Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-02-20
M0LLIE,S .JYENTURR.

"a overlooking the lake, comfortably
chatting and enjoying the beautiful land
scape spread out before us. The little
steamer Maud was gliding up to- the
pier with a merry crowd Of piC-niCers
returning from an afternoon IN the
woods. and the whole scene was one Of
exceeding beauty.
"I never see a party like that" said
Mr.. Bennett, "without thinking of the
horrible excursion Mollie and took
once, and which, providentially, did not
end in a tragedy"
Please tell us about.it, Fred" said I;
we are just in the mood to hear a thrill
ing adventure"
How is it, Mollie, shall tell it, 0
will you % asked Mr. Bennett.
You tell it, Fred, of course" Mrs.
Bennett replied; " my part is not at all
thrilling: did not do much except cry,
and wiring my hands, and such conua-
geous proceedings during the whole
time, so 90 on with the story; if you get
it wrong anywhere, l will correct you.
Listen, them" said Fred. Il guess
none Of you have heard it except moth
er, and she can compare the story with
the letters we wrote home at the time;
see if | nothing extenuate, etc. One
day during our stay at g., two years ago,
we were invited to an excursion down
the bay to the lighthouse, which is on a
small island, about seven miles from the
city. We had delightful ride, and,
spent the day IN roaming up and down
the beach, inspecting the lighthouse and
eating the good things we had brought
with us. At five o'clock, we slowed away
in our baskets the remains of our feast,
preparatory to our starting for home.
Mollie complained of a headache, and
asked me to go with her down to the
boat, as she imagined the cool lake
breeze would bring healing on its
wings The boat was propeller, built
for tug, but altered into pleasure
boat in an awwkard, bungling manner,
and was the most announcement arrange
ment | ever saw. The cabin was in the
forward half Of the vessel and was lit.
tie, cramped affair, like an omnibus in
side, and about as large. 1t was impos-
sible to get from one end of the boat to
the other without climbing along over
the top of the cabin and engine-room,
and when the passengers once got into
the cabin they had to stay there until
the boat landed. Mollie has habit of
forgetting her gloves or something when
she leaves place, and in this instance
she sent me back to see if [ could find
her fan. l had just reached the shore
and was walking up the bank (leaving
MOllie in the cabin), when q man ran
past me, bounded like deer down the
bank, along the pier to the steamer,
and, quicker than can tell you how it
was done, he unfastened the line at the
stern of the boat, opened the throttle
valve of the engine, clambered up to
the pilot-house, and with the axe
that was hanging there, cut the
remaining line which fastened
the boat to the pier, and was steaming
away toward Lake Michigan at the rate
of ten miles an hour, beford we had re
allied what had happened. was par
alyzed with terrible fear Poor
Mollie! alone on the boat with muir
derer-for we soon found he was such
III thought not in deed. The cap
tain of the steamer had sharply repri-
manded the man, who acted as steers
man on our way out, for some blum
u
The fellow answered back in SO insult
ing manner, that in q fit of passion,
the captain sprang at him and clutched
his throat The fellow at this, drew an
ely knife and stabbed his adversary
ice in the body. The captain fell
IKE 4 log, and the other, frightened at
what he had done-or at thought Of the
consequences ofhis act-ran the steamer
off with the idea of escaping cap
ture.
We knew something must be done,
but what? The only boat at all service
able was fastened behind the steamer,
and we could see it bobbing along III
the rough water caused by the propeller
wheel, aud getting farther and farther
from us every moment. Rushing around
the shore of the island, half insane
with anxiety, | discovered an old flat
bottomed boat, leaky and rotten with
age; calling one of our party to help
me, we managed to get it out OF the
sand and gravel in which it was i'm
bedded. Taking an old board that lay
on the sand, we showed off and pad
died for the government dredge, which
was at work two miles off, calculating
that they must have boat with them
for the workmen to go ashore in. While
one of us padded the other bailed out
the water, and after a hard hours
hard labor, we reached the dredge.
1t was like tearing my heart out to
turn our boats head to the city, while
Mollie was being carried, as Tfeared, to
her death-for | was sure that the MUIR
derer would not pause at tritles-and if
his safety was endangered by his pres
ence on board, he would not scruple to
take her life. We, however, kept on
and reached the river at last, and while
my companion went to telegraph to S.
for the steamer "N0rtb- Vest (which we
knew was there) to start in the search.
| got on board a tug, and explaining
matters to its captain, we at once start
edin pursuit, The captain appreciated
the horrible situation and | venture to
say that quicker time was never made
by that boat. We passed the dredge
and left the boat we had borrowed with
out even slackening speed. We could
now see our party on the pier at the
lighthouse and passed them in a few
minutes without exchanging q word.
Every one knew our errand without
asking, and with anxious faces they
watched us as we swiftly followed the
direction taken by the missing boat. I
was in the pilot-house, with the cap
tain's telescope, eagerly searching for a
glimpse of the steamer, and terribly
afraid that night would come on before
we found it. On we went mile after
mile, keeping near the middle Of the
bay so that we could see both shores