The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-10-21

chalk, which afforded no purchase for
hand or foot, 1 lay there, fairly exhaust
ed, expecting every moment the return
of the wave that would sweep us back
into the gulf, when thought 1 saw a
light close beside me shining into nv
eyes, and face peering anxiously over
the waters. 1t was delusion, one Of
the hallucinations of approaching death.
Next moment we were covered with
binding surge, aud great green wave
swept over us, driving us pell-mell be-
fore it with inconceivable fury. I lost
my senses for a while to find myself
iammed in between two fragments of
rock. Jenny was gone. had lost my
hold of her, and she had been carried
away into the boiling gulf.
I had nothing to expect myself but in
slant death. The next wave would wash
me out of my hole, mere crevice in the
precipice. 1 had hardly strength enough
to breathe, and could fight no longer
against my fate.
But though / was constantly covered
with surf, and nearly suffocated, yet the
waves did not reach me with full force.
The tide was retiring.
Time passed on, [ hardly knew how,
till the moon rose red and menacing.
The tide was down now, but the surf
reached to the very base of the cliffs.
The flood would come presently, like
lion to his half-devoured victim, and L
should perish. Then / heard voices be-
low me, and saw by the moonlight some
men draped in short smocks or blouses
cropping abont among the rocks beneath
,t,,,,,
who had been attracted by the wreck,
and who had found their way down the
cliffs by some concealed footpath. 1
shouted-they heard me, and clambered
to my retreat. They were full of COM
passion and kindness. They carried me
along the base of the cliffs by footpath
among the debris, till they reached a
smooth gap in the wall of chalk, by
which they assembled. 1 was presently
carried to a house, stripped, and placed
in a warm bed. / recollect just this
much, and then memory fails mo. / had
long illness, 1 am told, and was near
deaths door, but recovered at last, and
found myself the guest of worthy Nor
man farmer, who occupied charming
little homestead on the heights above
the sea.
AS soon as l could get about, [ went
down TO Havre to inquire about the
Petrol, at our consulate. She was lost,
L was told, on such and such q night,
with all hands on board at the time.
The captain had returned home two
months ago. I determined to go home
at once, and leave place SO fraught
to me with sad memories. Now that
Jenny was lost forever, realized how
much she had been to me. Her kind
ness, her courage, her devotion, her
charming gayety aud animation, recalled
themselves to me, and told myself that
J. should never see her like again. in
quired as to her last resting place.
Only two of the bodies had been found,
it seemed-those of the cook and the
black cabinboy.
Well, it remained only for me to return
to England, saddened, melancholy
man. L left my watch with the good
farmer who had taken care of me, as
some recompense for the trouble and
expense to which he had been put. The
captain of the John Bull gave me credit
for my passage money, and landed at
st. Katharine's wharf without clothes
but those L wore, sadly stained with
sea water, and with only few shillings
in my pocket. But there was money
due to me for my pension, couple of
quarters now, and l took cab to the
paymaster-generals Office to get it.
civilian Thornley," said the clerk,
looking at his list. "Why, he's dead
struck off the list two months ago.
You're the man, you say. Well, Pm
sorry to say that only treasury order
will bring you to life again"
The personnel of the Office was almost
entirely changed since 1 was last in Eng,
land. The old clerk who used to pay me
had been pensioned Off, and there was
no one who recognized me. The infor.
nation came, was informed, from my
old Office, and there L went in much cha
grin. There could be no difficulty in
eventually getting the matter put to
right, but in the meantime 1 wanted
money-money, and didn't know where
to get it.
I went to the old Office. The place
once so familiar to me, now knew me nc
more. One of my old chums was still
there, and him [ found out. He looked
at me, stared, burst into laughter.
"What you're not drowned, then 2
he cried.
Drowned? No but precious neal
it. VINO stopped my pension, prayl"
"Oh, some friends of yours came
here seafaring party, and a prett,
girl in deep mourning-a deuced prett,
girl" said my friend, pausing, and be
ginning to bite the stump of his pen
"Well, they gave me long account o
your loss on board the Petrol. Why h,
came to me was, that he remembered
my name as a fellow who knew you
don't you see? OF course, was Yer,
sorry to hear it, and all that and thel
the old captain asked me who your re
lations were, and couldn't tell him
but said I'd make inquiries and a
they were going to Scotland, they prom
ised to call and see me again on thei
return, And, by Jove, here they are !!
said my friend, rising as the room doc
was thrown open, and the messenger al
nounced gentleman and lady to Sc
Mr.. -, by appointment.
l was sitting with my back to til
door, and turned my head towards it.
young woman in black ran forward wit
scream. sprang to my feet, an
clasped Jenny in my arms-Jenny, SAT
} and sound, but pale and worn-sufferin
! for me!
J Her father, it turned out, had been o
the cliff, and had followed the Petr'
along the shore all that eventful night
, he had offered five hundred pounds
vain for tug to put out to the rescue
and the life boat, although she had trie
) to get out, had been beaten back. 3