Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-04-17

~ through her ffamA It was only at IN
tervals, however. that water fell upon tho
decks, for the Ice broke the beat Of the mod
Grating surge, and forced IL to expcnd its
weight In spuinc, which there was mot
strsngth Of wind enough TO raise and heavc.
my passionate hope was that these repeated
washings Of the waves would in time loosen
the ice about her keel, In which case IL would
not need much Of . billow, smiting
her full bows fair, to slide her clean
down and of her bed, and 20 launch
her. Thero were many clouds In the
heavens but the blue was very pure between.
The morning brightcnine with the rising OF
tho sun, ! directed An earnest gaze along the
horizon, but thers was nothing to 20 but lea
Homs Of ths bsrgA however, and more par
ticularly the distant one, stole out Of the blue
atmosphere 70 the sunshine with 10 complete
resemblance to the lifting canvas Of ships
that would catch myself staring hxedly, my
heart beating fast But there was no de-
lection In these disappointmcnts; the ecstasy
that dllsd me on bsholding tho terrible island
s-ths hidsous frossn prison, whose crystal
bars I had again and again believed were
never to b broken-now lying at . distance
with its northern caps imperceptibly OPEN
ing to our subtle movement, was 30 violent
that could not havs found my voice for tho
tears In my heart.
This, then, was the result Of my scheme; It
was no failure, a. Tassard had said; as he
owed his life to me, % now did he owe mo
his liberty. Nay, my transports were 50
great that would not suffer myself 10 feel
an instAnts anxiety touching the condition
Of the schooner mean whether she would
leak or prove sound when she foated-and
how we two men were to manage to navigate
L. hat
bQpnd aloft In her frozen canvas and tackle
d ever she had been in the sepulcher In which
discovered her.
went below, and put tho 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 Q
score Of coats upon the deck, perceived that
he was awake, and my heart being full I
cried out cheerily, "Good newsi good newsi
tho gunpowder did its work. The Ice Is
ruptured, and we are aaoat, Mr.. Tassard--
anoat, and progressing northl"
He looked at me vacantly, and giving his
head shake, exclaimed, "How can crawl
from this moundi My strength Is gonen
II was amazed that the joyful intelligence
had delivered produced no other response
than this querulous inquiry, was far more
astonisled by the SOUND q hh;;s voice, It was
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, "Do you wish
to risel will bring you your breakfast here
II you wish"
lie looked ut me, but made no answer.
bawled again, and observed by the dim lam
tern light, that he watched my lips with an
dir of attention; and while waited for q
reply he said, ~ don't hear you"
Anxious to ascertain to what extent his
hearing was impaired, l kneeled ON the deck.
and, putting my lips to his ear, said, not very
loud, win You come to the cook houseT'
which lie did not hear; and then louder.
"Will you come to the cook houser' which he
did not hear either believed him stone deaf
till, on roaring with all the power Of my
lungs, he answered, "Yes."
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 I
grasped his hands, and there stood before me
a shrunk, tottering, deaf, bowed, feeble old
man. What was yesterday polished head
was now a 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, dwiudled
countenance something Of the Likeness of the
fierce and sinister visage that had confronted
me yesterday. was thunderstruck by tho
alteration, and stood overwhelmed with awe.
confusion and alarm. Then, re-collecting my
spirits supported the miserable relic to tho
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 of his breast. He
had gone to bed man, as might take it.
of So, and during tho night the angel Of Time
had visited him. and there he sat los years of
age!
He looked 1t. Ha, thought I, was dread,
Ing your trcachery yesterday; there is moth
ing more to fear. Besides that he was nearly
stone deaf, he could hardly see; and I was
sure, II LIE should Le able to move at oil. ho
could not stir leg without the help Of sticks.
was going to roar out to him that VIC were
adrift, but he looked so imbecile that I
thought-to what purposei II there be aught
Of memory In him, let him sit and chew tho
cud thereof. He cannot last long-ths 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 very
heavy and constant sense Of awe; for the like
Of such transformation am sure had mover
before encountered mortal eyes, and 1t was
terrifying to be alone with it.
e.. 10 m oouTIuuuD1