out of sight
of home, a sudden squall came up, which deepened into a tempest as the
day wore on.

With anxious heart and tearful eyes poor Fanny watched through the
gloomy sunset, for his coming,--half longing, half fearing to see his
frail vessel driven toward the land on such an angry sea.

But the day and night passed, and he did not come. The next four or
five days were dark and stormy; there were several wrecks upon the
coast, and Brian was given up for lost by all but his wife. She still
kept up a good heart and would not despair.

At last the storm ceased, the sea grew smooth, the skies smiled, and
all looked cheerful again, save where along the wild shore fragments of
wrecks came drifting in, and the people were burying the drowned.

At the close of a beautiful day, a week from the time that Brian
O'Neill left his home, his wife sat in front of the cottage, with her
baby asleep upon her lap. Her brave heart was failing her now; she
grew tired of her sad, vain gazing out toward the west, and bowing her
head on her hands, wept till the tears trickled through her fingers and
dropped on the sleeping face before her.

So she sat a long time, weeping and praying, and calling her babe a
"poor fatherless boy," when suddenly, the child smiled out of sleep and
started up, calling "Papa!" Fanny sprung to her feet, almost hoping
that her Brian was by her side. No, he was not there; but, oh, joy! a
little way out to sea, between her and the sunset glory, came a dear
familiar object--her aquatic namesake--_the boat_! Swiftly it came
o'er the bright waters, joyfully dancing toward its home! Soon a
beloved form was seen waving a shining sailor's hat; soon a beloved
voice was heard calling her name, and soon, though it seemed an age to
her, Brian O'Neill, with his oars and nets over his shoulder, as though
he had only been absent for a day's fishing, sprang up the steps before
the cottage and clasped his wife and child to his honest heart! Fanny
laughed and wept and thanked God, the baby crowed and pulled his
father's whiskers, and all were happier than I can tell.

In the evening, when his parents and the neighbors were in, to rejoice
over his return, Brian told the story of his adventures.

When that dreadful storm came up, he would have been lost, had he not
been near a large vessel which took up both him and his boat. This
ship was bound to a northern Irish port, and as the storm continued, he
was obliged t