Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-08-12


blenched and drew back before it,
a ship in distressn' cried Gilbert
: And close in shore"
" A ship in distress?" cried Pauline
clasping her hands. The packet ship
it must be-"
8 Is she due?''
. Not quite. But without her reckoning
and the storm blowing her inland all the
passengers for the North on board. Oh!
is there nothing to be done ?" she eX
claimed, while the wind blew the words
back between her teeth in rough whisper
Half mile from the lighthouse she
| must be drifting. She will strike nearer
shore, Half mile out in a rushing sea-
You must take me home Gilbert, y
cried Mariana "You and Pauline will
presently be swimming out to her with
ropes, dare say. And the wind will blow
me after you. Besides, it is dreadful"
& I WONDER" said Gilbert, g if a boat
can be launched.''
Never in such sea-" said Pauline
There they come down from the town
with their lanterns. What bold and hardy
fellows. Danger is their clement" he
cried, proudly springing forward with
more enthusiasm than he often showed
81 must go on with them," said Gilbert,
pausing a moment. you will not be
afraid to run home without me?"
"And /, too" said Pauline, disregard
ing his last words, though, in spite of
herself, her announcement took the form
of entreaty.
"You?"
Indeed, why not? You cannot tell the
service [ may be-
Dear girl, it is out Of the question"
he said with hesitation, followed by quick
irmness.
VERY well, [ will not trouble you"
said Pauline, while sudden burst of wind
and rain nearly snatched her off her feet.
"But, Gilbert" she said, getting on the
windward side, the better to be heard, and
with her little hand one moment on his
arm, " you will not do anything rash?"
And Gilbert felt afterward, with the
recollection of that sweet, intent face
lighted by the instantaneous flash of the
minute gun, as if there were nothing too
rash for him to do; thrilling all the way
he went with a strange new hope that out
of his long darkness light was now to be
born.
4Ou are quite man now, Gilbert"
exclaimed Mariana, gasping in the gust
10 q Nnct h., ,o01-r
9 and so, Of course, you must do as men
do-and keep the pleasures and excite
ments to yourself. And you-are a crack
oar, too" calculated Mariana; and there's
nOthing-gives a person such an idea of
himself"
Take Mariana under your wing and
hurry home, Pauline See, she is fright
ened half out of her Wis.,
At any rate. Gilbert" said Pauline.
turning back, " if people are rescued, you
will bring them up to u.s."
81 will promise that" he cried, with
lighter heart than he had borne for many
a weary month, L" if the inns will not hold
them-which God grant!'' And he was
running to join the group that hurried to
the lighthouse ledge and whose loud well
come came back on the gust to Pauline,
for Gilbert, the gymnast and waterman of
his college, was no mean accession to the
volunteers of an instant.
q hate shipwrecks!" cried Mariana,
with her usual disregard of anybody's
feelings but her. own, as the two were more
than half blown up the hill on their re-
turn. 1t is very singular thing that
there always is shipWreck whenever I
come here. And now that I've come for
good, or what is the same thing, the very
first thing you do is to have one out of
hand"
ooh! Marianar' cried Pauline, in spite
OF herself. " AS if such things are gotten
up to order!'
q don't know how it happens" per-
sisted Mariana. 81 only know it does
happen. Now I suppose you'll be having
lot of drowned people stretched out in
the parlorsI'
THAT would be dreadful, indeed, y said
Pauline, by way of reply, and a long
shudder shook her from head to foot, as
she turned to face the scene of disaster on
the shore below, talking pleasantly in or
der to keep Mariana silent, and moved
backward as she talked Don't YOU
think it is lighter than it was? l am sure
of it. The moon must have come I'D.
Even shipwrecks have some blessing. The
storm is certainly lifting; there is no more
rain at all, except these slaps,'' as one of
them bent her head and half drowned
her. Just turn round, Mariana, and
look at the sea in the moon that has bro
ken out of the cloud Oh! such a white
and black splendor! And there is the
wreck. can see quite distinctly With
the glass on the piazza we can see it all
perfectly"
at looks like gallows by Dore! Don't
stay to see it. want some tea so!'
g So do they, suppose-the poor Great
ures aboard all day-three days-in such
distress. We will make haste and have
everything comfortable for them, if any
come up. | am so glad the moon came
out. 1t makes it more possible TO save
them, and with the darkness it is robbed