Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1878-10-22

the BILE by three; then bis cares were
over for the day. and he devoted himself
to rum and tobacco.
"You surely can't eat, JennieP"
cried, as. after she had changed her drip
ping garments for dry ones. she sat down
at the table with what seemed to me
almost fiendish Indifference.
Eat! You must eatm she cried.
who knows what an hour may bring
forthp II you have to swim for your
life will you have any chance il you start
exhausted P"
l saw that she was right, and we
snatched hasty meal together, as best
we could. Just as had finished a quiv-
or ran through the ship; the motion
changed; she began to roll heavily. The
sofa on which we sat broke away from its
fastenings, and we were thrown violently
from one side OF the cabin to the other,
in the midst of an avalanche of all the
movsbles that were unfastened or had
broken away.
As soon as we regained our feet we
made for tho deck. / thought that the
asst moment had come, and desired only
to see daylight once more. We had part
cd from our anchor. and were drifting
rapidly toward the dark bristling cliffs to
leeward.
The sight seemed TO restore confidence
and courage 10 Jennie. "Go forward !"
sne screamed in my ear; "go forward,
you and the steward, and get the lower
sail on The foremast; black Jim and
will steer the ship"
Jennie's voice inspired me; the pros
pect ol doing something to avert our
fate gave me new strength. | stumbled
forward, holding on to anything that
came to hand. The steward stood at the
door OF his caboose, having jammed him.
self into secure position pipe was in
his mouth, and black bottle in his hand.
Come along man." shouted in his ear;
"cume and help me get up SAIL"
WHATS the oddsP" he replied in
sulon voice; whats the odds?" Let's
be happy while we may"
The man was drunk. cast despair
ing glance behind me when the poop,
raised high in air by some towering
wave, seemed almost to touch the sky
Jennie was at the wheel shading her eyes
with her hand, looking anxiously for
ward. All! what could do among all
this bewildering maze of cordage and
rigging. all shaking and rafting in the
wind-l, who hardly knew one rope
from anotherP But the sight of Jennie
at the wheel looking out for me nerved
me to do something. l made my way TO
the fOremast, and clambered up the
rigging, looking down at precipice OF
waters beneath me. Loose ropes and
flying blocks threatened me at every mo-
ment with destruction; but held on to
the ropes like grim death, and inspired
with the courage OF despair, | essayed
that which at another time should never
have dreamed OF; crawled out on the
yard with my knife 10 my teeth. and cut
one by one, the lsshings that bound the
sal 10 it.
The sail few out with tremendous
report, and threatened every moment 10
tear itself into tatters; but seizing a rope,
| slid down 10 the deck with rapidly
that took every morsel of skin off my
ankles; and getting hold of the rope that
saw controlled the movements OF the
sail, i hauled it in bit by BIT, and succeeded
in making fast one side of the sail. The
other offered less difficulty.
Jennie waved her hand triumphantly
from the poop. The ship began to move
through the water, no longer to drift
helplessly and iorlorn. We should clear
the headland thai now looked so ominous'
ly upon US, COUGHING there like some hun
cry animal awaiting Its prey.
crawled back TO the poop, and Jennie
rewarded me with an encouraging grasp
OF the hand. you did that beautifully"
she cried. "Now if the gale moderates,
ss think it will, and doesn't veer around
more to the westward"
AS she spoke we shot past the head
land. and gained a clear view OF the
coast beyond.
The sun was sinking low, and showed
for moment blood red streak between
two angry clouds. The lurid light it cast
upon the red frowniDg cliff was some-
thing appalling. They ran along for
miles, as far ss the eye could reach
steep, inaccessible heights, with the surf
beating angrily against them, and flying
up in clouds of spray half way to their
summit.
AS the sun went down, it came on to
blow harder and more from the west
ward. The line of cliffs . to leeward
loomed Aesrer and nearer. The sail
ceased to draw, beginning TO shake and
tap with loud noise.
"She will 60 nearer to the wind. Will
lie," cried Jennie. knitting her brows
"and we DRIFT continuously to leeward.
You must baul the sheet tighter, Willie.