Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-09-07

couldn't have seen man-Of-war or heard
minute gun hundred feet away. AL
| day long and into the night the pitiless
rain poured down, and the wind howled
| like all the imps of pandemonium had
| been turned loose at once. And all day
| long that awful dream would rise W
| before me. l could not get rid of il, and,
| in spite of myself, ! would catch myself
| peeTing through the windows looking out
| for Marine.
ssSOme time after night closed in, worn
| out with watching and anxiety, l lay
down on my cot and soon fell asleep.
don't know how slOng l slept; but, sir,
hope may never reach yOnder bank again
if didn't dream exactly the same dream
had the night before. / saw nv child al
her mothers knees, begging to come to
me. 1 saw her creep out Of bed as soon
as her mother was asleep, I'LL jug with
water, get some bread and meat out OF
the cupboard, and grOpe he1Sway down
to the beach and jump into her boat, just
as she had done the first night. Further
sleep was impossible. l would roll and
toss about on my cot awhile, and then
get up and look out into the pitchy dark
ness awhile. Not for an instant could
get that horrible vision from before my
eyes.
1.-The morning Of the second day found
me sick and exhausted, my provisions
were all gone, my water jug was empty,
my throat was dry and parched, and !
was burning up whichever. NV situation
was becoming alarming, and there was
no sign Of abatement in the storm. 1t
seemed to increase in fury every hour, as
though the seas had declared war against
the earth and did not intend TO give up
the battle until it was swept out of exis-
tence. To make matters worse, if posi-
bic, my oil gave out. l could not light
the lamp, and when / threw myself down
on my cot on the third night of my mis-
cradle Imprisonment there was not a ray
Of light visible in any direction. The
darkness was appalling. | fell INTO a
troubled sleep, but in an instant that hid
eous nightmare was upon me again, and
for the third time l saw Marine at her
mothers knees, begging 10 come to me.
Again saw her creep silently out of bed,
take supply of water and provisions,
steal softly out of the house, and through
the merciless storm find her way to the
beach, and jump into her boat. l jumped
from the cot and listened. | imagined /
felt the jar Of boat dashed against the
tower. l thought 1 heard a shrek.
rushed to the window, but the blackness
Of darkness was all that | could see.
''Tlred nature will sooner or later assert
her sway. 1 threw myselfOn my cot, and
when l woke again the sun was shining
brightly, and two Of my nearest neighbOTs
were standing by me helping me to rise.
Where is Mariner l asked, as soon as
could speak. They shook their heads
and gave no answer. Silently they rOwed
me to shore and followed rue up the
bank to my stricken home.
''After the first paroXYsm OF grief was
over l told them my thrice dreamed
dream. They looked at me in blank sur
prise, and Nancy said: IF you had been
there and seen it with your own eyes,
you could not have told it truer. Two
nights she begged as though she were
begging for her life TO be allowed to come
70 you and bring you fresh water and pro-
visions. The third night she begged. so
hard, and seemed SO intent on going, that
l became alarmed lest she should make
the rash attempt, and made her sleep with
me. Some time during the night l was
awakened by rush Of cold air into the
room. | looked tor Marine, but she was
gone. l rushed to the door, and, by a
vivid flash of lightning, saw her flying
down the beach, holding the Jug in one
hand and the bundle of provisions in the
other. l rushed after her, screaming:
''COme back, my child, come back!" and
hoping to overtake her. But she was too
quick for me, for when l reached the
beach she had launched her shell, and a
long, bright glare of lighting, which God
in mercy seems to have sent to give me a
last farewell look at my child, lightened
up the water all around. saw the merry,
fearless smile play over her pretty face,
and heard her sweet ''Good night,
mamma as she threw the fragile boat
farther out into the waves, and dark
ness closed around her forever"
''DO you think she went down in the
storm? z" l asked.
81 don't know my friend,'' he an
sWered; ashe was a strange child.
l never knew a mortal like her. 1t
may be she flOated out to sea and was
picked up by some passing vessel, and
will return some Of these days. l never
see a sail come in sight that l don't
think perhaps Marine is on board. Ii
may be she is realizing her hearts, long
desire. and is living with the mermaids in
the coral caves. Nobody knows. She
was a strange Clild.N