Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1874-06-02

hHC ehlt, ana lHe IO.lI Ol tue sea WAS Ilh z
} one long roll OF thunder Then. all 10
once-it's II dreadful sound. ma'am, in n
night like that-l heard gun. and in q
minute NOR, another. and fell down on
my knees and prayed for tho poor wretch.
es perishin' out there in the storm.
couldn't abear TO stay alone. so put
something around me and ran over
through the dark to 'Bijah Portel's. They
were all up. and 'Bijah and Tom had just
come up from lEo shore. They couldn't
make out anything, they said, and the sea
run so that there was nothin' 10 do but
wait for light.
Toward mornin' the wind went down,
and with the first streak OF dawn, We all
went down TO the beach. There was n
great crowd there a'ready, and after
good while we could just make out big
black thing, lyin' partly out OF the water
TO the leewaId of Pirates Rock, not
more'n quarter OF mile away.
Poor crccturs " said Bio, they must
"a been all dead hours ago
80 nigh the land, and Christmas Day"
said Martha Price. who was standing
close TO me. Then she grippcd my arm,
and says she under her breath,
'Ma'am Dawson. dare to say that it's
a cruel thingr
couldn't answer her. felt like a
blasphcmer. for twas my own thought
she'd voiced.
"All Of sudden heard noise behind
me. like some one running, and the crowd
parted every way. turned around, and
for an instant, maam. | though. the sead
give up the dead it swallowed two and
twenty years agonc Wasn't il Captain
WiIlston that stood there, with black
eyes flashing and the salt spray frozen
into his hair? A dozen women screamed
and old Mis-. Price fell down ike dead.
Jock = | called out then, for did not
know what was saying-'O Jock is it
Gomez
lie did not answer. doubt if he
heard or saw me at all lie stood starin'
out to sea, with such face as | never
saw on mortal man. All at once his
voice, that used to be so weak like q
chids. rung out strong aud clear as a
trumpet
lie bowed the heavens, also. and came
down, and darkness was under his feet
Aud he rode upon cherub and did fly;
yea, he did lly upon the wings OF the
wind His pavilion round about him were
dark waters and thick clouds OF the skies.
Io sent from above, be took me, he
drew me out OF many waters.
Thou wilt light my candle; the Lord
my God will enlish,en my darkness For
who i, God, save the Lord, and who is a
rock save our God:'
Tne fog lifted up ia The cast, and The
clear light touched his head. \ minute
more and the wreck was in lull view
Jock turned like lash and wrenched
the glass outof Skipper Gibson's hand
lie looked for an instant, then he dashed
it down on The sAnd. and ran Tor The boat
house. The men looked al each other.
Nobody seemed TO breathe. Skipper Glib.
son was The first that spoke.
'Menn he said, God calls US by
miraclc?'
1t was like brsakin' aspcll. They ran
they shouted, they pulled down the boat.
Jock was the first inside. Six times the
swell beat her back, but the seventh she
passed the breaker. Up and down over
The white caps we could sec her spring to |
the oars. The men told US after that
Jock never spoke, but pulled with the |
strength of three, and that if in all those
senseless years when he'd been so much |
upon The sea, he'd made the handIin OF n |
boat study, he couldn't "a seemed to |
know better what to do. Skipper Gibson
declared to his dyin' day that he believed |
the spirit of his father came back into
Jocks body that day but think, mann,
that it was another Spirit that lightencd
that darkness.
We watched them rs they made fast TO
the wreck and then we made out two men !
climbing up The side and into the rigging.
We saw through the glass one dark thing |
and then another handed down; then |
something seemed 10 fall, and nothing
was clear Tor little. The boat moved
round and round the wreck, aud headed /
lor shore. As it came nearer, we made
ont Skipper Gibson and Biiah and the
other, but no Jock. A hundred hands
stretched out to pull 'em in. The skip
per sprung over tho bows.
"'Quck quick . he called out. Lend
hand, and we may save them yetH'
"Who vas it, ma'am. do you think, that
lay white and still in that boat. bottom
A woman, and an old and young man!
1t was Mabelle, and her father, and poor
Jock
needn't tell You how we worked. We
that live here know how TO snatch life out
OF the very nav OF the hungry sea-
Mabelle and Mr. Devcreux were higher
frozen to death than dro Sned. The cap
tain OF the ship had 'cm lashed 10 the
riggin' and wrapped round and round
with sail cloth. Only that had kept them
IL Al -. =, I,f Ill ON bnnrI en- w