The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1873-12-13


me, Of its liquid uniformity Of expansion, It's
gloomy depth, and oozy bottom where mon
sters pay among human bones, filled my soul
with melancholy solemnity. Where obsery-
ed the trees and sand hills of the coast, going
of, as il sliding away down the other side OF
the globe, and leaving us alone in this bound
less solitude. and precariously floating over
these dark abysses, ! became not only sad,
but terrified. Symptoms of sea-sickness an.
peared also, and added to my sufferings.
My friend Eli had left me, to arrange some
affairs with his sister in the cabin. While my
mind was thus sinking to the bottom Of the
sea he came up, and seeing my despondency,
advanced with smile f" Ali Mr.. Grahme,
now you remind me Of The day when first
put to sea. kept thinking, how wide and
how deep is the sea, yet have To 70 all the
way over il, and IL should fall overheard,
or a tempest should crack this wooden shell
that bears me up, why should have to sink
all the way TO the bottom, though It were FIVE
thousand fathoms down. But in two or three
days began to find that one might travel by
wind and water with as little fear as by wheels
and horses. So you will feel tomorrow, un-
less sea-sickness should conjure up new appa-
ritions." You have described my feelings
in part. am aware that my apprehensions
spring, in some measure, from the awful sub
Unity Of this watery world, and from the
novelty Of my situation, at the mercy Of winds
and waves. But in addition to that, confess
to you, Mr.. Bensaddi, some unde6nable hor.
ror, some gloomy presentiment of evil, has
occupied my mind ever since l came on
board" "What is that presentiment (said
he) but the work of fancy, who moulds out of
the abundance Of your present sadness, some
shapeless images of misfortune-." He
was going ON with his usual yivacity Of manner,
stepping about the deck. He had scarcely
uttered the word misfortune" when, being
near the side rail, he was tripped by sudden
roll OF the vessel, thrown over, and plunged
headlong into the sea. He almost brushed
me as he fell. Before could think, he was
gone | saw no sign Of him, but the bubbling
Of the water, where he had sunk. "Ship
aboutl' was instantly cried on deck; and all
hands exerted themselves in the operation.
For my part, my eyes stared with the fixed
ness of death on the fast receding spot. Pres
entity my friend rose to the surface but
strangling, and unable to buffet the waves.
He struggled for moment, then gradually
disappeared and before we reached the place,
not even bubble markedit. The cruel wave
had already forgotten its victim.
My grief and horror at the fatal accident
were unutterable. But they were soon arrest
ed by the shrieks Of the unfortunate sister,
who this moment learnt her irreparable loss.
She ran distractedly over the deck, and would
have sprang into the sea, had not caught
her. bore her into the cabin. She could
utter nothing but screams for two or three
hours. She was absolutely frantic with agony
Of mind. She wrung her hands and beat her
breast. Conyulsive sobs marked the intervals
between her keenest paroxysms. Ny own
grief was absorbed in her; ] attempted some
words of consolation, but they fell unnoticed
upon her ears. She seemed insensible to all
external impressions, grief had overwhelmed
every faculty. Merciful heavens Even the
distant recollection almost freezes my blood.
Still do ! seem to hear the first words that
came in broken accents from her lips" My
brother Oh, my brother my good, my dear,
my only brotherl" / will not, | cannot bear
to repeat the strains Of heart-rending lamen-
tations, which she poured forth, with sobs
and groans, after she recovered the use of
speech. She bewailed her brother, her father
1.-THE only living parent) and lastly herself
She deplored her condition, as q friendless,
unprotected maiden in foreign land. In
vain assured her of my protection. During
the first day and night, she seemed uncon-
scious of my existence.
! need not say that ! was her close attend.
ant was the only person on board who
regarded her situation. The captain and sail
ors appeared to think that drowning was q
thing rather to be expected than lamented !;
and the grief Of a surviving relative a matter
that seamen had no concern in.
II was almost morning before poor Judith
could rest even moment, frem her wailing,
At length, however, exhausted nature could
sustain no more, without an interval of repose
She sunk into short slumbers, broken by
starts Of horror; she would suddenly call for
her brother, ask where she was, or utter some
exclamation Of grief, and presently fall back
again into momentary oblivion Of her sor.
rows. Finally, she fell into a sound sleep,
and awoke after two hours, with calmer feel.
ings. tried again to console her. She could
now hear me and after awhile she apprehend.
ed my earnest assurance of sympathy and
protection. did, with all the feelings of q
weeping heart, condole with hers and engage
to devote myself to her as brother, until she
was safely lodged with her friends.
These protestations were q sensible relief
TO her mind, as regarded her own situation.
She expressed, and that sincerely, the pro-
foundest gratitude for my attention to her, in
her sorrowful and desolate state. She threw
herself upon my offered protection with unsus-
pecting confidence. must have been the
greatest villain on earth, to think Of taking
any dishonorable advantage ofthat confidence.
abhorred the idea.
AS the native viyacity Of Judith's feelings,
made the first tempest Of her grief inexpress-
IDLY violent, so it caused that tempest sooner
to spend its force, and settle down into a
comparative calm. Never had | seen such
agonizing, heart.breaking distress--neyer had
felt such keen sorrow in my own soul. Two
or three days were however sufficient to re-
store this lovely mourner to acalmness which
admitted Of her conversing freely, though not
without many tears, on her misfortune and
on the ways and means of her return home.
Grief had, in this short time, driven the rose
from her cheeks, the sparkling radiance from
her eyes, the bouyant agility from her m en-
bers; and left her faded and withered, like
the soorched blossom of the desert.
What were my feelings, when had leisure
to think, that this lovely dropping flower was
now under my sole care? and by what sur
prising stroke Of providence, was she driven
for shelter into a strangers friendly arms ?
In herself to me the loveliest, she was made
by these affecting circumstances by far the
dearest of human kind. My passion, hereto
fore uncherished in the bud, was nourished,
expanded, matured, and doubly purified, by
her sorrow, her dependence on me.
After some consultation, it was concluded
that should accompany her to Philadelphia,
where we would wait until she could get an
answer from some mercantile friends, which
her father had in Boston from them she had
no doubt Of obtaining protection, and con-
veyance 10 London.
Ayoyage ofa week brought us to Baltimore,
where we Immediately took passage in a
steamboat line for Philadelphia. The next
day we landed there, and took lodgings in
hotel. Neither Of us had single acquain-
lance in that city. ! announced my protege
as a foreign lady in distress, whom an accident
had deprived Of her brother, and cast upon
my protection. requested that we might be
furnished with private parlor and private
chambers, convenient TO the parlor, as the
lady's situation did not admit OF her mingling
with strangers. We were accommodated in
every particular.
Here we spent eight days in each other S
society, happy days they were to me--trans-
cendantly happy, l will call them, though
many sorrows cast their melancholy shades
over them. saw with delight, that Judith
grief yielded to the sober cheerfulness of re-
signation. The hue of health began gradually
to return to her cheek, and the ethereal bright
L..