The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-09-01

1nentS Oh Wreck ana the stain OF earth
torn from It's i.arent shore; ruin and de-
struction and nothing that was fair to
look upon
Far out to sea woman, with child
i'll her arms, floated alone in small
open boat. Alone they had been saved
from u wrecked and sunken ship-sayed
from drowning, rs it seemed, but to die
of hunger, and for hours they had tossed
helpless at tho mercy of the waves.
Many ship had como near them, but
tho woman's cries were not heard i'll
tho bowling of the tempest, and be-
meath the darkened sky the Tutoring
rag she waved was lost III the spray
which envcloped her. So the ships went
on. The woman's voice grow faint, and
despair was in her heart LET death
but come quickly" she cried, land but
for my child it would be wolcomc-but
for my child and for his father await
ing him at home. | have cried. l have
prayed i'll vain. No help is left i'll earth
or i'll heaven"
But the littlo ray wandered OH toward
her over the sea, and the woman, lift
ing her heavy lids, saw the coming
glimmer Oh tho water. Her breath came
quicker, her pale lips trembled, her
glance followed swiftly up to the patch
of blue sky above while over her death
like face and i'll her dullcd eyes there
broke light such as the ray had never
seen before At tho sight of it now he
flashed back up'to the heavens beyond
the clouds Come" he cried to his
comrades, "come and sec, for there is
something fairer than aught that has
been before, fairor than tho sunlit sea
or than the laughter OH children's lips. -
His comrades fiocked to his call and
poured down through tho crevice in the
clouds, widening it as they went Then
they stretched themselves, broad path
of light, from the sky above to tho lone
~ boat, which they bathed in their soft
radiance.
Across the storm driven sea, cleaving
the waves asunder with stately motion,
great ship came. The eyes of those
on board her. wearied with gloom, turn
ed gladly to that bright spot on sky
and sea, and turning saw the boat, saw
the white face of the woman and her
waving signal. So the ship altered her
course, and soon the mother and her
pbhtti otOON ShlO QDOil OIlO llSGhS.
Evening drew near. Tho tempest had
fled now, and thus left alone the tired,
gray waves, their strength failing and
their fury spent, were heaving in sullen
impotence to rest. The clouds, falling
away from the sky; gathered themselves
i'll soft, changing masses of vapor
around the edge of the sea. The sun,
sinking lower and lower, called to the
rays to come. Sadly they heard tho call
They babe farewell to their beloved
earth in passion of fervid color. Upon
wave and cliff, mountain and cloud,
they rained their glowing kisses, and
earth's beauty quivered into new glory,
as does maiden's i'll her lovers EN-
brace. Then they drew together, a road
Of golden splendor on tho sea rs they
crowded westward after their depart
ing king. With slow, majestic motion
he sank to rest.
But the little ray hung back He had
found the cloud who had stood his
friend that morning, and he waited to
give her goodby He was filling her
now with his own golden glory of light
as he whispered to her of all the beauty
which was i'll the world. Alas, she
would stay with it still in the wonder
of the night, the great dark peace which
he never might know. He thanked her
too, i'll loving words and kisses till she
blushed red with pleasure, and then
with tender, slow reluctance he drew
away from her. AS ne went tho flush
faded, passing in gentle change through
every Shade Of russell and purple till the
cloud was left alone, resting soft and
gray OH her twilight couch. -----,;;-.~.
But the little ray was thinking of the
light Of hope which he had seen in the
woman's eyes that day "Ah," said he
to himself, "if l could only shine like
that!' And with this wish in him he
fingered still i'll the sky beneath, color
ing 1t a green so pure and so tender that
to the woman Watching from the ships
deck it seemed as if heaven S own sprinp
We're bursting into blossom in her sight.
But the light lessened, and the color
1aded, and she remembered that it was
but sun tinted vapor after all. She sigh
cd, but the sigh left her lips in smile,
for the child laughing stretched his
hands to her face. Lovingly she pressed
him closer to her and drew her shawl
more warmly round him. Good night,
little one, she whispered "You must
sleep now, for the day is ended. To-
morrow, when the light comes back,
you shall wake again." Then sho bent
her head down toward his face and min
gied her smiles with his in IL long, soft
kiss
That was the last thing which the
little ray saw before he, too, followed
the sun to st.--Pall Mall Magazine.