Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1895-05-10

not be manned IN a tempest Ike
THIS"
"Bat we have life-saving
station and crew now, father" !
cried, but then,a shudder of f. T
ran through my heart when |
remembered that my lover was the
captain of that crew, and might
have to 20 out in such a storm as
this. My father and mother
thought also of Ralph, ana for
awhile we were silent.
narb! Wuat was thar The
alarm from the boathOuse. Was
there a fishing boat with life in
danger, or why was the watchman
calling for the crew? The alarm
bell rang on.
alt must he the wind that Is
ringing he bell, my dear mother
said 'Our tcys could not go out
! in a terrible storm like this"
"Oh, tather,' cried, "let us 60
there and see, for Rlph | know
will be there"
Nv father comman led me TO b.
calm, and said: alt would do 70
good for MS 10 90 out in the storm
even If Rilph and the crew were
OUT
Again the alarm bell sounded,
AMI ! criei ont IN despair;
Father | must and | shall g :"
l rushed to my room and dress
Ell, and going downstairs | en-
tered my father to hurry. AS e
opened orr house door the wind
blew in and extlnguiShed the light
of nv mothers candIe,as she stood
near The door and btggel us not
to 60.
Almost every moment the thur.
derwou d peal AMI the lightning
would fash and light mp The vii
lage and coast for miles, and The
ram poured down IN torrents. Il
was fealfil struggle, bat cling
rngclosely together We at last reach
ed the boat house.
There was the old Waterman
ard two or three members OF the
crew, bat where wore the captain
and the others?
Over the water came the faint
cries Of two fishermen. whose boat
had been shattered upon the rock,
to which they were cllnglng, and
the shOntS Of the brave boys could
be heard, who had gone out in a
small boat to save them.
Oh, why had they attempted
such a dangerous thing in this
awful storms? Would they sue
ceed!
NV father and | fell on our knee
al d prayed to God to guide that
boat and bring them safely back,
but the sea was too angry that
night and the wind and the waves
too high and soon the cries of the
perishins fishermen were pushed
forever by The roar of the angry
waters.
There on the shores we waited
and prayed, while the waves dash
ed furiously on the rocky beach
The minutes seemed IKE days t.
us, until almost half an hour had
lpassed away, while we watched
there and prayed, but our coy'
did not return from their erlanl o
mercy.
At last there was mOmentAry
lull in the storm, and went nearel
to the water and peered out over
the angry sea.
A Hasn Of lightning revealed tr
MS for a moment the beautiful new
boat tossing empty on the foam
and sank upon the sand an
conscious.
When I came 10 mvsely the SUI
was shining brightly and | was II
nv own room at home. My father
mother aud many of nv friend
we're with me, but they could no
comfort me, for | knew that m
lover had perished.
All! that was sixty years age
and have lived to bury all m
friends, and all things have chang
ell since then, and | AIN an old, oil
woman now.
People wonder why I do not sc
. this old house, for it does not con
! pare with the modern architectur
;. of the palatial BONES that are nov
! upon the street. They wOnde
Il TOO, why love to SIT and listen t
II the old chimes in the old churc
{: tower. When hear rumOrs til
i the people of Belmont sre going
D tear down the old church an
Is build fashionable new house {
worship l grow pale to think tha
q | may yet have to endure life will