The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1878-01-03
A wlFE's PRAYER.

A WIFE'S PRAYER.
For three days terrible gale drove
before it the ship Pembroke, bound to
Liverpool from the Sandwich Islands.
Under bare poles, with every timber
groaning and creaking, with the tall
masts bending like reeds, with heavy
seas and binding spray sweeping her
decks fore and aft, the vessel doomed on,
rolling, plunging and quivering in her
desperate struggle with the tempest.
AT midnight, Just before the ending
. of the third day, fearful cry, not loud,
but hoarse and deep, went through the
ship:
"We have sprung leakW
Then the light from the two lanterns
hung up in the main and mizzen shrouds
fell upon the sturdy forms of seamen
hurrying to rig the pumps.
Soon the dismal clang was heard as the
stont fellows toiled and toiled, but all
to no purpose.
@oh, Henry, what shall we dol The
leak is gaining upon usF cried despair
ingly the young wife of Mr.. Rogers, the
first mate.
She was fine, noble looking woman,
and was liked and respected by every
man aboard ship. A true daughter Of
Eve, her love for her husband was SO
deep and absorbing that she would have
followed him through any hardship or
peril sooner than separate from him for
long period.
! Now as the sturdy, good-looking
young mate heard his, wife's cry of
alarm, he flung an arm round her waist
and bade her be of good cheer.
s'If it should come TO the worst" said
he, ''we will probably fall in, ere long,
with some other Graf" ~
Meanwhile the leak steadily gained
The captain sent his carpenter into the
hold
"Captainp cried the latter, when he
returned, "it's all up with usl There
must be big hole in the ship, as the
water in her is already seven feet deep"
| A look of dismay settled on every
face.
"Get the boats ready" said the skip
per.
order, the ships hull, settling lower and
lower, was soon nearly ingulfed in the
crushing, roaring seas.
The sailors had barely time to put
bag of sea- biscuit, a couple of cans of
prepared meat and breaker of fresh
water in each of the boats, when, with
sidelong sheer, the vessel rolled half way
over to leeward, as helpless as log, pre-
paratory to going down.
The mate and his wife, with eight
men, took to the long boat; the rest of
the ships occupants, amounting to ten
sailors. entered the quarter boat.
Just as the two light vessels put away
from the doomed craft, the latter plung-
ing her bows under, a dull report was
heard, as the matches were burst open
by the rising water in the hold.
A minute later, elevating her stern,
the ship sank out of sight in the stormy
ocean.
In the darkness and amongst the
heavy seas, the mates boat soon became
separated from the other.
At dawn no sign of the latter could
be discovered by those who looked for it.
Keeping the boat dead all day against
the wind, the mate with his companions
Yainly watched for sail.
Thus, day after day passed, until near
: " a week had elapsed, by which time
the scanty provisions having giving
out, and the sailors starving for food,
the dreadful hour came when, to save
the lives of many, it was thought neces.
sary that one should be killed to supply
the terrible necessity of food that was
killing the crew of the boat Scraps OF
paper were prepared, with the names oi
all on board except Harriet Rogers, the
first.officer's wife, placed into hat, and
the mates wife, blindfolded, appointed
to draw tie name of the doomed man
The name of her husband, the mate, was
drawn. Then ensued a scene which beg
gars description.
The wife threw herself on her husband
breast, and, in voice of love and de
spair commingled, demanded by argu
ment and persuasion, to take his place
, The i'll fated crew of the boat, however
could not endure, even in that dreadful
moment, when pity seems to have al
most taken fight from every heart, th
thought of killing a woman.
The first officer, who had watchet
his chance, by sudden movement
taking advantage of his wife's head bein
suddenly turned, and nerved to addition
al strength by the narrowing though
that his shipmates might at length com
to the conclusion of accepting Harriet
proposition to sacrifice her life, brok
from her entwining arms and ran t.
wards the bow of the boat.
There he was quickly Joined by tn
other men, one of whom now place
himself as barrier between the youn
woman and her husband, whom she W!
making frantic efforts to reach.
Perceiving that she could not pass Il
man, she fell upon her knees, and, in
voice of the most heart-rending agor
again begged the others to take her ov
instead of her husbands life.
But her supplications were in vain.
She saw her husband leaning ba
prepared to die, while Bruno proceed
to sharpen his knife for the dreadf
work on one of the hoops of the breakt
Having at length prepared the weapo
he stopped over the young man to cut !
throat, while companion stood by wi
tin cup to catch the blood.
"For mercy's sake wait" she erie
"Look first and see if there is not a S
in sight. "s