Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-07-25

aud rain, but the storm OF the tropics,
carrying the sea on It's broad, angry
shoulders, till. reaching the verdnrous,
love clustered little isle. Il dung the bulk
OF waters with ALI its huge, brawny isree
right upon The cut paper prettiness, and
broke them into sand and spliniers. OF
all those pretty children with blue aHd
with opalescent eyes, arrayed like How
ers Of the field; Of all those lovers
dreaming Of love in summer dalliance,
and Of cottages among 6gs aud olives;
Of all the vigorous manhood aud ripe
womanhood, with all the skill aud cour'
age Of successful life in them-not n
tithe was saved. The ghastly NAV of
the waters covered them aud swallowed
them. A few sprang among crashing
timbers, on n floor laden with impetuous
water--lhs many perhaps never walked
at all, or woke 10 but one short prayer.
The few who were saved hardly knew
how they were sayed-the many who
died never knew how they were slain or
drowned. III. .I
Ii has twice been my fortune in life TO
see such storm, aud TO know IFS sudden
destruction; once, 10 see a low, broad,
shelving farm house disappear 10 the
ground timbers before my eyes, as il its
substance had vanished into air, while
great globes OF electric fire burst down
and sunk intO the ground; once, 10 see a
pine forest Of centuries growth cut
down as grass by the mower scythe. |
do not think it possible TO see third
and survive, and do not wish my soul
TO be whirled away in the vortex OF such
a storm.
At noon, or later, after the ruin of
Last Island, n gentleman ni n name re-
nowned in Southwestern story found
himself clinging TO O bush in the Wild
waters, lashed by the long whips OF
branches, half dead with fatigne and
fear. For a time the hurly-5urly blinded
and hid everything, and the long roll
rocked and tore at him in desperate en-
deavor to wrench loose his bleeding 6n-
gers. The impulse Of the wind and
storm at such a time is as OF solid
body, and there is look OF solidity in
the very appearance of the magnificent
force. But as it abated he thought he
heard faint cry, and looking around
he saw poor girl in the ribbons of her
nightdress clinging TO branch. and
slipping from her feeble hold. Tired as
he was, aud wild and dangerous as the
attempt might be, he did not dare to
leave her to perish. Choosing his time
in lull, he struck out to the bush, and
reached it inst as her ebbing strength
gave way. He took her in his sturdy
arms, and, clinging with tooth and nail,
stayed them both TO their strange an
chorage. Faint, half conscious, dis
robed as she was, in the sweet, delicate
features, the curve of the lip, and the
raven tresses clothed in seaweed, he
recognized the creole belle of last nights
hop He cheered and encouraged her,
pointing out that the storm was abating,
had abated II could not be long until
search boats came, and while he had
strength to live she should share it. 1t
proved true. Generous and hardy fish
srs and ships had come at once to the
scene of disaster, and were busy pick
ing up the few spared by wind and
wave. They found the two cling
ing together and to that slight bush,
and took them off, wrapping them in
ready, rough 6shermen's coats. The
reader can see the end of that story. A
meeting so appointed had its predestined
end in a love match. SO we leave it
apd them; the rest Of their lives belong
TO them, not to us.
The pair found by our fishing smack
were wealthy planter and his wife
For nine days OF starvation and danger
they had clung together. When | think
of the husbands manly care in thus
abiding by the wife, | find it hard to re-
concile it with the fact that he only val.
ued his life and hers at few dollars
not enough to compensate the traveller
for the loss incurred as demurrage TO
the fishermen.
Now, Last Island is but low sandy
reef on which few struggling fruit
trees try to keep the remembrance of its
bygone beauty. 1t is as bare and desc
late as the bones Of those who filled its
halls in the cataclysm of that dreadful
night-bones which now waste to white
ness on sterile shores or are wrought
into coral in the under sea.