St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-03-21

over the swells and drive into port. but
all action for the right government of
the ship is ended. Trumpeter Language
mounts the shattered beams of the fore
castle, and makes an grafton it is not
necessary to work, he tells the crew,
but to hear him sputter yarns.
1t is fearful now to look upon the
raging of the black sea. Every moment
the storm increases in fury. As a giant
would toss about a straw, so the waves
handle the wrecked timbers. Night
gathers her blackness into the rifted
clouds, and the strong moaning sound
of the storm is heard on the dark ocean.
BY that glare of lightning l saw sail
and life-bOat Men from another ship
are risking their lives to save the insane
crew whose masts are gone. They come
nearer, but the boat bounds and quiv-
ers, and is nearly swamped upon the
top of wave. Jack Courage and In
dependence see the boat coming. "Ship
ahoy," shout the deliverers. sLife-
boat from the ship Temperance Quit
your wreck and be saved" No reply.
Independence grinds his teeth and
grOwls to Jack Courage that the offer
of help is an insult. 81 will tell you
how to answer" says Jack, stern and
bloody. There is one cannon left with
a dry charge. They wheel that upon
the approaching boat, and Indepen-
dence holds the linstock over the fuse
hole. 'Life-boat for sailors on the
wreck" shouts Philanthrophy, from the
approaching beat. "What answer, ship
ImmOrtafW Then shoots from the
ringing gun tongue of flame, and ten
pounds of iron are on their way. The
Temperance boat rocks lower from the
wave-top, and the deadly reply just
grazes the heads of the astounded phil
anthropists and buries itself heavily in
their own ship beyond. 1t was an acci-
dent, they think, and keep on, board
the ship and stand upon its deck. Then
flash from their scabbards a dozen
swords; then click the locks of dozen
muskets; then double the palms of a
dozen fists; then shake the clubs of a
dozen maniac arms, and the unsuspect-
ing deliverers are murdered on the deck
they came to save. AS the lightning
glares | see them thrown into the sea,
while thunders are the dirge of the
dead aud the damnation of the murder
erS.
The drunken ship is fast filling with
water. Not man at the pumps, not
an arm at the helm. Having destroyed
their friends, the crew fall upon each
other. Close under their bow rave the
breakers of rocky shore, but they hear
it not. At intervals they seem to real
ize their condition, and their power
even yet to save themselves, but they
make no effort. Gloom and storm and
foam shut them up against hell with
many thunders. In tlis terrible eXtremi-
ty Independence is heard to refuse help
and boasts of his strength. Friendship
and Parental Love rail at thoughts of
affection. Language trumpets his easy
yarns and grows garralous rs the tim
bers crack one after another. Rage and
Revenge are now the true names of
Firmness and Courage. Silly Mirth yet
giggles a dance, and saw him astride
the last timber as the ship went down,
tossing foam at the lightning. Then
came a sigh of the storm, a groaHiug of
waves, a booming of blackness, and a
red, crooked thunderbolt shot wrath
fully blue into the suck of the sea
where the ship went down.
And l asked the names of those rocks,
and was told Gods stern and immuta-
BILE Laws.
And ! asked the name of that ship,
and they said: Immortal Soul.
And asked why its crew brought it
there, and they said: Their Captain
Conscience and Helmsman Reason were
dead.
And asked how they died. and they
said: BY one single shot from the Pi-
rate Alcohol; by one charmed ball of
Moderate drinking!
On this topic, over which we sleep,
we shall some day cease to dream.
Applause.