The Opelousas courier., 1886-12-11

&-E
Suddenly there was a wild shrek fror
/ Mrs. Rowland, as little Grace, who ha'
attempted to run into the cabin
was literally blown to leeward into The
sea.
"My childi O God a v my child!
screamed the distracted mother, whose
voice, however, was nearly drowned b,
the booming thunder of wind ard ocean
the rafting Of canvass, the Stating o.
sheets and ropes and the swash-
ing, Kissing noise of the sweeping
spray.
The sailors looked, with appalled,
faces, on the form of Grace as she wa
borne along by the merciless waves. No
one of them dared to venture over
board in that tempest, and as to lower
ing a boat, it was simply impossi.
be, as no boat could live in such q
storm.
"Save her. Will no one save my
chiIdw screamed Mrs. Rowland,
confronting the seamen with clasped
hands and frenzied. beseeching eyes.
They looked at each other, and NOT
one moved, for all felt that certain death
awaited the man who should plunge IN
that wrathful ocean. But Mark Mold
plunged overheard, and the mother
chung to a backstay, eagerly watching
for his temperance. But, seeing moth
ing of him, she bowed her head on
the rail, moaning and raving like a ma
MAC.
Still ragged the storm and on tore the
ship, further and further from the place
where the man and child had gone over
board The seamen changed ominous
glances and shook their heads.
Soon the squall sweeping far away to
leeward, the ship righted, and the sun
cleaned from a clear sky upon a clearing
sea.
From the captain, who, having now
brought his ship to, with maintopsail
aback, had u aloft, a wild cry went
ringing to the heavens sending an cleo
trict thrill of joy to the hearts of all on
deck.
81 see something two miles off the lee
quarter. God grant it be the man and
child!"
His boat was soon down with good
oarsmen in it-with Mrs. Rowland full
of wild anxious hope in the stern
Nearer to that distant speck drew the
boat.
''There he isl" cried the watchful
captain, at last. 81 think believe
but am not certain-he-yes, yes, thank
God, he has the child"
Eyes, there was the convict in the
water, holding up the child that the
mother might seq it.
Such a scream Of Joy as burst from
that mothers lips it would have done
you good to hear.
A few minutes later Grace nestled on
her bosom, weak and faint, but showing
signs of rapid recovery as the happy
woman strained her to her breast.
showering kiss after kiss upon her
face.
Almost exhausted to Inconsistencies.
Mark Mold lay in the bottom of the boat,
scarcely hearing the mother-hardiy
feeling the pressure of her lips upon his
hands-when, at length, she turned to
him, warmly expressing her gratitude.
Now she recognized The truth of the
that the worst person is not with
out some good trait, and very glad she
was that she had not succeeded in hay
ing the convicts removed from the ship
when she first discovered they were
aboard. Of course, had they been
taken away, Mark Mold would have gone
with them and her child would have
been lost.
On arriving at Port jackson, Mrs.
Rowland related to her husband, the
the gallant conduct of Mark
Mold, who, thereafter, was constantly
befriended, during his hard prison life,
BY the grateful officer.
This kind treatment, the first he had
received from a human being since
he became ar outlaw, had a softening
effect on Marks character, and he con
Quoted himself SO well that the colonel
length succeeded in obtaining for him
3 communication of his penalty, which
had been for twenty years, to half that
time.
When at last the prisoner was dis
charged, the colonel procured him en-
ployment, and the liberated convict be-
came a steady, honest man.
BssnsGgcE and Hts Belts.
A pranns IF tho roar af hIoo5 o~a So