The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1875-11-11

EMBER II, 1875. u !,
| Giving bit Of cheer, our chaps
turned to the next, and were getting.in
when there came a wave like a, nouns
tain, ripped her from the dayits, and
when shook the water from my eyes,
| there she was hanging by one end, stove
in, and the meHwho had tried to launch
her ne-skipper and mate as well. 5
There were only seven of us now, and
could see besides; the three women
tlashed to the side, and only one of them
was alive; and for bit no one moved,
every body being stunned like with horr
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 were casting off, when ! hap
pened to catch sight of the women
| lashed under the bulwarks there. 'f 7
| "Hold hard!''I roars, for saw one
of them wave her hand. = 5fSast
"Come on, you fool" shouts my
mate, "she's going DOWN. sss asg
| 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 I did so, saw a
wild scared face, with long wet hair
clinging round it, and pair of little
white hands were stretched out to me
as if for help. na - E.s }s.Ey.
"Hold hard! /" shouts. ss
"No, no." roared out two, or three,
"there isn't moment, - and as the boat
was being lowered from the davits I
made jump, caught the buiwarks with
my hands, and climbed on board, Just
as the boat kissed the water, was un-
hooked and foated away. Isl
| Then as / crept, hand-over- hand, to
the girls side, whipped out my knife,
and was cutting her loose, while her
weak arms clung to me, I felt . horrible
feeling Of despair come over me, for the
boat was leaving Us and knew what q
coward was at heart, as 7 had TO fight
with myself 80 Is not to leave the girl
to her fate and leap overheard to swim
for my life. i got the better OF it..
though-went down on my knees, SO as
not to see the boat, and got the poor
ftrembling, clinging creature loose.
| i "Now, my lass, says, "quick'
and raised her up" hold on by the
side while I make fast rope around
you.''& 81 isss4 sal II TIL saES
And then I 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, . sort OF stony despair came
over me but when I 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 herI did myself good. i fa.gq 1.
My first idea was. to make, something
that would float as, but gave that up
directly, for l could feel that l was help
less; and getting the poor girl more in
to shelter, took q bit of tobacco in q
sort Of stolid way, and sat down with
Ia cork ife-buoy over my arm, one
which had cut loose from where it
had hung forgotten behind the wheel.
But never used it, fol. the storm
went down fast, and the steamer foated
still, water logged, for tkrce days, when
we were picked up by . passing vessel,
haff-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,
o. kk< Oh