Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-02-19
A SroRd Al Sc,
mn Ks Twain's RecoliertsoRs II n
. q. Pow er OF InniNldnaI Innurnnn

sne I'Oser OF IadfvtdasI iaauraCr
lBcfng a. cr'rdc' from Cagp'cT IN 81 . box
6Sg7an Three ye1rs ago, o1G Gf.crlrGrts oh-r'-
dDReil
For the next hour or two there was con
stsnt augmentation OF the storm. N.hpFv
Cd anything but cling to The bench bRcSs
nnoer the dismal gllmmer OF tne lamps
lthere was no other light, altholgh the usn~a-
Ing was well advanced) and listen IA tha
deep bComtng or the seas as they hurled
themselves against the ships distant Do ~.
BY halt past nine hardly any support was
sufficient 10 enable a man u keep his feet
At this hour one OF those sickeuing luIls a.,
oi those dread suspensions OF all motion
which tells that the ships centre is pinna-
cled on watery Alp, aud that wnen she ton.
pies over and piunges down on the other side
there Is Ioing 10 be trouble-and while every
creature held his breath. she quiveret a mo-
ment, and down she went And with her
Went everybody, SPRAYING 10 the door.
lhere was terrific crash, as II she struck
the rock OF Gibraltar aud in that Instant a
sea went bodily over, breaking q sky-llght
on the upper deck, bending the thick bars
OF an lTol fence till they curved like bows
splitting in two and carving away haIf az
short board three inches thick that was
lashed high away upon the bridge aud pass
Ing into the ocean again from the upDar dec Z
on the other side OF the vessel, riddlei a
strong life boat IN splinters, aud swept ~
overheard, along with one OF its great iron
daVtts. And down on our deck A. smashed
In the st6rb ard bGiwarks, flooded tho decS
waist deep, entered the galley. seized lie
smoking hot breakfast, washed every vest
door and came pouring along the carpets
bringing with IL with "A final crash tue bar
stores, aud sprea ling ruin o! champagne
ard Irish whisky bottles all arolud AnI in
The IcNt instant another sea came over the
port side, bringing a broad specimen OF the
pClwarss along with IL, stove In the port
tCor OF the saloon, ami set the luggage afOat
in ali the state rooms on that side
"WeH' III was the only remark that
came into my mind, aud IL did not appear 20
meet the case, either.l Up 10 that moment
had felt little or no concern But. Judging
hy The mighty crash that had aSSafIed our
ears, Ielt almost sure that the ships sides
had been crushed in, and, possibly by a coli
llSlon with another snip; and, therefore as
ours was an iron vessel, she must 90 down
win the prompt facility Of an iron pot. /
tIied 10 make up nay mind as u whai plan
OF action 10 pursue, and was getting along
very well with IL considering that I had
been at 1t only a thirty fifth or a fortieth
part OF second,) when a stalwart Young
man at my side exclaimed:
we re gone; :..:..:.;o, my Goi!..........
lie scared me, and so said to myself,
Never mind the plan, I'll get a II fe- prcserver
La sen couple on the door, but they
were not there now. / went into my room
saw though these had been mlne.-the nIuno-
Ing OF the ship had thrown them ont through
the venulator. Then thought 1 would 90
and borrow one OF the CardIffG liant (as we
called HIM, AID tyiUdO myself the credit 10
say that meant % get 6e-h of his ana save
some woman with the extra one At the
Time. III dld not occur 10 me that that wouId
be a little ungenerOus Ia the Giant: and cyan
nov am not sorry for IL, because 70 was such
splendid unconscious compliment 10 that
blg Enellshman = manhOOi,-it ignored the
possib.lt OF any difficulty or any peril
which he cOIld not extricate himself rom
by his wn strength d his own CO lrage. As
L louent my precarlOus way along the ca
reening floor, dismay sat upon almost every
face encountered; aud II had baen the Sr,irit
OF the storm, couli not have resiste ine
appt allng looks that spoke from some OF
those eyes. / shall always remember tne
sorrowful picture The dim ehOstlincss OF toe
lamps revealed at that moment put my
hand on the Giants door without Knocking.
not SUI pos ing for moment that he was in
anC just then a mighty lungeof the shin shot
me- ear across his state-room, head nrst. A
voice said:
"Hallo-what's wantAdo"
I looked up from the floor where was
holding on u something's peerei throI-a
the glooT-l, and, as am sinner, that calm,
genial icfoerg was standing up on his had
legs sharing,
How he could see anything. or howbo kent
his feet never cared TO inquire. All tlat'I
thought OF was that / was unSpeakaUly
ashamed ofmy errsnf. He said:
sorry you IN. Did you hurt yourself?
Anytblng wanting"
match"
/ believe some people will lie even in the
very presence OF the grave, If 10 tell The
truth would maze them blush
i got match (had about a thousand in nv
pocket), and came out thinking 20 mvseif
mat il could not be much Of a storm afte-aII.
thus, one man had scared me. when the sea
JAILED 10 do IL, and now another had con-
pletely restored ny tr8nQuility-and neither
bad employed more Than a look and a wort.
what docile slaves OF outside influence men
arr!
And now came another specimen: Cant
Moland had followed one OF those seas in,
that smashed the saloon doors and with a
bright, CHEEKY glance, and a breezy word or
two had swept their Jerrors away almost Is
completely as III he had brought sunshine in
his face, and summer zephyrs IN his breath
And yet, at that moment, the ship was Ia
the greatest danger. When the Giant came
out, wherever he went, his brave TRANQUIL
face wrought its miracle. The reinforce
ments OF the courage that saves wsvering
armies, and wins battles, Is drawn from the
commanding officer as from a reservoir
The influence which one individual NAV
exercise over many was happily illustrated
10 one OF the great battles OF our civil war.
For months a certain co'onel had subiectei
bis men to ceaseless drill. The manual had
become so mechanical with them that no
order delivered in the martial music of hts
splendid voice could take them by SURPRISE
their hands Instantly executed IL even IL their
ttonehts were miles away. Once well into
battle, soldiers will fight stead Ily on obliv-
ious TO everythiDg-fu the ammunition Oires
ont. Then they wilt into paaic like stricken
lhings. This particular regiment was face
10 face with the enemy, on a notable day In
our history. loading and firing with might
and main-the opposing guns almost touch
ing. All st once the colonel saw a culver
run down the llne-eXperience told him the
ammunition tcdS out. In one instant more
there would be a wild stampede the rear
masses would take IL up, the day would be
lost. lie would give the world for a saving
eXpedient- The happy thought flashed upon
him-the drilli He rose ia his stirrups and
his voice pealed out above the clamor of tue
guns:
"Attention! Order-ARMs." Down came
the muskets "Shoulder-ARMsi" up they
went again.I MARK time-by the left
hank-forward-MARCH
And with drums beating, and colors flying,
they stepped away a. calamity through tn
storm OF IRE, and smoke. and thunder, as NJ
they had been on dress parade. They arrived
in "a fety in the rear, without srealling RANKS
To that man really belongs the honor OF The
great victory that was won that day.
MARK TWAIN.
whats q DOiia, 60 a Man Wild a
Ia