Wilmington daily commercial., 1872-06-01

The chilly August mist had thickened into
fog, and the shore gradually vanished un-
der the veil.
Kate left her post and hid her face on my
shoulder.
40 auntie! we are lost, she murmured.
The others stepped down and hung the
lanterns on tho hooks.
Its of no use, said Frank Ronalds, "the
fog has finished us.
Nathan knelt by PEARLS side.
''Come 10 me, poor child, he said, with
infinite pathos In his voice, and, raising the
girl In his arms, he bore her 10 the cushioned
seat.
But, screaming with mingled rage and ter
ror, she wrenched hei selfan ay and fell down
upon the floor again.
II shall be drowned | shall be carried
over tue falls !" was her piercing cry, min
ged with tears and sobs that wrung the heart
of her lover worse than the death hanging
over him.
Mary Rathbone bent over her with bottle
of salts.
'.Pearl, Pearl do he calm! Take these
salts there is still hope for us all, d" she said,
earnestly.
"Go away, go away all of YOU" walled
the voice. II shall be drowned, | shall be
drowned !"
Mary Rathbone turned away and seated
herself by my side we drifted on in silence,
and 1t seemed 10 us as If the boat was gaining
in speed.
Nathan Day finally succeeded in drawing
PEARLS head to his shoulder, and, as he lis
tened to her continued cries and lamenta
tions his face looked old and worn in the
faint moonlight.
Presently air Vanderheyden came toward
us from the back part of the boat
"Aha good people, why so quiet ?" he
said, tn boisterous laugh Lets have a
song or dance-come, Rosy and he seized
his wife's hand.
She shook him off as though he had been
q reptile.
Kate lifted her face.
SIS he mad ?" she asked, Indignantly.
"lIe is drunk, said the wife, cOldly; she
is generally drunk in the evening"
Il say, Rosy, let's have waltz" contin-
ued the husband
'Leave me, wretch !" said his wife, fling
| ing him away with all her strength.
''Cross, Ell? Going to bite, eh? Haven't
/ got any thing TO throw at me, have you p
snarled Oscar Vanderheyden, sinking into a
seat "a nice vixen you are, my lady, but
| I'll tame you yet" and the Intoxicated man
began TO troll out fragments of r0llcking
drinking-song.
81 say, Forsythe, what's the matter with
you?" we heard Frank Ronalds say at a little
distance.
''Oh, there he is! I've been wondering
where he could be- Working at the engine,
| suppose-hoping against hope, said Kate,
/ rising and going toward the voices.
| | followed her. 1t had grown dark, as the
mist and clouds obscured the moon.
"What is that p said, as l stumbled over
a PROSTATE form; sis the man dead ?"
''Only dead drunk, answered Frank Ron
aids, coming TO meet us. at is the assistant
engineers he and Vanderheyden are about
alike, only this fellow got hold of the liquor
first"
Leaning against the side of the boat, with
his head buried in his arms, we found
Aleyne Forsythe.
20 Kate, is It you ?" he cried, ,incoherently
isn't it terrible? Isn't it frightful? And
there is no hope" He trem5led yisibly, and
his face was ashy pale
''COmc, be man, Forsythe," said Frank
Ronalds, shaking him vigorously by the arm.
at is pure nervouf excitement, interposed
Kate 'his high-strung nature is more i'm
pressionable than ours. He breads the dan
ger not for himself, but for us all, for--fol
me-"
THAT is it. For yOu," murmured AlleynC
family.
Il knew il, said Kate. ''Come, Aleyne,
come back with me. Let us at least be to
gether."
THAT is it. Together" echoed the trem
bling man"
At this moment the cries of Pearl Brande.
gee seemed TO increase in violence ave
shall be carried over the falls!" she shrieked
over and over again.
30, Kate, cannot stand e." groaned AL
leyne Forsythe, as these words reached his
ear. 80 Kate, what shall we do? Is there
no hope?' and the tears ran down his pale
cheeks
Kate gave him her arm, and together they
went forward to the cushioned seats.
"a regular coward !" muttered Frank
contemptuously, as we followed them.
Some time passed, and the mist began {,
rise little. l sat listening to the sObs o
Pearl Brandegee, the groans of Alleyne For
sythe, and the erratic music of Oscar Van
derheyden-a strange medley, broken onll
by Kate's endeavors to calm the agitation o
, her companion, and Nathan Days words o
! comfort to the hysterical girl he held so ten
derly. Mary RathbOne and Mrs. Vanderhey
den sat silently in the shadow, and Franl
: Ronalds had mounted the bow, and, with tn
sanguine hope of youth, eagerly watched tn
rising fog.
! II say, you people, how dull you are
/ There's plenty of champagne on board, let
all take drink, " drawled Mr.. Vanderheyder
trolling out something about ''and dies
I jolly fellow"
1T a0Ould be comfort" murmured AL
l leyne.
That's right. Let's go right away noN
;. and take n good big drink, AL. If we've go
n to go over the falls, let's have Jolly time O
it," said Mr.. Vanderheyden, rising unsteaC
u lily.
Alleyne made a motion as if to folio,
him.
"You are not going with that drunke
is BRUTE" cried Kate.
'But, Kate, it would be such a comfort
n if I've got to die, I'd rather not know it
e can't stand things as you do; my nerves al
% giving way-I was never strong, from
st child-feel my hand, how it trembles!' sal
Ie the young man, in piteous tones.
ne But Kate flung the hand away. 'Dare yo
N deliberately intoXicate yourself at such
e time Alleyne Forsythe? Dare you leave n
re for that brute 2"
a. Come on, old boy!' shouted Vanderhe,
Il den, from the stern "heres whiskey, too
And Alleyne went.
m Nathan was absorbed in Pearl, but "
S. could hear the clash of breaking bottles an
Mt the increasing noise from the stern.
I'd "This is dreadful" said Mary RathbonI
h ''that wine must go overboard-Mr Day
I'd Mr. Ronalds, something must be DONE. 81
spoke so earnestly that the two followed h
I'd advice, and, going to the stern, succeeded