Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1872-03-09

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"Sir," said l, "this woman is
total stranger to me-"
"Ah, separate responsibilities
eh! The hold story. Now, looke'
here, ma'am, / amt a'goin' to searcf
} you. because I've been properly
brought up; but I'm a-goin' tC
shake you to see if you rattle"
Miss Fortescue made no verba,
reply, but pulled out a gigantic
clasp-knife.
"All right" said she. "Come on,
policeman" He hesitated.
Look, policeman, l tell you what
I do. l walk out of this. Good
night" And she did.
The policeman turned pale and
civil.
"Aint you goin' along with her,
sir ?" said he.
81 am not. Ipass the night here.
He retired, swearing Auently, and
locked the door on me.
1 could not sleep--but, at all
events, l was free at last from my
persecutrix. | Was 80 pleased that
l sang a merry song, and carved
my name on the wall with a rusty
nail, as other prisoners have done
before me. The next day l was
taken before 8 magistrate, who dis
missed the case at once, and re-
sumed my journey.
When l reached Glasgow, I found
that my ship was on the point of
sailing. My luggage had been
placed on board, and my half-cabin
was ready for me.
We had dreadful weather at sea /;
we were driven many hundred miles
out of our course; and for three
weeks after leaving Glasgow l was
terribly i'll, and did not leave my
cabin. believe I should not have
left my cabin at all l had not been
thrown bodily out Of by tremen-
dous conclusion one very stormy
night.
I rushed on deck and found every
thing in the widest confusion. A
fearful storm was raging, and the
ship had struck on a sunken rock.
There was absolutely no hope for
her, and it was impossible to launch
boat, even if it could have lived in
such a sea.
don't want to harrow anybody,
so l will content myself with ex-
planning that, amid the shrieks of
three hundred people, the vessel
foundered.
l always take the precaution,
when at sea. of wearing little In
dia-rubber apparatus around my
neck, which l initiate, and in that
condition it prevents my head from
going under. / inflated it hastily,
and found that it answered admira-
bly,. l was tossed about violently
for some hours, and when the gale
at length subsidized | was far out at
sea. No land was visible, and as /
rose and fell in the sulky, looping
sea, l felt that my hour was at hand.
l looked eagerly towards the hori-
zon on all sides in the vain hope OF
seeing distant sail, but saw none.
There was, however, one thing In
view-a dark, round thing floating
on the wave a mile or so from me.
l struck out for it, and was horri-
fed to find it was alive. Still l ap-
preached it, rejecting that death
| from q sea-monster was preferable
to death from starvation, and to my
amazement found that it was
making straight in my direction.
On approaching it. 1 was appalled,
to find that it resembled nothing SC
much as human head in q floating
plate; and coming within three OF
| four yards, | discovered that it was
the head of Miss Fortescue support
cd above water by a contrivance
similar in character to the appara-
tus l have already described.
should add that her great, fat body
and, no doubt, her legs, were still
connected with it.
"Not Miss Fortescue?" said |.
"Rummy old passenger, by gar,
said she. "What are you doing
here, sar "
al am not here by choice. l wai
wrecked in the Aurora Borealis."
"Me too, said she.
"Youl Were you on board tht
Aurora2"
"-Boreslis," added she. " Yes
me stewardess. How are your"
"I am very cold, and this CON
founded thing has given me a cricl
in the neck"
"SltuAtion damp. Try this, yOr
queer one"
1t was flask of brandy. She
held it to my lips until I had taker
com Portable draught.
1.-TWO shlllings," said she, hold
ing the bottle to tho light to see how
much l had taken.
"Here It'll
"Stewardess, a shiling-mak'
three"
determined to resist this extor
ton, for on that line of packets thu
stewards fee is included in the fare
l told her so.
"You mean old cuss!" said Mis-
Fortescue. "Give you nothing
, more" .....
1 tried to look dignified and in
different, but it was Of no use. Yo'
can't look dignifed when you ar
perpetually bObbing up and dow
, on a Topping sea, supported entire
. ly by an India-rubber bag rounC
your neck. Besides, I was yer.
! hungry, and she had large water
proof basket on her arm. So
gave her the shilling, which she bi
and pocketed.
"Now then," said she, "what's t.