The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1875-10-25


cried, as, after she had changed her drip
ping garments for dry ones, she sat tdown
ut the table with what seemed to me nj.
most fiendish indifference.
"Eat! You must eat |" slie cried.
"Who knows what IN hour may bring
forth! II you have to swim for your
life, will you have any chance ii y"r
start exhaustedi"
I saw thAt she was right, aud we
natched hasty meal together as best
we could. Just as we Ind finished, 0
quiver ran through the ship; the mo-
ton changed ; she began to roll heavily.
The sofa on which we were sitting broke
away from its fastenings, and We were
thrown violently from one side Of the
cabin to tho other, in the midst Of m
avalanche OF all the movables that were
unfastened, or had broken away.
As soon as we regained our feet, We
made for the deck. thought that the
last moment Ind come, and desired only
to see daylight once more. We Ind
parted from onr anchor, md were drift
ing rapidly away toward the dark briIt-
ling cliffs to leeward.
The sight seemed to restore confidence
and courage to Jenny. "Go forward, :"
che screamed in my ear Ego forward,
you and the steward. and get the lower
sail on the foremost; black Jem and I
will steer the Ship"
J nny's voice inspired mo the pros.
pect OF doing something TO avert our
fate gave me new strength. stumbled
forward, holding on to anything TINT
came 20 hand. The steward stood at the
door OF his caboose, having jammed him.
self into secure position pipe was
in his mouth, and black bottle in his
hand. He looked at me with lack-luster
eyes. "Coms along, man," l shouted
in his ear "come and help me to get
up SAIL"
"What's the oddsf" he replied in q
sullen voice "what's the odds. Let's
be happy while we may"
Tho man was drunk. I cast IL despair
ing glance behind me when the poop,
raised high in the air by some towering
wave, seemed almost to touch the sky.
Jenny was at the wheel, shading her
eyes with her hand, looking anxiously
forward. All !! what could do among
NIL this bewildering maze Of cordage and
rigging. all shaking and rattling in the
wind-I, who hardly knew one rope
from another2 But tho sight OF Jenny
ut the wheel, looking out for me, nervod
me to do something. / made my way to
the foremost, and clambered up the rig
ging, looking down to precipice Of
water beneath me. Long ropes and fly
ing blocks threatened me every moment
with destruction but held on to the
ropes like grim death, and, inspired by
the courage OF despair, essayed that
which ut another time I should have
never dreamed OF crawled out on the
yard, with my knife in my teeth, and
cut, one by one, the lashiugs that bound
the sail to it.
The sail flew out with tremendous
report, and threatened every moment to
tear itself to tatters; but, scizing rope,
I slid down to the deck with rapidity
that took every norsel Of skin of my
ankles aud getting hold Of the rope
TINT saw controlled the movements OF
the sail, hauled it in bit by bit, and
succeeded in making fast one side Of the
sail. The other offered less difficulty.
Jenny waved her hand triumphantly
from the poop. The ship began to move
through the water. We should clear the
headland, that now looked so ominously
upon us, crouching there like some hun
cry animal awaiting his prey.
I crawled back to the poop, and Jenny
rewarded me with an encouraging grasp
Of the hand. "You did that beautiful
ly," she cried. "Now, il tho gale mod
crates, rs l think it will, aud doesn't
veer round more to the westward -
As she spoke We shot past the head
land, and gained clear view Of the coast
beyond. The SUI was sinking low, and
showed for n moment n blood.red streak
between two angry clouds. The lurid
light it cast upon the red frowning cliffs
was something appalling. They nm
along for miles, rs far as the eye could
reach-steep, inaccessible heights, with
the surf beating augrily against them,
and flying up in clouds Of spray hplf way
TO their summit.
As the sun went down it came on to
blow harder AMI more from the west
ward. The line Of cliffs to leewartl
loomed nearer aud nearer. The sail
ceased to drnw, beginning to shake and
flap with loud noise.
"She will go no nearer to tho wind,
Willie," cried Jenny, knitting her brows;
"and we drift continuously to leeward.
You must haul TINT sheet tighter, Willie;
it's our ouly chance"
I was running forward to my work,
when block, detached from tho rigging
by tho force OF ths wind, struck Inc vio-
leutly on the head, and fell to the
ground insensiblc. When I came t.
myself, my head was achiug Violently,
although it seemed to be supported by Il
soft pillow. 1t was quite dark, nnd the
air w,ls full OF hideous noises, tho scream
of the wind, the loud roar OF the surf,
oiled the mir withn tumuit indoselibable.
"Where nun II" said, feebly, stretch.
inv ont my arms into the darkness. !
felt arms about mine, n soft kiss i'm
printed on my forehead.
"We shall be ashore, dear, in five
minutes" said voice in my ear, "and
all our troubles over"
l raised myself up, with groan, and
tried to gain my feet, but fell back cx'
hausted. The scene about me struck me
with terror; tho thought Of drowning
helpless in this raging gull OF waters had
IN ineilable bitterness for me.
"Willie," sail Jenny once more III my
ear, "n you get safe ashore, will you
give my love to fathert"
Then l found TINT was lying beneath