The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-07-28
A Terrible Moment.

Yes, terrible-that's just what il was
; l shall never forget it, even should l liv
to one of those wondrous ages at time
e recorded in the papers. Moreover,
: was not thing for a man to forget
: Many events may slip from our mind
: but never that moment when we stan'
5 On the brink of the grave, brough
i thither by the probability of an awful
death.
1t happened In this way. had beef
IN Australia for about five years, during
which time had amassed considerable,
fortune, when | began to long TO see tn,
old country again-a desire considerably
strengthened by the fact that the girl
loved, and who had consented to be my
wife, was going to England, and could
E not bear the thought of such an extent
Of ocean between US SO l determined tc
go too, and let our marriage take place
there.
May Brodstone was the only daughter
of weil-to-do squire, and the prettiest
and incest girl for miles around the sta
ton, though, until | had become ac-
quainted with her, rather fond of bit
OF glrllsh Irritation. This was the worst
for me as it turned out.
Among her many admirers was one
Jacob Kiel. Dark-haired, dark-eyed,
dark-cOmplexioned, he was of that class
OF men who feel strongly, and who never
forget an injury-like wildcats, they are
nasty customers to offend. Well, May,
| fear, had flirted with Jacob Kiel, who,
l really believe, loved the very ground
she walked on, though she declared-and
l know it was true-that she never gave
him the slightest hope.
1t was about this time | appeared upon
the scene; and she discovered that she
had found the right man, and / had
found the right girl. May Brodstone
instantly gave up all her admirers, was
as steady and quiet as gum tree when
no wind blows, and finally said the Eyes"
upon which my happiness depended.
Old MIR. BrodstOne knew that the
match would be good one, and readily
gave his consent, SO that our engagement
was soon made public. | was present
when the news reached Jacob Kiel I
shall never forget his face. His lips
we're compressed, his dark eyes contract
ed, he looked from May to me, and felt
that, if he could, he would do me mis-
chief. Without syllable, he quilted the
place. A strange sensation ran through
me as he departed, and May told me that
a shudder ran through her veins.
We did not see much of Kiel after this, !
though We knew he was often about the !
station upon business but the man
somehow threw a kind of shadow over
Mays and my happiness, and we were
not at all sorry when we got on board |
the steamer and steamed off toward Old /
England. We had not, however, got /
clear out of sight of land, when May, /
giving little cry put her hand upon my |
arm, and slightly nodding her head to-
ward the lower deck, said
ooh, Edward, look-he is here, too !"
And so he was. Leaning quietly over
the side, viewing the land, apparently, /
was Jacob kiel-a passenger FOR England, |
like ourselves. | will own that / was |
considerably annoyed, though when May,
drawing nearer, exclaimed in a startled /
voice, " Edward, dear, l don't know how
it is, bnt dread that mani cannot di-
vest my mind of the thought that he
maans US harEn," lanshod and tried TO /
Danish so absurd an idea And certainly
it appeared l had every right to do so.
Save by casual interchange of a few
words, Kiel never troubled us; and we
were making a capital journey, when,
just as we were within twenty leagues of
the line, we were struck by a hurricane,
which the captain declared was almost
cyclone in violence.
The vessel could not weather it, The
masts crashed overheard, taking several
of the crew with them, and, before the
wreck could be cut adrift, portion of
the broken spars, dashing against the ship,
had caused leak below the water line,
and the cry was, We are sinking
Lower the boats-the pumps are useless !"
The captain was marvellously firm and
cool, and by his example made us all the
same.
The boats were rapidly lowered and
filled, while, thank heaven, the storm
seemed to abate. The women went first,
of course, and all was proceeding well,
when, just as the last boat was being
filled, | remembered that in my hurry l
had left my mothers miniature in my
chest. There was plenty of time to
fetch it, and in a second | was down in
the cabin. Flinging open the lid, my
hand was already upon the likeness, when
| heard foot upon the stairs. turned,
and by the dim light swinging from the
roof, perceived Jacob kiel.
Good heavenI The diabolical express
sion upon his face, the fendish malice in
his dark, snake-like eyes, revealed his
in a moment. He had come
to do me some bodily harm. Leaping
up, | seized my revolver to be on my
guard; but an attack was not his pur-
pose. Before could prevent him, he
had quickly closed the cabin door, and
locked it on the outsidel
Like flash of lightning all the hor-
rors of my position flashed before me.
| was a prisoner in the sinking ship!
Uttering loud shout of fury, | sprang
forward; the cry was echoed by a laugh
from Jacob Kiel. l heard him say,
g Who will marry May Brodstone now ?"
and then his feet went rapidly up the
stairs.
l called loudly for help; the uproar of
the storm drowned nv voice. | paused. f
Just then the wind lulled, and [ heard
an order to push off; the speaker was
Jacob Kiel. / again shouted in my ag-
ony, but my voice and the wind rose to-
gether-I was not heard. | continued /
to shout like mailman, though l knew /
that all hope was gone-that | was alone +
like a trapped rat in the sinking ship /.
Furiously | beat the door, all the while +
painfully conscious that rescue was i'm
possible, 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 l
heard the rush of the deadly waters in
the hold, and felt the ship lurch more