Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1875-10-09

of the'sea? Suddenly she gave .
terrific keel over, and a wave came
i like thunder, rushed under the
door ana inundated the cabin.
j shrieked in agony, believing
that all was over-tnat ] was &c
die thus. not even with the chance
of battling for life.'
/ felt that / could meet death
camly if / were on deck, with the
heavens above me; but my very
hair stirred at the horrible thought
of being buried in the sea as !,
were In a box. Was there really
no way of escape ? / looked around
| and gave great Cry of joy, then
leaped forward, careless now that
the water mounted higher and
higher.
Fool! Idiot!n / exclaimed.
Why did you not think of it be-
fore? You are your own muir
derer!v
My eyes had rested upon my re-
vOlver. In q second [ had fired
two of its barrels into the lock of
the door, shivering it to atoms,
and the next minute was upon
the dec only just in time, for
the vessel was settling fast. 1T
would have settled long before,
but that the storm had abated.
With wild hope l looked for
the boats. Near or far all was
alike-darkness hid the waters.
But, having succeeded so far, ! re-
solved not to dispair One by one
l discharged the remaining bar
rels of my revolver, and then
plunged into the sea, to swim as
far as / could from the ship before
it sank, hoping that l should find
some pieces of wreck. / did so
before / had proceeded far-a mast
with cordage attached, This help
ed me; for after flashing myself to
the mast as well as l could, the
waves bore me away. Suddenly,
however, fearful rush of water
seized me. / was drawn rapidly
back. and then down as in a
whirlpool-f1ung, it seemed, here,
there and verywhere-after which
l remembered no more. When /
came to, | was in one of the boats
with May Rrodstone leaning over
me.
1t appeared that directly morn
ing dawned the boats were called
together, and the captain went
over the names, when mine was
found missing; upon which he re-
solved to row back, and see if he
could not find me, urged thereto
by many of mis- companions. who
wondered--as did not Jacob Kiel-
what could have prevented my
getting into one OF the boats.
The sea was nearly calm, the
sun shining, and their search was
not difficult. They soon perceived
a dark object. Approaching IL
they found ii to be myself, cling
ing like grim death to the wreck,
but laughing and yelling like a
maniac. In fact was mad, and
for some time after they had man
aged to get me into the boat l re-
manned so; then became calmer
though l was deiirious for a whole
day and night.
Directly sensibility returned /
told my story, filling every one
with horror, especially May Brod-
stone.
81 see il all |" exclaimed the
captain. The villain Last night
our boats separated in the dark
ness; this morning the one bearing
Jacob Kiel and the worst of the
crew was missing. He has either
steered the boat into a different
track or paid the fellows to desert
US, fearful of the punishment that
might have awaited him when we
touched land"
Whether this was SO / do not
know, for we never heard of Jacob
Kiel again.
That day we were picked up by
one of Gren's ships, homeward
bound, and in due time we were
landed in England, where May
and i were married, and where we
now reside; for my wife will not
hear of crossing the ocean again,
as she cannot forget-as indeed /
cannot-that most terrible moment
OF my life.
The question is again agitated, "shall
women be permitted to pass the hat 10
our churches?" Granted that it is her
right, but we must protest. 1t is in
some measure financial question. We
are giving two-thirds of our salary to
the churches now, and does generous
public want US to stsrve to death.
Abraham A. Wiuegardner. a wealthy