Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-07-05

my passionate hope was that these repeated
waShings of tho waves would in time loosen
the ice about her keel, in which case it would
not need much of billow, shifting
her full bows fair, to slide her clean
down and off her bed, and so launch
her. There were many clouds in the
heavens, but the blue was very pure between.
The morning Frightening with the rising of
the sun, | directed an earnest gaze along the
horizon, but there was nothing to see but ice.
Some of the bergs, however, and more par
ticularly the distant one, stole out of the blue
atmosphere to the sunshine with so complete
a resemblance TO the lifting canvas of ships
that would catch myself staring fixedly, my
heart beating fast But there was no de
lection in these disappointments; the ecstasy
that filed me ON beholding the terrible island
the hideous frozen prison, whose crystal
bars had again and again believed were
never to be broken-now lying at distance
with its northern cape imperceptibly open
ing to our subtle movement was so violent
that could not have found my voice for the
tears in my heart.
This, then, was the result of my scheme it
was no failure, as Tassard had said; as he
owed his life to me, so now did he owe me
his liberty. Nay, my transports were so
great that would not suffer myself to feel
an instant's anxiety touching the condition
of the schooner mean whether she would
leak or prove sound when she hoated-and
how we two men were tomanage to navigate
SO large a craft, that was still as much SPELL
bound aloft i'll her frozen canvas and tackle
as ever she had been in the sepulcher in which
/ discovered her
went below, and put the provisions we
needed for breakfast into the oven, and
entered Tassard's cabin On bringing tho
lantern to his face as he lay under half
score of coats upon the deck, perceived that
he was awake, and my heart being full I
cried out cheerily, Good news! good news,
the gunpowder did its work. Tho ice is
ruptured, and we are afloat, Mr.. TasSard-
afioat, and progressing northl'
He looked at me vacantly, and giving his
head shake, exclaimed Glow can crawl
from this mound? My strength is gone"
If was amazed that the joyful intelligence
had delivered produced no other response
than this querulous inquiry, was far more
astonished by the sound of his voice. 1t was
the most cracked and venerable pipe that
ever tickled the throat of old age-a min
Cling of wailing falsettos and of hollow. gasp
ing growls, the whole very weak | threw
the clothes off him, and said, sDo You wish
to rise! l will bring you your breakfast here
if you wish"
He looked at me, but made no answer. |
bawled again, and observed, by the dim Ian
tern light, that he watched my lips with an
air of attention; and while waited for s
reply he said, II don't hear YOU"
Anxious to ascertain to what extent his
hearing was impaired, kneeled on the deck,
and, putting my lips to his ear, said, not very
loud, "Will you come TO the cook house9n
which he did not hear; and then louder,
"Will you come to the cook houseI' which he
did not hear either. | believed him stone deaf
TILL on roaring with all the power of NV
lungs, he answered, ''Yesn
l took him by the hands and hauled him
gently on to his feet, and had to continue
holding him, or he must have fallen. Time
was beginning with him when he had gone to
bed, and the remorseless old soldier had com
pletely finished his work while his victim
slept. | viewed the Frenchman while
grasped his hands, and there stood before me
a shrunk, lettering, deaf, bowed, feeble old
man. What was yesterday polished head
was now shriveled pate-as though the
very skull had shrunk and left the skin to rip
pie into wrinkles, and sit loose and puckered.
His hands trembled excessively. But his
lower jaw was held in its place by his teeth:
and this perpetuated in the aged, dwindled
countenance something of the likeness of the
fierce and sinister visage that had confronted
ME yesterday. | was thunderstruck by the
alteration, and stood overwhelmed with awe.
confusion and alarm. Then, re-coIlecting my
spirits, supported the miserable relic to the
fire, putting his bench to the dresser, that he
might have back to lean against
He could scarce feed himself-indeed, he
could hardly hold his chin off his breast He
had gone to bed man, as / might take it,
of SO, and during the night the angel Of Time
had visited him, and there he sat 103 years of
age!
He looked it, Ha, thought 1, was dread
ing your treachery yesterday; there is moth
ing more to fear. Besides that he was nearly
stone deaf, he could hardly see; and was
sure, if he should be able to move at all, he
could not stir a leg without the help of sticks.
| was going to roar out to him that we were
adrift, but he looked SO imbecile that /
thought-to what purpose. If there be aught
of memory i'll him, let him sit and chew the
cud thereof He cannot last long-the cold
must soon stop his heart And with that |
went on eating my breakfast in silence. but
greatly affected by this astonishing mark of
the hand of Providence, and under a very
heavy and constant sense of awe; for the like
of such a transformation am sure had never
before encountered mortal eyes, and it was
terrifying to be alone with it.