The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-12-21

@He may have you," Mr.. Gray said in
a hollow voice.
"Good papa Kind papap'
And she threw herself on his breast
When she was gone to bed, and was
asleep, he stole out of the house.
Swift was the current among the rocks
off a certain part OF the island. Mr. GRAY
knew that he who plunged deep in that
place might never come up again.
The under-current would probably
carry the diver into some subterranean
water-cavern, whence he could never ex-
-tricate himself.
"Ah," he muttered, ."better death to
me at once than lifelong misery to my
child. lie can never have her while I
live. / could not bear to look upon his
face, as 1 would often be obliged to do if
he were her husband; for they would
visit me, even though 1 never visited
them"
Long he gazed at the swift water.
"Be it So" he said ar last in a solemn
voice
There was splash as he plunged into
the fatal current.
At the same moment a strong young
voice was heard.
Robert Waldron, who had been as vet
unable 10 tear himself away from the
vicinity of the dwelling of his beloved,
had seen Mr.. Gray 90 out upon the point
near which he was seated in the shadow
of rock.
Now, as he made the plunge, the youth,
who had been few yards oil, dived alter
him.
Ire Mr.. Gray had gone deep enough
to be drawn into an under water cavern,
Waldron clutched him, and strove to re-
gain the surface with his burden
They rose together, and IS they were
carried further from land Air. Gray en-
deavored to release himself IRON Roberts
grasp.
The struggle was OF short duration, for
II is hard Tor one man to hold to, and
keep up in the water, another who is de-
termined to drown himself.
Alr. Gray mad forced himself from the
grasp OF Waldron, when the latter saw
the unmistakable fin of g shark cutting
the moon-lighted waters as ii approached.
"A shark! Here it comes Z" cried the
youth, as he a-ain clutched Mr.. Gray
'Ay, and there are more | will not
leave You here. II you viii not swim
| with ne to that rock ahead of US here l
! Will remain, and we will both perish"
NO, no! You must not die! cried
| Mr.. Gray. at would kill my child. l
| viii go 10 the rock with YOU"
I Thither they swan, reaching the rock
! in time TO escape the sharks.
why did you save me ?" cried the
I
| would have been able TO have my daugh-
ter. l told you you could make her your
vile when l was dead"
And for that reason do YOU suppose I
| would stand by and see you perish, and
| not do my best to save you? ?'' cried
! Robert, shocked.
There have been such cases." said
! the captain gloomiiy.
"Ay,' answered Robert. GITy own
father once was left to perish that way
"lour father" cried AIr. Gray, start
ing.
"Yes. Years ago he was n sealarin-
man-frst officer aboard the Sunlight. a
| merchant vessel. Tho captain AMI he
| 10th loved one OF the passengers. young
lady who was going 70 TIE Indies with
| her mol her. During gale one night N
| father fell overheard. lie clutchei q
| rope, and the captain, by merely sire ch-
| ing forth his hand, might have saved
| him. But he only stood and looked at
him, until sea washed my father from
| his b Id"
AZ our father Was he your father ?'
! cried Mr.. Gray wildly. "And your name
| Wadron? l knew he was a widower,
and had little son, but his name was
| then Livingston"
| Robert drew back in surprise.
a new light seemed to break upon his
mind.
81 am he who stool by and saw Iiy-
in-ston so down. continued Gray.
| es, ] am that wretch; AMI your re-
| scmUlance TO that drowned man has often
| startled md panied me. That was why
| 1 would not have you wed my daughter
while lived, as | would have then been
! doomed to sec your face at Umes-your
! face 50 Ike that OF the man I allowed to
! p r.sh, simply because l was Jealous of
| hln, and fancied that Adele, the fair
! 7. s'eng r We loved, favored him. But
| what means II ? As l repeat, ms name
WIS Livingston. He must, then. have
sailed under different name from his
| own"
40" said Robert. oils full name
| WAS Henry Livingston Waldron. 1t
| Ilrased him for long time to drop the
'Naldron' and 80 by his second name. !"
| We'll, then, continued MIR. GRAY,
] "you behold be ore you the wretch who
| allowed your father to perish Alter
! warts l learned from the young lady
| passenger won l married that she had
-ver lancied your father-had preferred
| me.
That terrible neglect OF mine 10 help
| your imperllled parent has haunted me
| ever since and made me miserable.
| After my wife's death | Stunned society,
! ami came TO this lonely island, broken
hearted man. Often do l seem to see
the face OF my lost shipmate in my
creams, and"
BE happy again, sir" interrupted
! Robert. "Hc still lives"
| Lives" almost screamed the old
captain. Prove that and l Will bless
| you lor ever 20
Il should have done SO before now
had | dreamed that you were the Captain
I Gray OF whom my father spoke when ne
told me his story. But l did not even
| know you had been a sailor. On the
| contrary, as you have a military look, L
supposed you had been an army cap
| tain"
As the two were now in sight of the
anchored vessel, Eohert hailed it, and a
| Loaf WAS mt 10 them.
They were taken aboard, where Cap
tain Grey was soon graspinsS me hand o
! his former shipmas-.
Can you lorsi, ne ?" said Gray.
"creely." g. swered Mr.. Waldron
eve were L ii very jealous OF eact
other and ] can guess how you felt al
though l would not have served you so
/ had a tough time OF it. lighting the SEA:
i'll the dark, as the ship left me, bu
fortunately | was finally carried TO rocl
| in the sea, oil the Ascension Islands
TIE natives at length saw me, took M
ashore, and treated me well until l wa
picked up by home-bound vessel.
| a. few years later / married and Wen
to Florida TO take possession OF an estat
there lett me. Finally resolved to tax
trip with my son to thc>~>andwicl
Islands, and was on my way there, wheI
the captain was obliged to come here 10
| repairs"
Thank God that you were saved
Although you forgive me, l can neve
forgive myself"