopgfEs.a. ~ =.
He hears she opening sentences of tie
sermon; and then he ren1cinbeis 9ffs
home, and comes softly out Of fliep porch, Z,
full Of calm and serious pleasdFs.a Tic
clergyman has reminded HIM Kof This
father, and his careless heart IS filed
with the echoes Of his voice and of his
prayers.
He thinks of what the clergy man said
ef the care of onr Heavenly father for
us he remembers how, when he left
home, his father prayed that he might
be preserved through every danger; he
ioss not rensember any particular danger
that be has been exposed to, excepting
10 the great storm but he is grateful he
hes come home 10 safety, and he hopes
whsnever be shall be in danger, which he
supposea ho shall be some day, he hopes
hat then the providence Of God wilt