The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-10-07

cut loose a couple of the women; place
was made for them before the first boat
was too full; she was lowered down,
east off, and a big wave carried her clear
of the steamer. | saw her for a mo-
ment on the top of a ridge, and then
she plunged down the other side out of
our sight-and that of every body else (;
for how long she lived, who can say ?
She was never picked up or heard of
again. + tfi'L t-t- Ea-
Giving a bit of a cheer, our chaps
turned to the next, and were getting in
when there came a, wave, like noun
tain, ripped her from the davits, and
when shook the water from my eyes,
there she was hanging by one end, stove
in, and the men who had tried TO launch
her gone--skipper and mate as well.
There were only seven of us now, and
| could see besides the three women
lashed to the side, and only one OF them
was alive; andfor a bit no7one moved,
every body being stunned-like with hor-
ror; but there came lull, and feeling
that the steamer was sinking under our
feet, | shouted out to the boys to come
on, and we ran to the last boat, climbed
in, and we're casting off, when | hap
pened to catch sight of the women
lashed under the bulwarks there.
"Hold hardi" roars, for l saw one
of them wave her hand.
Come on, you fool" shouts my
mate, L" she's going down."
pray | may never be put to it again
like that, with all mans selfish desire
for life fighting against him. For a
moment | shut my eyes, and they be-
gan to lower; but was obliged to open
them again, and as l did so, l saw a
wild scared face, with long wet hair
clinging round it, and a pair of little
white hands were stretched out to me
as if for help.
"HOld hardi" | shouts.
"No, no." roared out two or three,
s'there isn't moment, and as the boat
was being lowered from the davits l
made Jump, caught the bulwarks with
my hands, and climbed on board, Just
as the boat kissed the water, was un-
hooked and fioated away.
Then as | crept, hand-over-hand, to
the girls side, whipped out nay knife,
and was cutting her loose, while her
weak arms clung to me, felt a horrible
feeling of despair come over me, for the
boat was leaving us; and | knew what a
coward | was at heart, as | had otight
with myself so as not to leave the girl
to her fate and leap overheard to swim
for my life. got the better of it,
though-went down on my knees, so as
not to see the boat, and got the poor
trembling, clinging creature loose.
"Now, my lass" says, ''quick''-
and | raised her up" hold on by the
side while make fast a rope around
you" ... .u,. FL..f
And then | stood up to hail the boat
the boat as warn't there, for in those
brief moments she must have capsized,
and we were alone on the sinking
steamer, which now lay in the trough
of the sea.
As soon as I got over the horror of
the feeling, a sort of stony despair came
over me; but when | saw that pale ap-
pealing face at my side, looking to me
for help, that brought the manhood
back, and in saying encouraging things
to her | did myself good.
NV first idea was to make something
that would float us, but gave that up
directly, for | could feel that | was help
less; and getting the poor girl more in
to shelter, took bit of tobacco in
sort of stolid way, and sat down with
cork life-buOy over my arm, one
which ! had cut loose from where it
had hung forgotten behind the wheel.
But | never used it, for the storm
went down fast, and the steamer tlOated
still, water-logged, for three days, when
we were picked up by passing vessel,
half-starved, but hoping. And during
that time my companion had told me
that she was the attendant of one of the
lady passengers on board; and at last,
when we parted at the Cape, she kissed
my hand, and called me her hero, who
had saved her life-poor grimy me, you
know.
We warn't long, though, before we
met again, for somehow we'd settled
that we'd write; and a twelvemonth
after Mary was back in England, and
my wife. That's why said | took her
like out of the hands of death, though
in a selfish sort of way, being far,
YOU know, from perfect. But what
say. speaking as Edward Brown, stoker,
is this Make a good fight of it, no
matter how black things may look, and
leave the rest to Him.