The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1874-05-19

scoundrel % cried the exasperated Major,
"and as such 1 now proclaim you before
these passengers. You must give me
satisfaction. 1 will have your life-blood,
coward p
Captain Valniy did not appear in the least
moved.
81 will not fight"
"Coward -
" Bravery does not consist in readiness
to fight duels."
"If your bravery was as ready as your
tongue seems just now to be- it would be
more in accordance with your claims to
manhood"
q" am sorry that you differ from me so
greatly in your opinion, sir"
"Sir, you are coward and a scoundrel."
"Sir, this language is not fit to be used
before ladies'"
81 appeal to them They have seen
my brutal treatment when attacked. You
wontonly beat defenseless man. 1 insist
in their presence, on satisfaction"
A loud peal Of thunder broke on the
scene.
"Captain Captain ~ shouted the
mate.
Instantly the Captain bounded upon
deck. We heard loud roar without. 1t
was the ocean rising in its fury. The
Major turned pale, and looked around in
agitation.
1t was now four o'clock, yet it was very
dark, for the sky was covered with pail
of thick black clouds, from which the light
ming began to flash in binding blazing
sheets.
We heard the Captains voice calling in
tones of thunder so loud that we wondered
as we listened. Order after order followed
in quick succession. We rushed up. The
well-trained crew followed every command.
The Captain spoke-it was done. His
voice rang out necessarily.
The storm came fiercely, furiously up.
In an hour it had burst upon us. The
waves were soon white with foam, and
rolled their vast forms with awful fury
against the laboring ship. They rose up
in mountains all around us. Crash Crash
one after the other these appalling surges
came down with thunder fury. They rose
on every side, elevating their heads above
us in scorn, tossing their snow-white sum-
mits proudly aloft. The sky grew intense
ly black every hour, and across its surface
we could see the big clouds floating fast
and wildly. At intervals the lightning
flashed across in binding sheets, and the
thunder followed in deafening roars. And
the wind-how it howled 1t came down
upon us with such incredible fury, that we
were obliged to turn away our heads, unable
to take breath.
1t came, and brought with it showers of
fine, watery vapor, in storm which none
could face, with an occasional torrent of
drops.
The hour of midnight came on, and still
more terrific grew the storm. The wind
seemed to have grown to hurricane. It's
fury was such as we had never dreamed
of The lightning flashes came on with
such quick succession that the sky was lit
up with one continuous glare The thun-
der rolled so fast, peal upon peal, that one
incessant roar filled our ears. The ship
lay on her beam-ends, and the huge
waves dashed over her in wild and furious
career.
In the midst of this tremendous strife
of the elements Captain Valmy rose into a
hero. Amid the deepest and loudest thun-
der peals his voice rang out above the tu-
multi. In tones of incredible strength he
shouted out his loud commands; as he
stood there with flashing eyes, erect form,
and strained muscles, he seemed the mas
ter OF the storm.
We who were doubtful of him, now
thought we had never seen so god-like
human being.
"It is Nelson at Trafalgar ?' said Ida
to her mother, their admiration making
itself known even amid the fears which the
surrounding dangers inspired.
Suddenly tremendous wave struck the
ship. She yielded to the blow, and rolled
far over. Fiercely, loudly, rang out the
Captains orders swiftly and promptly
they were obeyed, and nobly, too, did the
ship bear her part. Struggling, shaking,
and quivering beneath the shock, she re-
manned trembling for time, but at length
righted herself and again rose to confront
the waves.
But loud cry arose from the cabin.
II was the voice of the Major. AS the
ship was struck, his fears, which had all
along beon gathering. found voice.