Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1874-06-18
AUSTIN, MOWER COUNTY, MINNESOTA THURSDAY,

coast people, without word:-lowere,l
tho sails, nnsl,ippcl The mnsts.
"N"w we're all in" snid Capt. Job,
the w,recking master. Is the last was
EVAN bort weren't at tho Banks, to-
day."
"But hos ut Shark River, with
jane, some ono slid.
Nobody spoke: tho men looked at
each other, then ont to the sea, and
glancing ut Conny, drew apart, and
whispered.
IFS tho Gull in danger, sirq" She
pulled Capt. Jobs sleeve. He did not
look down ut her.
tDangcr? nonsense. You ought to
be in bed, child. Go to the house, and
take Dan. Go ut once, I tell YOU
Conny did not go. She saw a sail,
close reefed, out in the gray distance,
like the flicker of u birds wing.
''There's father, now, " she cried.
At that moment there was sharp
cracking in the air. The yellow light
was gone. Tho sen rushed in as il
driven by terror.
cts come,. men. It's oomo," cried
Capt. Job.
COMFY had heard of wind-squall
which, fifty years ago, had strewn the
shore with wrecks. She cluug to Nh
old spar, in the sudden darkness and
the spray and sand that drove over
her, cutting her hands and face.
cts .wind-squall; but it can't hurt
mother it can't hurt mother" she
| cried.
When the darkness passed with the
heavy cloud, she climbed up to the lit.
tic headlanG, and sheltering her eyes
with one hand, looked steadily out to
sea.
The fishermen were near the cove,
watching her, and whispering together.
One of them went to the village and
brought down two or three women.
Nanty Hnpbrrn, who was friend of
Jane Van Dort's went up to Conny.
"Come home with me, dear" she
said. "Don't look out yonder," put
ting her hand over the girls eyes.
Its CROWN clearer, and the seas
ugly to look at after q storm weeds
and wrecks and dead things are washed
ashore, and"
Conny quietly put down her head.
''I must see the Gull come in. Moth
er's aboard"
Nanty looked at the mon, perplexed.
She wiped her eyes once or twice; and
then put her hands on Conny's should
ers.
"There was wind-squall like this
once afore, Conny."
"And-and of all the ships within
two miles of the bar, not one lived
Are You listenin'?" ~
Conny, after minute, drew away.
~ wish you would go to Dan, Nanty,
n he,s crying yonder: III can't speak
She put her hand over her eyes again,
looking through the slowly lifted weight
of mist. Her lips moved.
Dan pulled her by the skirt, after a
'Come away, COMFY" he sobbed.
''They say the Gull has gone down, and
they re afeard for you to stay here"
1T couldn't go down: God wouldn't
let it. I've been prayin'.' But her
face was like death as she said it.
The mist had lifted now. Under the
pale twilight lay the vast angry sea-
the waves rising out of fathomless
darkness. Conny caaght Dan tiercely
by the arm, and pointed outward. Her
lips were too parclled to speak.
"The Gull, the Gull" sho nted the
men. Only bred eyes could see the
fur off boat which was dashed to and
fro like bubble. "TLcre's no chance
ther fur boat" said Capt. Job "but
for that old water log-take them chill
dren away, Nanty. Don't let 'em see
their own nanny go down"
The wind beat the masts of the Gull
level with the water, once again.
Conny clinched Dams hand in hers.
Pray, Dan! Pray! and God can't
let them drown"
A great wave lifted the Gull taunt-
ingly into sight, and then-it was gone.
Only black hull was washed above
the yellow foam for m instant, and
sank never to rise again.
Nanty ran to the child as she fell on
the sand, and. carried her to her own
house, but at the door, Conny opened
her eyes and struggled to her feet.
81 must go home. Mother told me
to take care of Dan and the baby till
she came back"
Nanty sobbed out loud then. She
had been very fond of Jane.
"Child, didn't you see the Gull go
down ?" she said.
"Yes," said COMFY; "but was
prayin'. Mother II come back"
She ran along through the darkness
to the cottage. Dan was crouched, cry
ing. by the fire. She knelt down be-
side him.
"God wouldn't take them when we
was prayin'," was all she sould say.
And there came then great shout
ing and cries without, and the door
burst open, and her mother was on the
floor and had them both in her arms,
sobbing and laughing all at once; and
Ben was talking to the neighbors, with
queer quaver in his voice.
"Gull went down? Yes, of course
she must hev. She sprung leak an
hour afore the squall struck her, and I
knew it was no use to try to bring her
in, and Jane and got aboard the
steamer putting into the inlet, and
come over afoot. I'm glad I didn't see
the old boat agoin' DOWN"
It was good luck as drove You nigh
the steamer, Ben, said Capt. Job.
"Luck or or-God," said Ben, taking
off his old hat. "Hillo, give us a kiss
you young uns," STOPPING to hide his
wet eyes.
An Oyer.I.Oyal Lord.
A strange scene occurred at the
bennington railway station in England
recently, on the occasion of the Queens
visit to Balmoral. just before the train
arrived Lord Aylesford, captain inthe