Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1875-12-09

well, When, just as the last boat wa'
being filed, 1 remembered that in my
hurry had left my mothers miniature
in my chest. There was plenty o.
time to fetch it, and in second l wal
down in the cabin. Flingihg the lie
open, my band was already Upon the
likeness, when 1 heard 9 foot upon the
stairs. turned, and by the dim ligh
yet swinging from the roof perceived
Jacob Kiel.
Good heavens! The diabolieal Ok
preston on his face, the fiendish malice
in his dark snake-like eyes, revealed
his intention in q moment He had
come to do me some deadly harm
Leaping up; / seized my revolver, te
be on my guard but an attack was not
his purpose. Before I could prevent
him, he had quickly closed the cabin
door, and locked it on the outside. j..
Like flash of lightning all The hot
rors of my position instantly flashed
before me. l was a prisoner in the
sinking ship! Utteting . loud shout
of fury, sprang forward the cry was
echoed by laugh from Jacob KEEL
I heard him say, "Who will marry May
Brodstone nows" and then his feet
went rapidly up the stairs.
called aloud for help; the uproar
of the storm drowned my voice. !
paused. Just then the wind lulled, and
heard an order to push off; the
speaker was Jacob Kiel. l again
shouted in my agony; but my voice
and the wind rose together-1 was not
heard. l continued to howl like a
mailman, though l knew that all hope
was gonc-that I was alone, like a
trapped rat, in the sinking ship.
Furiously beat the door, all the
while painfully conscious that reacue
was impossible and death certain, for
it was night, and, as no doubt the
storm would separate the boats, my
absence would not be discovered until
the vessel had foundered.
Could expect aught else, when in
the occasional lull of the hurricane |
heard the rush Of the deadly waters in
the hold, and felt the ship lurch more
heavily each moment as she plunged in
trough of the seal Suddenly she gave
a terrific keel over, and a wave came
rafting down the companion ladder
like thunder, rushed under the door
and inundated the cabin.
l shrieked in agony, believing that
all was over-that l was to die thus,
not even with the chance of battling
for life.
I felt that l could meet death calmly
if were on deck, with the heavens
above me; but my very hair stirred at
tho horrible thought Of being buried in
the sea as it were in box. Was there
really 20 way of escape? | looked
round and gave great cry of joy, then
leaped forward, careless now that the
water mounted higher and higher.
"Fool! Idiot!" / exclaimed. "Why
did you not think of it beforei You
are your own murderer
My eyes had rested upon my revol
ver In a second 1 had fired two of its
barrels into the lock of the door, shiver-
ing it to atoms, and the next minute l
was upon the deck 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-dark
ness hid the waters. But, having sue
ceeded 80 far, resolved not to despair.
One by one discharged the remains
ing barrels of my revolver, and then
plunged into the sea, to swim as far as
I could from the ship before it sank,
hoping that 1 should find some pieces
of wreck. did 80 before had pro-
ceeded far-a mast, with cordage
attached. This helped me; for after
lashing myself to the mast as well as l
could, the waves bore me away. Sud
denly, however. a fearful rush of water
seized me. Twas drawn rapidly back,
and theft down as in a Whirlpool
flung, 1t seemed, here, there and every
where after which remembered no
more. When came to, was in one
of the boats, with May Brodstone
leaning over the. "
1t appeared that directly morning
dawned the boats we're called towether,
and the captain went over the names,
when mine was found missing; upon
which he resolved to row back, and
see if he could not find me, urged
thereto by many of his 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, aud their search was not
difficult. They soon perceived a dark
object Approaching it they found it
to be myself clinging like grim death