Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1876-04-06

tain
The little doctor objected, and said that
II was wet aud cold on deck. She paid no
heed to him. and taking the arm of the ed-
er OF the two men she said. with decision:
Take the TO the captain; must see
him,
The deck was quite clear. The passen-
gers were all driven below, and none but
the ships people were stirring. She drew
her crumpled hat over her eyes and gazed
all around the sea.
I'VE have shut down the land"
Yes; two hours ago, It's past five
O'Clock now"
The ship was rolling and plunging
through the storm, while the wind and sea
dead ahead. The waves broke in torrents
of water over her bows, and the deck was
slippery with the sheets of water that swept
over Il. They led her to the chart room
| JUS behind the whcel-hOuse on the hurri-
cane deck.
ION captain. you are taking me to Eu.
rope"
"les, my good woman. /. ANYTHING the
matter with your quarters, or the food?"
NO. SIR am not passenger. | must
go back to the towboat. came on board
with the child, and was to return at orce.
was thrown down when the ladder broke
And that accounts for the actions of
that towboat. We thought the captain had
lost his senses. He followed us tor more
] than mile, and then he fell asteIn. Sus-
! pect the sea was too much for him."
1T was my husband, Sir"
The burly captain grew red in the face.
aud stamped arouhd the cabin angrily.
Hang II. marm, it was all n mistake. Il
/ can't be helped now. Wen take you over
aud bring you back. that's all we can do
! about H. It's very unfortunate aud all that.
+ but YOU see the ship was not clear Of san
/ dy Hook, aud didn't dare To stop to see
| what your husband wanted"
Why didn't you put me ashore with the
/ pnot:"
/ The pilot: Oh.-yes-wcll-"
'Nhc WAS IN a dead faint IN the womcn's
/ cabin. sir said the officer. The third
/ officer said she was a SICK stcerayc. lie
must have thought her passenger"
lou must think ms husband great
/ iopi, said the wife with some asperity
/ Nhy shousG We stop for one steerayc
/ passenger left bchind:''
'lt >cems you dil, " retorted the captain.
YES sir; but it was 4 child al the
! breast. Ia the confusion OF the landing the
babe was LETT in onr statc.room."
/ - e.. sir. Ny name j. Mrs. John Thomp-
sen. ana live with my husband on"
?
4 heard the engine race ami then stop, aud a
strange aud dreadful hush tell on the ship.
I The captain sprang 10 the door, and tear
+ Ing IL open. rushed out on the deck The
/ wind had ilung the door back with A slam,
/ aua the wife and second officer were lett
alone Il am truly sorry, madam. that
\ this has happened. There l. nothing 70 be
. done but 10 accept the situation. We Will
1 make you as comfortable as possible. aud
I at Queenstown Won will be- transferred and
. return to New York"
She did not seem to heed lin, and going
! 20 the door, she looked out and said
/ II wonder why the engine stopped II
sounded like a broken shaft"
The deck, 4 moment before deserted by
/ all save "A few men In yellow Oh cloth. now
/ swarned with men, women and children,
I all more or less excited ana frightened.
/ The officers pushed past her, and she step
Z ped out on the deck. closed the door, and
/ went forward to the hurricane deck, Inst
under thl bridge, and looked up AT the
four posts aod over the main deck below.
/ Everything seemed to bc safe aloft, and
! She heard the noisy rattle OF steam winch
/ forward, and noticed black-jib climbing
/ ~ the forward rigging. The steam was
/ blowing OIL with hoarsc roar, aud there
seemed 70 be a good deal Of confusion
among the struggling crowd OF stcerage
/ passengers below. The tirst-class people
| were more quiet, though quite as much
/ alarmed. \ young woman beside her lean
/ cd on her husbands arm, pale and exhaust
/ ed. Her eyes were closed. as i! to shut out
/ the scene, and the rain drops mingled with
/ the tears that were creeping from beneath
/ her eye-lashes. She must comfort the
! poor child.
There's no danger, ma'am. The ship is
I all righf. Its only the engine"
! "Send those people below" cried the
4 rough voice Of the captain from the bridge
/ just over her head.
Gentlemen, take your ladies' below
/ There i, no danger. We shall proceed an
/ der sail"
\ The tirst-class passengers listened IN re-
/ spectful silence, aud began to falter back
| into the saloons. The steerage We're less
! reasonable, and n4any refused To stir. but
/ stort cuf or two brought them to obe H.
I ruce, and presently the decks were more
/ quiet Tne wife kept her post beneath the
7 bridge. She was warmly clothed and ac-
/ cu>tumed 10 the weather. She would wait
I aud see what happened. The black b was
/ now up. and belled out the fierce wind as
[ il ready TO tiy from its bolts. Slowly the
4 ship began To fall of in the wind. Another
/ steam-winch began 10 rattle. and the boat
swain's whistle piped shrill commands As
the ship swung round, the tremendous seas
! struck ner with awful force. monstrous
I green wall. crested with foam. came rush
ing towards them. Ii broke with a thnn-
deriDg jar against the ship. Barrels and
/ timber hoated wildly about on the decks,
and a cataract OF water poured into the sea
| on the other side. The wreckage fell into
the black water, and the sailors, clinging
To their engine. were knee deep In the
flood. Still the wind pGfied furiously, and
the immense black sail tapped and shook
! with noise like thunder. II suddenly be-
came rigid and swollen anl the ship began
to draw slowly ahead.
To escape the flying spray, the wife step
ped back toward the wheel-house. As she
did go, another wave struck amidships,
and the scud and spray drenched her in
moment. She clung to the railing and
| looked in the window OF the wheei-house.
young man was at the wheel, calmly
watching the electric signals from the
bridge The place seemed familiar. 1t was
not unlike her husbands wheei-house. She
noted the telegraph, the compass. and the
| numerous contrivances for signalling all
parts Of the ship.
Suddenly an overpowering wave struck
the ship. and with laundering roar came
down on deck. A loose rope on the mast
just before the house was thrown back
ward, and with a crash one Of the windows
OF the house fell in. The steersman put his
hand to his forhead with a half-suppressed
cry. A flying fragment struck him just
over the eye, and the blood gushed down
his face.
With spring the wife entered the room
and tried to take the wheel. The man let
90 his hold before she could reach it, and
II flew around like lightning.
Give II 10 me. can steer"
As soon as it stopped she grasped the
wheel and turned it back quickly. A loud
voice roared down the speaking tube:
Keep her up! Keep her upf'
j. Aye, aye,sir. There's an accident. Send
down man." s
moment later the big captain opened
the door AID stood for moment in speech
less astonishment. voice In the tube
filed the room with hoarse command.
''Southing by one''
''Southing by one. sir. replied the wom-
an, calmly, and slowly letting the wheel
slide through her fingers.
Hto -tNa At