Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1881-08-17
A Mothers Love.

A few years ago, Small packet,
freighted with human life, sailed from
one of the New England ports, on her
passage to the East The day of her de-
parture was one of the loveliest in the
pleasant month of September. Not
speck was visible on the clear blue face
of the illimitable sky, and only great
undulating breeze disturbed the calm-
ness of the sleeping ocean Everyone on
board anticipated speedy and prosper
Gus voyage, and was happy. gazed
upon her admirable proportions, as she
SKINNED along, sitting like swan on
the CLASSY surface of the waters, for 1
had lust hidden adieu to an honored
friend, who was one of her joyous com
pany.
But this placid sea, and these soft,
bland winds were not long to continue.
As the sun was declining in the west, a
dark cloud became dimly perceptibie on
the verge of the distant horizon. 1t was
espied with deep and fearful interest by
many an anxious eye, as it gradually as
cended and expanded itself, ike shroud,
over the western segment of the azure,
arched sky. 4 violent rustling immedi-
ately arose in the surrounding air, the
signal of storm in the upper re-
gions of the atmosphere, which was only
audible below. The ocean still contin-
ued comparatively undisturbed, but this
very tranquility, so manifest and pecu-
liar. when contrasted with the extreme
violence that was raging afar, was much
more awful than if its furious waves had
rolled in masses to the sky, and threat
ened to engulf them all in its yawning
chasms. But soon the white foam that
was scarcely visible, awhile since, on the
crests of the distant pillows, began to
approach nearer and yet nearer, till
every wave flashed with the hoary spray.
The vivid lightning was more and more
rapidly overtaken by the peals of thun-
der. that followed with its wake. Until,
on sudden, an intensely brilliant "bolt
of living fire" struck down into the hiss
ing deep, and its sparkling beams as they
touched the surface, darted forth innum-
cradle sparks, resembling a shower of
rockets. This appe cared to be the ap-
pointed precursor of the swift-winged
tempest. For, in an instant, every wind
that blows seemed to have been released
from the mountain caves of Eolus. And
all at once, the hurricane, the light
nings and the rains, aided in their work
of ruin by the roaring bilows OF the
stormy Atlantic, combined in expending
their fury upon the luckless vessel One
of those desperate squalls, that but rare
ly occur, was sweeping with the bosom
destruction from shore to shore.
On board that ill-starred vessel was a
widowed mother and her only son. He
was bright and beautiful child about
four years of age. She was Just in her
weeds, young, amible and attractive, but
with heart overshadowed with fresh
grief. As danger thickened around them
this mother forgot herself in her bitter
anxiety for her darling boy. She seized
him in her arms, and pressed him with a
convulsive effort to her bosom. She hur-
ried with him from cabin to deck, and
from deck to cabin, beseeching with
piteous tones and breaking heart, that
her child at least might be rescued. And
then she would imprint her burning
kisses on his dimpled cheeks, and pray
in agony to Him who holdeth the winds
in his grasp and the waters in the hol-
low of his hand" for snocor and
support. But, alas no aid could
reach her in this season of her dreadful
peril. She wept and walled and prayed
In vain. For blast of the tempest more
cruel than the rest, capsized the fraii
bark, and the wide waste of the angry
sea whelmed them both in one common
death.
In few days subsequent to this sad
catastrophe, an effort was made by the
friends of those who had perished TO re-
cover for interment the remains of the
dead There is principle incorporated
in our very nature which makes us revolt
at the thought of taking up of taking up
our last abode in the coral caves of the
ocean, with only the hoarse moaning of
the boisterous billows for our requiem.
We love calm and quiet spot of earth,
whittier those who survive us may resort,
to drop a tear upon the green sod that
covers us, and become familiar with the
king of terrors. Hence the strong de-
sire we entertain TO give our relatives a
decent burial. After long and diligcnt
search the bodies of some, who had been
the victims of this sea-storm, were re-
covered, and among others, the relics of
this mother and her son. They were all
brough. to the town in which / then re-
sided, and after being suitably prepared,
were exposed to the inspection of such
persons as might wish to see them.
Stimulated by natural curiosity, l hur-
ried on with the crowd to take farewell
look of the bodies before they were COM
mitted to the darkness and the damp
ness of the marrow house And judge
kind reader If you can, of the power
and poignancy of my feelings, when, in
the pallid group, beheld that fond
mother, with her lovely boy, pressed so
strongly to her pulseless bosom, that no
ordinary exertion could unloose the
hold She remembered and loved that
child as freshly as ever, until the last
spark of life was extinguished. Nay,
more the bitterest pangs of dissolution
added intensity to maternal affection, and
enabled her, in her expiring moments,
TO clasp her ''first born, with such sup
erhuman energy, in her arms, that could
not dissolve the embrace 1t was most
affecting spectacle to see that charming