Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1874-03-14
WHOLE NO. 40

Walter sprang to his feet, and gazing
out into the offing. his bright eyes lit up
with the enthusiasm caught from his
sisters words and he instantly replied:
We'll go out there, and have splen-
did sail-.just like the great ships and
steamboats, that we see yonder.'
'Oh, don't go out there, Walterl' in
terposed Ella, her cheek growing pale
as the lily. Don't go, Walter, Mother
will be angry with u.s.
Mother will do no such thing. She
will be proud of us, to think we have
been out on the big ocean all alone, l
can very easily come back with The tide
that'll soon be setting in And with
out the further argument, the reckless
boy put his helm up, eased off the sheet,
and away out through the inlet toward
the line of blue water outside, went the
boat, hurried along before the strong
breeze, which, added to the strength Of
the last quarter ebb-tide, bore her awav
at speed that soon sunk the sand ridge
to a mere line along the margin of the
wide ocean, and the little white cottages
with the green blinds, into Lighthouses
dotted with bright green spots. The
colored water-which appeared from
the cove only like narrow strip diyid-
ing the white surf from the deep azure
of the ocean beyond-expanded into a
broad belt Of several miles in width.
But with the fine breeze and strong out
set of the tide the boat sped on, while
the novelty of their position, and the
natural excitement induced by it, caus-
ed the time and space to fly past unheed-
ell, by the young voyagers, and a sud-
den dread came upon them. as having
gained the broad, blue water, they
looked back toward the shore and saw
hills, fields, houses and orchards. all
blending, growing indistinct, and fad
ing away in the dim distance. There
was sense of lonely, utter helplessness
suddenly shadowing their bright visions
and there was world of pathos i'm El-
las sweet, low voice, as she laid her
| hand gently on her brothers arm, and
looking up into his eyes, lovingly
whispered:
'Oh, Walter, let us go home, mother
wonld feel very bad if She knew we had
| come away out here.'
Walter bent down his head and kissed
his sisters fair, pale cheek, as he said:
we will go back home, Ella. 1 was
naughty TO come off so far from the
land. But don't cry, sister; am very
sorry. Don't blame mel couldn't helm
it; do love the sea so much.'
No, we won't blame YOU, Walter,
only let US hurry back; for see, yonder
is terrible black cloud coming up i'm
the west, and / am afraid if we do
not
Elias speech was interrupted by a
groan of anguish from her brother
whose eye for the first time had been
directed by his sisters K, toward
bank Of dark, murky clouds heaving
up in the west, and at the very instant
that his eye rested upon the black pail.
chain of brilliant, zigzag lightning
rose quivering along its upper edge, and
few moments later, there came TO his
ears the low, muttered roar OF far-off
thunder.
The young captain had hauled his
little vessel by the wind. but the clumsy
thing lay broad off under her ill-fated
sail. Beside, the wind, which she had
scarcely felt while running off before it.
had now increased so much that she
keeled over till there was great danger
OF her cawsizing, TO prevent which.
Walter assisted by his sisters set about
reefing the sail.
IhIs was soon accomplished, and
again the boat was steored as close as
she would go, which at best was little
more tlan eight or nine points, so that
with her great lee-way, Walter soon
III.
his boat was drifting rapidly out to the
sea.
Nearer and nearer rolled on the en-
battled 1egions of black storm-clouds:
louder came the fearful thunder crashes
more vivid cleaned the red lightnine's
hash; wilder the shrieking gale swept
py, howllng and screaming dread notes
OF terror to the young children i'm the
boat. The water-whlch in by the land
was quite smooth-began to heave up in
huge efOam-crested waves, here and there
and all around them, curli 10 over and
breaking all feaUher-white in long lines
OF snowy, kissing spray. Great drops
OF rain came pattering down in the wa
ter, and pelting on the thwarts and gun
wales of the boat with sharp, clicking
noise that smote startlingly dismal cn
tne ears OF the little ocean wanderers
Young as he was, the young captain
retained in his mind much of what he
had heard his father relate at various
times in regard to the management of a
vessel in gale; and the knowledge
which he had thus gained in theory. he
now found stood him in good stead. He
nad heard OF keeping ship before it i'm
a squall, and of scudding i'm gale-and
the dull sailing clumsy boat was his
snip. The theory which he had learned
ne proceeded to put in practice; and
when the first mad gust of the yelling
tornado fell upon them, they were 90
ing on dead before the wind-otherwise
the sail would have been blown away,
or the boat would have been swamped
IN an instant. AS it was, it went dash
ing on through the wild storm and
screening surges. scudding away. right
out into the mighty wilderness of the
waters.
Ten, fifteen, twenty minutes went by
and still the war of elements went on i'm
an It's terrible fury, and still the brave
little fellow stood at the helm, bare
headed, his cap having blown away. his
clothes dripping with water, and steady
TO MS purpose steercd his tiny baraue on
and away before the fierce howling
storm.
Once only he faltered, and that was
when the boat quivered for moment on
the crest OF mighty wave, and then
went reeling and plunging, standing
almost on end, down into the kissing
vortex Of the liquid ravine. Then, a
single, quick cry of horror escaped the
crept up to his side, laid her hand
upon his shoulder, and spoke in a low,
soothing tone, that almost instantly
called back his confidence, and elected
from his lips cry of admiration for his
sisters heroism.
Don't be frightened, dear Walter
spoke the little angel, Mother saws that
God watches over erpeople that live on the
sea; and don't you remember how often
our dear mother has told us that Jesus
loved little children? If God watches
over us, and Jesus loves us, we shall be
safe. So don't be afraid