The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1878-04-18
A WIFE'S PRAYER.

For three days q terrlhe gaze drove
before it the ship Pembroke, bound to
Liverpool from the Sandwich Islands.
Under bare poles, with every timber
groaning and creaking, with the tall
masts bending like reeds, with heavy
seas and binding spray sweeping her
decks fore and aft. the vessel doomed
on, rolling, plunging and quiveriDg in
her desperate struggle with the tenn
pest. --
At midnight, just before tho ending
of the third day, fearful cry, not loud,
but hoarse and deep went through the
ship:
''We have sprung a leak
Then The light from the two Ian
terms hung up in the main and mizen
shrouds fell upon the sturdy forms Of
seamen hurrying to rig the pumps.
Soon the dismal clang was heard as
the stout fellows toiled ane toilcd, but
all to no purpose. s'" --ssr
"Oh, Henry, what shall we do? The
leak is gaining upon us!'' cried despar~
ingly the young wife of Mr.. Rogers, the
first mate. ..
She was fine, noble looking woman,
and WAS liked and respected by every
man aboard ship.
A true daughter of Eve, her love for
her husband was so deep and absorbing
til she would have followed him
through any hardship or peril sooner
than separate from him for long pc
riod -
Now, as the sturdy, good looking
young mate heard his wifes cry OF
alarm, he flung an arm round her waist
and bade her be of good cheer.
eff it should come to the worst, said
he, "we will in all probability fall in.
before long, with some other craft.
| Meanwhile the leak steadily gained
The captain sent his carpenter into tie
I-.
hold. ..s.... .....
"Captainl" cried the latter, when he
returned, sit is all up with ust There
must be big hole in the ship, as the
water ip her is alleady about seven feet
deep.' iAa qssa. .s-los 70 s87s
A look of dismay settled on every
face. ar E
sect the boats ready said the skip
pei. f1Tfz Tsrr8a -f>7ssa9e
While the men we're obeying the or
der, the ships hull, settling. lower and
lower, was soon nearly engulphed IN
the rushing. roaring seas.
The sailors had barely time to put q
bag of sea biscuit, couple, of cans OF
prepared meat and breaker OF fresh
water in each of the boats, when. with
a side-long sheer, the vessel rolled half
way over to leeward, as helpless as
log. preparatory to going down.
The mate and his wife, with eight
men, took to the long boat; the resi- OF
the ships occupants, amounting to ten
sailors, entered the quarter-boat-
just as the two light vessels put
away from the doomed craft, the
latter plunged her bows under, dull
report was heard. as the matches were
burst open by the rising water in ~
hold. -
A minute later. elevating her stearn,
the ship sank out of sight in the stormy
ocean.
In the darkness and amongst the
heavy seas, the mates boat became
separated from the other in short
time. 81 lisa 3fsiff
| At dawn no sign of the latter could bt
discovered by those who looked for it.
Keeping the boat all day dead before
the wind, the mate, with his compan-
ions, vainly watched for sail.
II Thus. day after day passed, unit
NEARLY week had elapsed, by which
| time the scanty allowance of sea,bis
cults having given out, there was moth
ing left to eat in the boat, while in thu