The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1877-11-08

who drew the shortest slip was to yield
up his life for the benefit of the rest.
As pale as death Harriet sat watching
the drawing. A moment later she be-
held her husband looking at q small bit
of paper in his hand, while the hoarse
voice of Bruno grated on her ear:
"Mr. Rogers has drawn the short
slip He must diel
"Ay, ay, men," said Rogers "I will
soon be ready %
His.wife flung herself upon his bosom.
"Neverl never shall they tear you
from mel" she cried, twining her arms
about his neck.
"But, Harriet" he said, " it is neces-
sary. 1t is only fair that I should die."
:" You must not you shall not" ex-
claimed the young woman. "We can
all go without food some hours longer,
during which we may see a SAIL"
" No, no, no." cried Rogers ship
mates simultaneously, "We must have
food now."
Hunger had driven them to despera-
tion. Their teeth were clenched, their
eyes wild and bloodshot, their faces more
like those of wolves than of human
beings.
"Let me go, dear Harriet" said the
young man to his wife. "Let me bid
you goodbye, and may Heaven bless
you."
Some of the men advanced toward
Harriet, who still held her husband in
an embrace from which he could not dis
engage himself. Turning towards the
sailors, she said :
Back, back, never shall you tear me
from him. But if you must have hui
man life, take mine instead of my hus-
bands" ="
At this the men drew back Even at
that dreadful moment they could not
endure the thought of killing woman.
The first officer, who had watched his
chance, now by sudden movement TAX
ing advantage of his wife's head being
suddenly turned, and neryed to adj
ditional strength by the narrowing
thought that his shipmntes might at
length come to the conclusion of accept
ing Harriet's proposition to sacrifice her
life. broke from her entwining arms and
ran towards the bow of the boat
There he was quickly joined by the
other men, one of whom now placed
himself as barrier between the young
woman and her husband, whom she was
making frantic efforts to reach
Perceiving that she could not pass the
man, she fell upon her knees, and, in n
voice of the most heart -rending agony,
again begged the others to take her own
instead of her husbands life.
But her supplications were in vain.
She saw her husband leaning back pre-
pared to die, while Bruno proceeded to
=, IL. k,,l.
on one OF the hoops of the breaker.
Having at length prepared the weapon,
he stopped over the young man to cut
bis throat, while companion stood by
With tin cup to catch the blood.
"For mercy's sake wait" she cried,
Look first and see there is not sail
i'll sight"
The men obeyed her request. They
scanned the ocean far an near, but no
sign of a sail was to be seen.
"How do you know there is not one
hidden by that mist ?" she inquired,
pointing toward a small fog-bank q
league to windward.
"There is none." one of the men an
swered. 81 feel sure looked at that
very spot bsfore the fog settled there,
about fifteen minutes since"
No, no you may be mistaken.
copjure you, L implore you to wait till
the fog clears up, when you may see a
SAIL"
The men exchange glances.
" It's no use," cried Bruno "but to
satisfy you, we will wait a few minutes
before we take your husbands life."
At this Harriet started up. With her
hands clasped and her hair streaming
down her back, she stood, her eyes
| turned toward the sky.
In this position there came upon her
face an expression that had never been
seen there before.
1T was almost divine, filling the coun-
tenance with an unearthly beauty, light
ing the eyes with such a radiant CLEAN
"A look of such strong, concentrated
will, blended with heavenly supplica-
ton. that the rough men drew back
with mingled respect and awe, trembling
under sort of supernatural influence.
/ A moment the young woman stood
thus, and then from her parted lips
came her voice, full of strange, wierd
power, making the blood leap in every
vein +:
=" Oh, heaven, sail sail -
The words were simple enough, but
the manner in which they were uttered
thrilled her listeners to the heart.
Instinctively they all glanced around
upon the ocean, as If expecting that the
prayer would be answered.
North, south, east and west they
looked, but they saw no sign of vessel.
When about five minutes had passed,
however, Bruno was seen pointing
toward the strip of fog, which, slowly
rising like curtain, revealed q sail.
Yes, there it was, sure enough, and
with cry of wild Joy on seeing it, Har-
riet, no longer kept from her husband,
/ flung herself upen his breast, while the
others gave expression to their feelings
by hoarse shouts, sobs and frantic laugh
! ter.
Signals were made, the vessel bore
/ down for the boat, and the occupants
were soon en- deck, to be kindly treated
by the captain of the bark Java, bound
! to London.
/ The half-starved men were agreeably
surprised to find aboard this vessel theil
shipmates of the quarter-boat, which, il
seems, had been picked up four days
previously.
In due time the vessel arrived at he,
home port, where the sailors related to
I their friends how Harriet Rodgers had
saved the life of her husband.
! Some of the men insisted that ten O,
| fifteen minutes before she uttered hel
prayer, there had been no vessel at the
point where it was discovered. OF course
I n IL