Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-03-23

"Aye," said the mother, che always
trusted in God, ana God will not forsake
him now"
"Do you remember, Jane" continued
the old man, How often Providence
was with me, amid the storm and the
wreck, when help from man was far off,
and would have been useless if near ?''
and they cbeered and encouraged one
another to hope the best, but to submit
to the decres of heaven, whether it came
as the dew to nourish, or AS the heavy
rain tooppress. From that hillock which
overlooked the ocean assembled their min
| gled prayer that God would not leave
them desolate.
The fsherman-the object of their
hopes and fears-had been very success
full during the night, when at daybreak
he was preparing to return home he re-
membered his promise to bring with him
some seaweed to manure the potato plot
behind his cottage. He was then close
to rocks which were only discernible at
low water.
He pulled for them, Jumped on shore.
/ fastened the painter of his boat to iut-
ting part OF cliff, and took his boat
hook with him. He collected suffi-
clent quantity of the wrack, but in his
eagerness to obtain it had wandered from
the landing place, when he heard his
boy loudly halIooing and exclaiming that
the painter was loose. He rushed in
stantly toward the boat which was then
several yards off, the boy was vainly en-
deavoring to use both the oars, and Nep-
tune, the faithful dog, was running back
ward and forward, bowling fearfully as
If conscious of his masters danger, at
one moment about to plunge into the
waves to join him, and the next licking
the face and hands of the child, as if he
foresawt that for him his protection would
be most needed
The fisherman perceived at once the
desperate nature of his situation; the
tide he knew was coming in rapidly, and
/ his hope Of escape was at an end, when
he perceived that his boy, in an effort to
use the oars, had let one of them fall
overheard.
Father, father" exclaimed the poor
lad, "what shall do?
"The boat was at this moment so dis
tant that his distracted parent could
scarcely hear the words, but he called
out to him as loud as he could to trust
in God, the father of the fatherless. He
then stood resigned to the fate which
he felt awaited him, and watched the
drifting boat which bore the child in
peril from the fatal rocks. He had offer
ed up brief prayer to the throne of
mercy, when, III an instant, a light
broke upon his mind.
GOOD God!' he exclaimed, 81 may
yet be saved"
With the energy of hope battling with
despair, he collected all the stones
around him and heaped them rapidly
upon the highest ledge of rock; it was,
indeed, wonderful how he could have
gathered so many in so short a time; but
the Almighty gave strength to his arm,
as he was laboring not for life merely,
but for beings still dearer to him. The
tide came on, on, and soon obliged him
to abandon his work. He then mounted
the pile he had heaped, planted the boat
hook firmly in one of the crevices of the
cliff, and prepared to struggle for ex-
istence; but his heart failed him when he
considered how slight was the possibility
that the waters would not rise above his
head. Still, he determined to do all he
could 10 preserve life. The waves were
not rough, and the boat-hook supported
him.
The awfulmoment rapidly approached;
! the water had reached his knees; but he
stood firmly, and prayed that he might
] be preserved. On, on, on, it came, slow
ly and gently, but more fearfully than if
it had ragged around its destined prev:
soon it reached his waist, and he then
prayed that it might go no higher. On,
on. on, it came, and his shoulders were
covered; hope died within him, and he
thought of himself no longer. but of
those who were SO dear to him-his wife.
his children and his father-it was for
blessings ON them that he then lmplored
heaven. Still on, on, it came, and he
was forced to raise his head to keep as
long as possible from death; his reason
was almost gone, his breath grew feeble,
his limbs chill; he painted, and his
prayers became almost gurgling MUIR
murs. The blood rushed to his head;
his eye-balls glared as if they would
| startfrom their sockets. He closed them
with an effort, and thought for the last
time on the home that would be soon so
wretched!
| Horrible images were before him
each swell OF the wave seemed as if the
fends were forcing him downward, and
the cry of the sea-bird was like their
yells over their victim. He was gasping,
choking, for he mad not strength to keep
his head above the waves, every moment
they were plashing upon it, and each
convulsive start that followed only
aroused him to the consciousness, if con-
sciousness it could be called, that the
next plunge would be his last
Merciful powers! At thevery moment
when the strength and spirit of man
had left him, and the cold shudder of
death had come on, he felt that the tide
rose no higher. His eyes opened, closed,
and fearful laugh troubled the waters!
They eddied in his throat, and the bub-
bles foated around his lips-but they
rose no higher-that he knew-again
and again his bosom heaved with deep
| L L. IL