The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1896-05-15

quented. The anger
'of the storm-king still manifested itself
In the hoarse bay of the surf, while the
moaning of the wind, yet lashsng the
water to white caps of foam, echoed
fitfully along the shore and sea; but
the fury of the elemental strife had
passed, for where huge masses OF sullen
clouds were trooping away, showed in
the west broad line of smiling blue.
AS the despairing wretch greets the
hand that sets him firm upon the PIN
nacle Of joy-as the parched and fail
ing desert traveller haias the music or
the fountains dash-as dying creatures
seize at life-so was the sight of that
patch Of fair sky-that island green and
fresh as Hope-welcomed with trans
port by the ship-wrccRed remnant OF
staunch and gallant company, who but
a few hours before had walked in fear
less security on the deck Of what was
now dismasted, broken wreck, plung-
ing, tossing, sinkimg-inot safe for the
nest of q sea-ggli
OF a freight OF forty souls four hu-
had been drifting 10 and fro clinging
to the caboose, which had been washed
from the deck, and fortunately pre-
served from dashing upon the long
sunken coral reef that extended from
the island q league cor more.
Courage, sir; didn'tI tell you, never
say die? reckon by this time old Nep
hoo =; A1NI 7
make a whole rig cout of that ere blue
patch, and tive sights as sartin here in
these heather parts as il England-God
bless her! That fair weather's close
alongside; the winds going down, and
the currents asserting us toward inc
shore as softly as a cat drops her kit
ten. ] wish for these poor little cretGrs'
sake it would hurry itself little,
though to be sure I'm not above COM
Portable On my own account. / like
salt water, but amt anxious to soak in
it-tnats q fact. But avast there! I'm
not giving to looking on the black side
of things-nary grumbler could even
call good shipmate. It's hard to think,
of all our poor ffeHers gone to Davy
Jones'g locker-but the Lord must have
known it, and Tom Harris amt a-gOing
to question Providence just yeti! And
the honest, rough cold tar shook his
head 10 dash off the tears that mingled
with the briny wave that plunged over
their frail retreat.
A sigh came from the individual he
addressed-0f whose personal appear
ance just then lit would be unfair to
judge--with the water trickling down
his sharp pallid features, which wore a
look of haggard suffering and exhaus
ton. He changed his position little
to rest the arm that held firmly upon
the wreck boy of nine or ten years,
by whose side lay little girl not more
than six years of age, fainting ond
quite worn out with fright and ex-
posure. her head dropping forlornly
against the brawny shoulder OF the
kindhearted sailor.
81 hope your brave spirits will mold
out, my noble feltow; as for myself, !
confess am growing hopeless. Is there
no way to increase our speed or guide
this ark OF our sa6ety?'
Tom was net SO used up but he could
laugh.
IF We had oars and lrow-locks both
fixed up on poor old Sambo's palace.
reckon our arms are pretty well used
up, sir, and these little things must be
held on. We might as we'll keep cool
and let the work be done for us. Beg
cars mustn't be choosers!"
This philosophical reasoning was
presently lucidly explained and en-
emplified. In it's own go0tl time the
tide brought them to shallow water.
With CHEEKY halo Tom sprang down
from his perch, and, wading along,
soon drew the little caboose high and
dry on the beach.
Look a-here now, sir" said he, "see
how much better this ere was done for
IFS than we could ha' done for our
selves. Don't you see this ere is the
only smooth place to land? The tide
was mighty sure pilot. Now Let me
eee what's to be DONE"
The children were too much exhaust
ed to complain, save by an occasional
sigh or groan. The little girl, indeed,
VAS nearly insensible and Tom, Civ
ing no thought to his stiff and aching
limbs, went cheerily to work. He car
ried his little charge to soft spot OF
green farther in shore, and then be-
gan looking around anxiously for traces
of fresh water; his sharp eye was not
long in spying out understanding
urn-lilte plant among the luxurious
vegetation that crept almost to the pcb-
bles of the beach.
Water ain't very far off," muttered
he, "for this ere dumb mouth tells me
SO; and howsomever human cretrrs set
a bad example, never knew one o.
Natur's sign-boards to lie."
So he went stumbling and Keeling
about something in the zig-zag course
Of drunken man. for his swollen feet
were very painful; but he kept the same
genial smile, which. like q sunbeam.
Frightened rough and uncomely