The Republican journal., 1882-04-27

ry. Married, | why poor child, my
heart broke when John Chester sent me
that little scrap Of printed paper, telling
me,-the scoundrel-that in it, | would
find evidence of the manner in which
you had kept faith with me. He advised
me to cast you from my heart or, if
could not all at once, to seek tOrgettul-
ness in travel, was stricken down with
brain fever for weeks, but the doctors
pulled me through it, and scaEt thanks
gave them. And then | went far away,
to Africa, to India, then back to Wash
ington, for heard that Martin Boyd was
dead his widow had gone west to live:
then was appointed minister to Japan,
and | accepted, hoping to work hard
enough to forget And now, now-Oh :,
Clarce, my darling, that bad man has de-
ceved us both and has gained his point
and made wreck ofour lives, could curse
him"
Hush, Robert she interrupted, in
voice full of sorrow. "remember, that no
matter how he became such, John Ches-
ter is my husband. Until now ! have
found ii easy to respect him, but that is
all over; Robert, for my sake--yes, for
my Ike do not punish him for his sin: it
is too late to remedy its consequences
now let us leave it to God, and ii will
come out all right some day. You and
haze done no wrong to each other, we
have no longer the bitterness of that be-
lief, let us not do wrong now, we must
not . And Robert. do not speak one
word to John Chester, will tell him his
falsehood is laid bare, and then we will
leave him in the hands of Providence.
Vengeance is mine, will repay saith
the Lord
With a sttied sob she TUNED hastily
away, then moved by an irresistible im-
pulse, came back and laid her hand on
her companions bowed head, as he sat in
speechless agony.
"Be brave, dear; do your lite's work
well and cheerfully, that | may hear of
and be proud of You in my heart"
And then, as he pressed one long,
heart broken kiss upon the little hand.
she passed from his sight,
A week later two men sat in the Cap
tains cabin, each, in the pauses Of con
versation, casting turliyc gIances at a lit
tie instrument that hung upon the wall,
"You don't like the looks of that bar
ometer, | see, Mr.. Wallace" said the
captain, ''neither do |, to tell the truth.
| don't like cyclones with i ship full Of
passengers to think Of, and the glass is
certainly limiting stronglya at enc. must
hurry Off now and see all taut for tus-
sci with the storm king.
Two hours later the stout steamer be-
gan to feel the long, rolling swell, that
presaged the approach Of yet rough
er sea, and in five hours after the first
had haan l,I t,n f.lit hful
barometer, she was pitching and tossing
in the middle of such a fierce warfare of
The elements, as even the veteran captain
had seldom encountered
All night and all day the steamer bat
tied bravely with the raging sea, and yet
the storm showed no signs OF abating,
but rather grew more and more violent,
and when the second night drew on, the
heavy seas began to break over the Ia
boring vessel.
Lest the steamer should indeed plunge
to her death, in the midst Of the towering
waves that rose before her, the engines
were slowed, and each moment the cap
tain feared, lest unhappily the report
should reach him, that the waves had en-
tered the engine room, and eXtinguished
the fires, for that he knew would mean
that the end had come
And standing at the captains side,
stern, silent, and with a face drawn and
haggard, not with fear for himself but
for one dearer to him than his own life,
one who sat in the great saloon, calmly
waiting for the end OF it all, was Robert
Wallace standing there, in the tly ing
spray and whistling wind, that he might
be the first to know when the end had ac-
tually come, so that be might try to save
her. or failing at that 10 die at her dear
side.
For he knew that the man who had so
basely parted their two lives would afford
her no help, even if help were possible :;
he had seen him covering in abiect fear,
wringing his hands and moaning while
she sOughtin vain to impart to his coward
ly heart some OF the brave spirit that
beat in hers
Mr.. Wallace had deemed that in their
present extremity, her embargo Of bis Sill
ence might be broken, and from time TO
time he crept across the wave swept deck,
and had gone below to give her such words
of comfort as he might, but he quickly saw
that they were not needed, nnr believed,
and so he made his peril0us way back
again to the captains side.
Ink black gloom surrounded the vessel
on every side, save when the flashing
lightning for an instant illumntd the
scene and revealed its horrors.
Stout hearts quailed as the wind roar
ed through the cordage with a savage, re-
lentess howl, and the ship shook and
groaned as if in an agony of fear.
Gallant hearts shrunk small and became
almost still in the presence of the Crea-
tor, feeling themselves to be in the hol-
low of His handy to be crushed or deliver
ed, as might be best unto Him.
Still, all through the night the noble
ship butfeted bravely with the mighty sea.
and so the hours of darkness passed away,
and the light Of morning came stealing
over the foaming waters like a ray Of life
and hope
And that ray crept into the hearls Of
all on board the sorely tried steamer,
deepening and widening as the first fear
that the 'wish was parent to the thought"
died away in the certainty that the winds
and the waves were actually abating at
last, and that the worst was over.
The worst Of the storm p ah, yes, but
not the worst of their peril for Just as the
|
all their hearts, there came to the captain
from below a man with face white and
ghastly, bringing the appalling tidngs
that the water was pouring in rapidly
through the strained seams, and that the
pumps would not work.
One instant the gallant sailor stood in
silent horror; then he gave his orders
quietly and calmly, and while some of the
crew made what haste they could to col
lect provisions, and store them in the
boats, others summoned the panic stlcl
en- passengers on the deck.
1t was forlorn hope, that Of finding
safety in those trail little shells of wood
albeit they were in reality good and stout,
as all boats might we'll be, only they seem
ed so small to brave that tossing sea ; but
it was the only visible hope. SO, as the
order was given to enter tie boats before