Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1881-07-09

} "Oh, Mr.. Cramp wake up! Wake
upl There's no one to help me" cried
Sarah.
There was rush of tears to her eyes
but he paid no heed, and slept peace
fully through it all. No time for tears
There were two tow-boats, each with Q
canal boat, coming down from the North
River They whistled for the "Mary
} and Sarah to pass between them. She
replied to each, and looked back at the
bark. 1t was towing straight behind,
and she went on and passed the tows in
safety. Now, she must enter the river
by keeping close to Pier l, as the great
white boats were on her left just ahead,
Oh worse than anything yet The
plymouth Rock" one of the largest
excursion boats, was backing out from
the pier into the stream. Sarah stood
on tiptoe to look il there were masts OF
smolSe-stacks to be seen beyond the
Plymouth Rock" There was nothing
to be done but to squeeze in between
the pier and the steamers bows as she
cleared the dock. She pulled the wheel
over, and made directly for the third
arch of the stone pier. If she had her
boat alone she could stop and wait till
the way was clear; but with a heavy
ship towing behind, the case was very
different. The bark could not stop, and
would crowd down upon the steamer
if that stopped. On came Sarah.
and, at the right moment, she whirled
the wheel over, and blew her whistle
furiously so as to urge the plymouth
Rock to move on. All she could see
/ ~ Tor. hot h. 4
She swept on close by hepier-so near,
in fact, that the people on the dock
stared in at her window and wondered
to see young girl at the wheel, and
with an old man asleep on the sofa be-
hind her.
1t wouldn't do to keep near the docks,
and she struck out into the centre of
the river, when warming whistle on
the left startled her. 1t was big ferry
boat coming up from behind the "Ply-
mouth Rock from Communipaw, and
making for hel slip. She rang to re-
verse the engine, and looked through
the back window at the bark. She
must keep clear of it. The ferry boat
swept across her bows just as the bark
came up with her, and she called for
full speed and went ahead again. With
sharp eyes on the river, she watched
every moving vessel to be seen, every
ferry boat crossing the river, lazy
barges drifting on the tide, and swift
excursion steamers loaded with pascal
gers. She crossed the Jersey City and
Erie ferry tracks and began to feel safer
| The worst of it was over. A little
| higher up she would turn in toward the
city, and creep slowly up to Pier No. ~.
where the bark was to be left. 4 deep
roaring whistle startled her, and she
| looked along the docks to see where it
/ came from. Ahl The crowd of people
ON the next pier but one explained it.
1t was steamship coming ont of her
deck. Sarah blew her whistle as a
warning, but it was to no purpose.
The huge black bows of an ocean
steamer moved out directly in front of
her. Either they had not seen her, or
her signal had not been heard. 1t was
too late for them to stop. She leaned
forward and spoke down the tube: $50
astern, quick quick !"
She felt the engine stop and reverse,
and still the boat moved forward tow
ard the vast black bulk before her.
She saw an officer wave his hand on the
bridge, and heard the boatswain's whis-
tie. They were going to put out fend-
ers to break the force of the collision.
Sarah watched them calmly till she felt
the boat stop, then she threw over the
wheel and rang the bell for full speed
ahead. The danger came from the
bark towing behind. She looked be-
hind and saw that it was coming up
with her. In moment she began to
get speed again, and struck out into the
stream at right angle with the bark,
and parallel with the steamship. If the
tow-line held she would save the bark
If it broke-well, it was all she could
do.
A shadow fell on the pilot house floor.
She had come directly alongside the
Cunarder, and had run into it sidewise
with a gentle jar. A rope fell down
from the ship, ard soon young man in
uniform stood on the deck in front Of
Sarah's pilot house.
"What's this, miss? What's your
tipsy pilot doing there asleep on the
sofa ?"
Sarah did not turn, but looked steadi-
ly through the window behind. The
"Mary and Sarah fairly reeled under
the sudden strain-the tow-line held
the bark was safe. She had stopped its
headway, and 1t swung around under the
Cunarder's stern, and all three vessels
drifted out into the stream together. A
hand was laid on hers, and Sarah found
the young officer by her side.
"Oh, sir the mate was sick, and ]
had to take the wheel"
eyes, miss, and it was skillful turn
too. AS clever bit of seamanship a.
ever | saw -
Then he bent over the sleeping mate
and tried to rouse him. Another Officer
slid down the rope and came to the win
dow of the pilot
whats the matter, Hodson?'
Matter enough, sir" answered Hod
son, as he laboriously, but gently, triet
to turn the pilot over; "and the girl
had the wheel p
"She's master hand at steamboa
work." said the other officer, as he cam,
into the pilot-house. "Hello Bring
water The man has tainted -
But it was not fainting fit nor heav,
sleep. What wonder the poor man hat
not heard Sarah Even the men coulC
not arouse hun, and when, at last, h
opened his eyes, it was evident that i
would be many long day before hi
hand cOuld ouida the wheel again