The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-02-23

wasted ana SnTuDken. Il CAL edI nor
sleep, nor do half of the work / used to-
I'm starving for sight OF his face, and
what harm can 1t do him Tor me to be
happy just one day."
Poor Lal l was not particularly
soft hearted chap, but the sight OF her
distress gave me a queer feeling In the
throat, and rode on without speaking.
/ Inc night set In as l expected, with
sharp storms OF wind and rain, and by
the time had got home and had done
supper there was q high sea running.
| 1.-The boat III never start o-morrow,
Tom," / remarked, as, for eompany's
sake, / turned into the kitchen for
smoke.
| Tom looked doubtful. lid feel more
ssre o. that, sir, il old Peter had gone
| in her. He's safe hand and Almost
overcareful; but young Peter is rash
and won't wait for weather.
Don't croak, Tom,' retorted :"
| besides, the weather may mend before
midnight. when they'd be starting, and
then MI. Clint will be there, and he's
sure to wait II there's any danger" But
as Tom still shook his head and persist
ed in calling to mind all the shipwrecks
he had ever been in, gave up the ar
Rument and went to bed. telling him to
call me at o'clock Ii [ wasn't stirring
before.
1t seemed to me that I had only just
| cropped asleep, when his voice at my
side awoke me next morning. "Mr.
Westcott. sir it's o'clock, and an awful
nasty sea on. And I've been down
| twice to the beach, and can't see moth
ing OF the boat"
Get out, You old fooln' l roared.
"You don't for one moment suppose
they are anywhere but safe in Nelson
harbor ?'
Tom vanished, but I got up thor
oughly uncomfortable all the same and
| hurried down to the beach without
waiting for breakfast.
| Tue sea looked nasty, truly. A
| line OF white breakers numbered over
the rocks, and threw their spray high
into the air; a thick spray hung over
| Nelson and hid the outlines OF the coast.
| but here and there white swirl OF
waters showed dangerous spot to be-
ware of. After look round was re-
turning, wnen spieda little figure sit
ting perched half way up the face OF
the cut. on little shelter formed by a
projecting ledge.
"Lal. you silly girl, come down
There's not footing for bird there
and what good can you do? They've
never started, I'm sure. Come and
have some breakfast with Tom" But
| might as we'll have shouted at the sea-
gulls, for che never moved.
When / came down again she was still
there, deaf to everything except the
thunder and the roar of the sea. The
storm seemed to increase as the morn
ing wore away, and even Tom had come
around to my opinion that young Peter
never could have put out in such sea,
when we were startled by message
from Lal She had sent to say she saw
something-driftwoo it might be-still
it was something.
Never, as long as live, shall / forget
the horror which clutched at our hearts
and blanched our faces as, for a mo-
ment, Tom and I stared at one another
while Ted breathlessly delivered the
message.
or course we followed him at once
and stood again peeping out into the
fog and spray.
81 see nothing, Lal," 1 shouted
whereabouts is it now?"
Lal for answer thrust out her long,
bony arm. "There 'tisl" she cried
"and 'tis-Lord have mercy tits our
boatp'
| Not one word more did any one say
Some half-dozen men, we stood there
helpless, watching the little spot grow
and grow till we could make it out as
down in the trough OF the wave, now
she rides on top, now she's near enough
for us TO make out the six dark figures
in heri They are all there, thank God for
thatl Now we lose sight OF her again,
and / shout hoarsely to Lal. '.All
right" she pants; they are safe past
Split Rock, and they are going to beach
the boat"
/ Chamber up on fallen mass of rock
and can see Lal Is right. They are com
ing In on the breakers and will let the
boat drive ashore. She will go to pieces
but it is their only chance.
We watch GREATNESS, and no one
speaks, although old Peter stands be.
side me, and he has two sons in
peril. One tremendous wave dashes
them almost within our reach-not
qulte-they are swept back, and the
boat goes under. A moment more, and
she re-appears bottom upward among
the boiling waters, and with wild
shrek Lal springs from her watching
place into the water beneath.
MAD fool" / cry, breaking into wo.
manish sobs and rushing forward with
an idea OF doing mething-anything.
But old Peter lays a shaking hand on
my shoulder.
Don't ZEE throw your life away, sir
ouO sO S0h hill Wy OnC urtlly buH III Dill }
one can live in such sea, I'll bach
Lal."
''But your boys, Peter?" I gasp, com
pletely knocked out of all self-com
mand.
81 be watching" said the old man
giving me a little shake in his sup.
pressed excitement. Nobody ham,
come up yet but Master Clint, and La
have got. he tight"
There isn't much more to tell. GU
OF all the six, only Fairfax was saved
though the bodies were washed ashore
next day.
| La, whose love gave her superhumar
strength, had kept Clint's head away
from the rock which crushed the life
out of the other poor lads, and almost
the next wave rolled both to our feet.
It took US long time to unclasr
Lal's hands, and [ don't believe she
ever knew that she really had saved the
man she died for.
She was buried when Parson HOOPER