Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1878-12-28

VOTuCloUs Suhths
"Sharks."
YES, SIR" said Harvey; 'anl you
are aware of the belief-superstition if
you choose, prevalent among sailors?'
That sharks never follow bot where
they scent the approach of death:"
Just 81. and although am not at
ali superstitious the truth Of the asser-
ton seems so we'll authenticated by
actual occurrences, that
.'Yes-yes, / see, interrupted Halle
ton. "YOu arc inclined to believe in
it. Well, there may lie something in
IT; there's one of the steerage passen-
gers in q galloping consumption, per
haps they are after him, though l sin
cerely hope not. for l would like to
land him upon his native shore, where
he seems so DESTROYS OF finding q
grave"
"You will keep the crew in ignorance
of their vicinity, SIR"
"CGtainly-if / can" returned Cap
tain Hazl.ton. 1t would do no good to
let them know it, and it might brighten
some poor fellow into the sca. I'll"
"Sharks. SHARKS" came from the man
at the masthead at this m oment.
"Ah! it is impossible to do 80 now"
said Hazleton in O lowered tone, but
l will do the best can" Then with
ll.acted sang froid, he continued,
speaking to the lookout aloft.
"Where away, my hearty?"
Dead astern,' came the ringing re-
ply.
Hazleton lightly.
They are bearing down on us fast,
sir" ventured the lookout.
LET them bear down-they can't
board us
The railing tones of the captain
served to quiet the fears of the passen-
gers; but the sailors, who were, or be-
lieved themselves to be, sea lawyers,
went about the performance of their
duties with blanched cheeks and down
cast eyes.
And the lady in gray had been stand
ing all this while within a few feet of
the captain and Harvey Irving. and
had heard every word that passed the
lips Of either. At the first hail from
the masthead. she reused herself and
turned to where she had left her child.
But the child was no longer there,
and the mothers heart sent forth
wailing cry.
"Elsie. Elsie, darling - where are
you?"
And there came frightened answer
in q childish treble, and the mother
caught glimpse of an outstretched
baby hand and futtering baby dress,
as little Elsie disappeared over the
rail.
With naught but the treacherous sea beneath.
Harvey Irving, too, had heard the
mothers cry and seen the baby hand,
and pausing but for an instant to tear
off his cumbersome jacket and shout
for the life-boat to be lowered, leaped
into the sea and struck out boldly for
the fast receding child.
1t was heroic act. Would God al
low it to be fruitless one?
As the life-boat kissed the blue wa
ter, Harvey, hundred yards astern,
grasped little Elsie, and just in time,
too, for her closely-woven clothing,
which had hitherto buoy ed her up, was
fast becoming saturated and heavy in
consequence.
But the nearest of the sharks had
been on the alert; his watchful eye had
detected the prey, and with redoubled
speed he darted toward the gallant
Irving and his charge, his black fin
cleaving the waves like knife.
It was terrible scene for mother
to gaze upon; the struggling sailor and
her darling child-the fierce, relentless
foe nearing them, oh! SO fast-and the
sluggish boat, which seemed to crawl
along as il it had drag attached, oil.
though the sinewy seamen strained at
the tough blades until they cracked
again.
1t was fearful race, the boat upon
one side and the shark upon the other.
Harvey could do comparatively moth
ing-nothing but keep Elsie and him
self upon the top of the water,
But now the final moment for good
or i'll approached; the life-boat was
scarcely ten feet distant and the shark
but five, when, with heaven born in
SEPARATION, Harvey Irving held the child
aloft in his right hand, while he thrust
the left toward the shark, who by this
time turned upon his back in order to
grasp his victims.
Then there came crunching snap
and the young sailor lifted the stump
the monster had left him from the
crimsoning sea, and murmurine.
You're welcome to him if it saves the
child" he tainted sheer away, Just as
the bow oarsman of the life.boat
grasped him by the hair.
For three days after he had been
handed, with the rescued Elsie. up the
side OF the Peerless, Harvey living
lowered between the world that is and
the world to come; then his breath
came back, family at first, but soon
more regularly and decided, and his
hazel eyes Enclosed to fall upon the
beautiful face and sober gray suit of
Alice Penrhyn-his nurse.
HE will live, thank Godv
The voice was low and subdued. but
he heard it, and he thought he had
never heard 80 sweet one before.
.'The child?" he said, inqairingly-
'she was saved 2"
"Oh, yes-brave mani" replied his