-
Articles/Ads
Article THE FISHERMAN. ← Page 2 of 3 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Fisherman.
daughters , who stood weeping beside her , " pray that ye be not left fatherless . " From the hillock , that overlooked the ocean , ascended the united prayers of the unhappy famil y for the absent and beloved . The fisherman , the object of their hopes and fears , had been very successful during the night ; when at daybreak , preparing to return home , he remembered his promise to bring with him some sea-weed to manure
the potato-plot behind his cottage . He was then close to the rocks , which were only discernible at low water ; he pulled for them , jumped on shore , fastened the painter of his boat to a jutting part of the cliff , and took his boat-hook with him . He had collected a sufficient quantity of the weed , but in his eagerness to obtain it had wandered from the landing-place , when he heard his boy loudly exclaiming that the painter was loose .
He rushed instantly towards the boat , then several yards off ; the boy was vainly endeavouring to use both the oars , and Neptune , the faithful dog , was running backwards and forwards , and howling fearfully , as if conscious of his master ' s danger , at one moment about to plunge into the waves to join him , and the next licking the face and hands of the child , as if he foresaw that for him his protection would be most needed . The fisherman perceived at once the desperate nature of his situation . The tide he knew was coming in rapidly ; and his hope of escape was at
an end when he perceived the boy in his effort to use the oars had let one of them fall overboard . " Father ! father ! what shall I do ? " exclaimed the poor lad . The boat was at this moment drifting at such a distance , that the distracted parent could scarcely hear the words , but he called out to him as loudly as he could , " Trust in God , my sou , the Father of the fatherless . " He then stood resigned to his fate , and watched the drifting boat that
bore the boy from the fatal rocks ; he had offered up a brief prayer from his inmost heart to the throne of mercy , when in an instant a light broke in upon his mind . " Merciful heaven ! " he exclaimed , " I may yet be saved . " With the energy of hope , battling with despair , he collected all the stones around him , and heaped them rapidly upon the highest ledge of the rock ; it was wonderful how he could have collected so many in so short a time , but hope gave strength to his arm ; he was combatting not for life merely , but for those who were dearer to him than life .
The tide came on and on , and soon obliged him to abandon his work ; he then mounted the pile he had heaped , planted his boat-hook between the crevices of the stones , and prepared to struggle for existence . On and on came the hungry waters , his shoulders were gradually covered , hope died within him ; he thought no longer of himself , but of those whom his death would leave desolate . Still the tide advanced , and he was forced to raise his head to keep as long as possible from death . His reason was almost gone , his breath grew feeble , his limbs chill , he panted ,
and his prayers almost became gurgling murmurs ; the blood rushed to his head , and his eyeballs burned in their sockets , he closed them with an effort , and thought for the last time on the home that would soon be wretched .
Horrible images were before him , each swell of the waves seemed as if fiends were forcing him downwards ; he was gasping , choking—when , merciful powers ! just as the cold shudder of death came on , he felt that the tide rose no more ; his eyes opened , and a wild laugh troubled the waters , they eddied in his throat , and the bubbles floated round his lips ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Fisherman.
daughters , who stood weeping beside her , " pray that ye be not left fatherless . " From the hillock , that overlooked the ocean , ascended the united prayers of the unhappy famil y for the absent and beloved . The fisherman , the object of their hopes and fears , had been very successful during the night ; when at daybreak , preparing to return home , he remembered his promise to bring with him some sea-weed to manure
the potato-plot behind his cottage . He was then close to the rocks , which were only discernible at low water ; he pulled for them , jumped on shore , fastened the painter of his boat to a jutting part of the cliff , and took his boat-hook with him . He had collected a sufficient quantity of the weed , but in his eagerness to obtain it had wandered from the landing-place , when he heard his boy loudly exclaiming that the painter was loose .
He rushed instantly towards the boat , then several yards off ; the boy was vainly endeavouring to use both the oars , and Neptune , the faithful dog , was running backwards and forwards , and howling fearfully , as if conscious of his master ' s danger , at one moment about to plunge into the waves to join him , and the next licking the face and hands of the child , as if he foresaw that for him his protection would be most needed . The fisherman perceived at once the desperate nature of his situation . The tide he knew was coming in rapidly ; and his hope of escape was at
an end when he perceived the boy in his effort to use the oars had let one of them fall overboard . " Father ! father ! what shall I do ? " exclaimed the poor lad . The boat was at this moment drifting at such a distance , that the distracted parent could scarcely hear the words , but he called out to him as loudly as he could , " Trust in God , my sou , the Father of the fatherless . " He then stood resigned to his fate , and watched the drifting boat that
bore the boy from the fatal rocks ; he had offered up a brief prayer from his inmost heart to the throne of mercy , when in an instant a light broke in upon his mind . " Merciful heaven ! " he exclaimed , " I may yet be saved . " With the energy of hope , battling with despair , he collected all the stones around him , and heaped them rapidly upon the highest ledge of the rock ; it was wonderful how he could have collected so many in so short a time , but hope gave strength to his arm ; he was combatting not for life merely , but for those who were dearer to him than life .
The tide came on and on , and soon obliged him to abandon his work ; he then mounted the pile he had heaped , planted his boat-hook between the crevices of the stones , and prepared to struggle for existence . On and on came the hungry waters , his shoulders were gradually covered , hope died within him ; he thought no longer of himself , but of those whom his death would leave desolate . Still the tide advanced , and he was forced to raise his head to keep as long as possible from death . His reason was almost gone , his breath grew feeble , his limbs chill , he panted ,
and his prayers almost became gurgling murmurs ; the blood rushed to his head , and his eyeballs burned in their sockets , he closed them with an effort , and thought for the last time on the home that would soon be wretched .
Horrible images were before him , each swell of the waves seemed as if fiends were forcing him downwards ; he was gasping , choking—when , merciful powers ! just as the cold shudder of death came on , he felt that the tide rose no more ; his eyes opened , and a wild laugh troubled the waters , they eddied in his throat , and the bubbles floated round his lips ,