New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-11-23
BLACK ROCK

s'Marthys there's SQUAT comm; an look
at that yacht, will you. If there's a. one
aboard OF her as has mite % common sense
he'll run her in here atore the storm comes.
''Wel, there amt, them said Martha
sharply, 'tor they're turnin' her head
straight out to sea, look if they amt
And Abram, shading his eyes with his
hand, shook his head slowly. so they be,
Marthy, so they be- JUST fetch me my coat.
Ill go down 10 the shore. Jhtrell be a
boat wantin' soon, I'm aieard."
A slant of sunshine from under the edge
of the ragged cloud siiyeIed the sails
OF the little yacht and lit up the anxious
face OF the watcher. There it is now"
and he looked up quickly, as Il shiyering
blast rustled the leaves over his head. at
does seem as if the Lord made some folks
just to act FOOLISH" and hurryiny down the
cliff, he got out his boat. threw IN an extra
coil of rOpe, and then stood by her watch
ing the little vessel as now, feeling the
frtshening breeze and seeing the white caps
on the breakers, they changed her course,
and she came beating up against the wind,
her sails tutteIiDg, her slender mast creak-
ing and strainiDg.
Land sakes Better ha' stayed where
she was ef they don't know the coast pretty
well. Why on airth don't they reef that
sail 7" And Abram. in d kind of despera.
tion, watched the feeble forts to get the
yacht ready for tho squat. which even to
che moss Impractical eye, was close upon
them.
'.what now, Abram: Watchin' that little
craft out yondsr: Likely 90 get duckin'
ct they run her ia here now, amt they
Gould ha' done it ten minutes ago" And
the stalwart fisherman pulled away at his
pipe, lounging on the side of the boat with
his eyes fixed on the stralning vessel.
There she goes" the blast veered
suddenly and drove her straight against the
low rocks. mo, she's Utf-there it's
changed agan-push off. Abram, III take
an oar" And with their heads well bent
20 the driving rain, the two fishermen pulled
steadily toward the dangerous rocks where
they could still discern the dim outline of
mast and spars.
But The log came down thicker and thick
sr. and the wind changed from point to
point now in their faces, now behind them,
sill-knowing the coast as they dd-they
were at a loss as to their whereabouts.
Lay to, Ben, till the fog lifts. We're
fighting in the dark now. And with anX-
ieus eyes peeiing through she gloom, and
ears strained 10 catch The faintest sound
above the whistling Of the wind, and the
dash of the waves, they rested on their oars
Suddenly Abram lightened his grasp
'Steady now, Ben, pull to wind'ard."
They rowed IN silenc. for some minutes.
the oars sounding muiiiei in the thick dark |
ness that enconIpasseG them.
Il thought We was Ugh, oD he: that time. |
heerd thud an q .h.ve. like. an ! |
Thought she'd struck"
Ben Law son listened Ifl'elt'v.
clay off, Abram. there. tue wave, on I
Black Rock
swell. the Lord help EN-
Ben put his hand to his ear. . Aa.s came |;
from somewhere on their yigh:o
'Ay, ay, mates
"Abram, where's the YACHT
1.-The Lord knows.
The fog thlnned little. and another boat
came up alongside
.'She's round the point bv now. There.
a big swell where she struck"
But them as was aboard Of her 80 said
Abram, anXious]ye
There's an undertow today mates.'
spoke up an old fisherman in one Of the
boats, "as 'ud draw the yacht herself. eli
she only struck the bottom."
A murmur came from the boats. and the
1nen's faces blanched. ADRIAN broke the
awed silence.
MATES, s'pose you round III. point an
Ben an me We'll keep this side q Black
Rock. The wind is changed a point or two.
an the fog III lift soeuo and snet5e weJI
tnd some on EN-
''Ay, ay. Abram. iu.! sway. !ads." ana
the men bent To their oars, and the boats
shot forward under the firm steady strokes,
vanishing like syevt..s III Ike terSSblc white
gloom
NOW, Ben, you an mes go. the worst.
but keep clear o the rocks an well weather
II yet. Pull to wind'a ard. my lad, anu we'll
come to sonethn' sure
The cloud lifted little az 2hey came ,
HeareT, showing the jagged line over which ;
the rising tide broke sulienly. There's no
Use lookln' Tor EN- here and Ben Lawson
pointed to the line of foam circliug the
tIeacherons Black Rock What with the
~ In +lu, ira 1,lt |
Abram shook his head gravely, but pres
emily his cheeks iiushed-"Pull i'll Ben, pull
IN close, there's somethin' on the rocks" I
ana Ieapihg ont on one not yet covered toy
the water, he stopped over bundle ben, l
Il $ Il child J! he cried eXcitedly, and care
fully loosening the shawl, lac lifted the little s
one III his arms. shes tainted, poor dear, |
eastways she's cold an limp like-but her ]
heart beats Yet, We'll save her any how 4
Now pull, Ben" lie added as lie took his |
place in the stern, pull just as hard as ever
you did, and Marthy II hev her all right in c
no time
But it did take time to bring the child L
back to consciousness for her soul had wan Y
dered so near the confines of another world | I
that il seemed sorely 10th to return to this: a
but Martha s nursing was at last rewarded
by the little one opening her eyes and look d
ng from one to another. and then around | y
The room, she said quietly. like this t
olace."
You do. dear" said Abram, his face o
shining with his great delight, We'll, I'm v
mighty glad o that now.
who are YOU asked the child, gravely, L
iXng hei eyes on his without the slightest A
ook of fear. h
''Oh! I'm Uncle Abram.' nodding and Il
smiling re-assuringly. Ii
oh!-and," turning to Martha, you're p
Aunt Abram-very we'll, and. closing her | "
yes, che dropped asletp y
Pretty dear, and Abram lifted one little b
land tenderly. how old is she Marthy, DO | OF
,ou Think
9 Bout five, guess; eastwavs she has A
ocket round her neck, with somethin' -
Dout the MIN ollthday on Ito But amt pi
here none OF EN- found yet!" as
Abram shook his head. ..Ths yacny's Ii
shore round the points but there an's a
uman clitter dead or alive been found ret: | b.
nebhe the tide will wash ens ashore when A
is flood again. is
But it never did, and though shes sra.cH | in
d il closely, the sea gave 10 clue .. the | til
esting place OF those its strong arm. had | %
altered and now held SO closets. From | ar
he child's story it appeared that che had
cen asleep when the vessel struck. and so | re
new nothing of what had happened. Sor
ONE days she talked Of ''her papa" @ho &c
'ould come for her" but when day after ha
ay she was disappointed, she contded to
BRAN that her papa had gone away
gain on a big ship to take care of his sol | W
lers-he had told her be would some day, Ii
nd they DID not attempt to undeceve her. | th
iii go an inquire arter her friends, al
arthy," Abram said one day, lit ain I Just tn
ght to keep her, tho she do seem to be a
ng to us now He
But his search was useless. The yacht IS