The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1871-07-01
A Magdalen's Death--Thrilling Scene on
Fail River Steamboat.
From the Capital, Dom Piatt's paper

From the Capital, Dom Piatt's paper.
F'isk's is the Fall River line, is it
not 20
Eyes. And the way he tries to beat
everybody else and make his the only
line to Boston Is astonishing Why,
I'll tell you something about Fisk
One day, Just as we were starting from
New York, trim little girl stepped
aboard and took stateroom, saying
she was going through to Boston She
wasn't dressed loud, but mighty neat
and rich, wearing a Turkish hat, velvet
sack trimmed with lace, dress with a
lot of scallops and trimming around it,
and about the most bewildering foot l
ever saw on human. She was pretty,
sassy, and called me old father at sup
pei, and carried on in way that soon
showed what she was, though she de-
ceived me at first with her baby face
and girlish manners.
"She was standing on deck about 7
o'clock, after having Mortified the ladies
and amused the gentlemen by her roll
licking manner, and became quiet for a
few minutes, while she looked far out
at sea, she turned round to the captain,
and, putting up her small white hands
and taking him by his whiskers ON each
side of his fece, she looked up to him
and says she, very solemnly, did you
ever want to die, Captain 2 Well, no,
says he, Il don't think l ever did
And if you did, says she, what would
you do2'
"'Well, in that case, said the Cap.
tain, loosing her hands and turning
away, I think, as l have plenty of OPP
portunity, should jump into the sound
and drown myself
"The word was hardly out of his
mouth before she turned round like {
flash, and putting one hand on the rail
! ing, leaped overload. She was gone
before person could stir to catch her
and terrible scream arose from the
passengers who saw 1T. [ was standing
aft when | heard the shouts, and look
ed out and saw her come to the surface
She had taken off her hat, and hel
splendid brown hair, which she wore
loose down her back, foated in mass
on the water. | fancied she looked
straight at me with her childish face as
she came up, and there was nothing
wild or struggling about her, but she
| seemed to smile in the same jaulnty way
that she did when she was plaguine
me half an hour before In another
moment she was swept rapidly
astern and disappeared. We put about
and lowered the boats, but we never
| found her. 1t is strange how the
women, who had been so shocked at
| her conduct before, now pitied and
even wept for the little girl when they
found what load there must have been
in the foolish baby's heart while she
was laughing the loudest. She had left
a small reticule in the cabin, and wher
we opened 1t we found some verses
written III little cramped hand on 6
folded sheet Of note paper They raj
about this way, and were headed:
/ MAGDALEN's DEATH.
l can no longer endure this pollutine,
This fostering breath;
/ Gladly fly TO the refuge that's left me,
! Merciful death
Not sadly tearfully,
But gladly, cheerfully,
Go to my death.
PIiestsnay refuse to grant sanctifed burial
There unto me.
! Father thank the a blessing is always held
Over the sea.
Ave, III the widest foam.
! Aye, in its thickest gloom,
Blessed is the sea.
Welcome, sea with thy breaking and dashing
That never shall cease:
Down in thy angriest st0rmiest waters
Oh, hide me In peace.
/ Say to the weary face,
| Come TO thy resting place.
| sSitIi1her il peace