Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-08-18
CHE Sturp Teller.
THE PILOTS STORY.

bOrS, and-Whlch does not always Hollow
firm friends as we'll They were poor, and l
suspect that fact had much to do with their
friendship, for opportunities were always
turning up for helping one another, and
have often noticed that when near neighbors
are we'll of, and have no need of mutual
help, there is seldom any friendship between
them. There is more apt to be jealousy and
competition.
Our parents being such good friends, it
naturally resulted that Molly and l followed
their example. We went to school together,
read together, played together, and somehow,
when Molly was eighteen and twenty, we
agreed to travel together all our lives, and
were happy in that arrangement; in fact no
other would have seemed right or natural,
either to US or our parents.
From the earliest days of my boyhood. |
had evinced fondness for the water, haunting
the palatial steamboats, that Aoated the great
. Mississippi River, on whose banks nestled the
city in which we dwelt, and, at the period to
which am about to refer, had just secured
a position as pilot on small freight steamer.
1t was not much of position. to be sure,
nor was there much of salary attached to 1t,
but small as it was, Molly and decided that
we could make it answer for two people,
neither of them extravagant or unreasonable; !;
besides which, l had hopes of better times to
come, as had received words OF commenda.
ton from my employers and promises Of
speedy promotion.
So, early one bright morning, having OBJ.
tanned days leave of absence, Molly and |
were married, and stepping into a carriage
had hired for the occasion, we started OF,
having decided on days excursion to cele.
brated cave near by. this being all the wed.
ding trip we could allow ourselves; not that
we cared in the least, however-we were too
happy to be disturbed by any shortcomings
Of time or purse.
We had scarcely driven beyond our own
street, however, when we were brought to
halt.
"Here is note to you from the superin'
tendent
Thus it ran: cam sorry to have to recall
your leave to day, but you must Immediately
90 on board the Mobiia, which is ready to
start up the river. The pilot is too i'll to
attend to duty, and you are appointed to take
his place for the present"
"There goes our wedding trip all to smash"
said I, as l read the order to Molly.
"Why 500" she asked.
"You see, I must 60 to the pilot-house Of
the Mobilia."
every WE'LL" she replied, eve will just 60
up the river instead Of to the cave. Drive
on, Bob; let US 60 down to the wharf IN
state"
"But you cant go into the pilot'house with
me, little goose"
"Of course not; but I can sit on the deck
outside" laughed Molly, "and we can look at
each other"
And so it came about that took possession
of the Mobilia's pilot-house, my heart glowing
with love and pride-with love, for there,
lust below me, on the little forward deck, sat
my sweet bride; with pride, because the
Mobilia was one of the finest of the floating
palaces" of the Mississippi, and to pilct such
one had for years been the height OF my
ambition.
The steamer was fitted up with a double
cabin, one above the other, the upper one
opening upon small deck reaching out to-
ward the bow, near the centre of which, on
raised platform, was placed the pilot. house.
This deck was always occupied by passen-
gers, and this morning it was particularly
crowded, for the boat was heavily laden with
people taking advantage of the beautiful
weather to make an excursion up the river.
Suddenly cry broke forth from the cabin
behind me- "Fre Fire Fire!"
A horrible cry at all times, but most horri-
ble of all when it rings forth in the midst of
gay, uususpicious hundreds, floating in fan
cied security in the midst Of the waters.
An iDstant's awe-struck silence succeeded
that awful cry, and then three hundred voices
of men, women and children united in fearful,
heartrending shrieks for help.
Fire! fire! fire!
Aye, there was no mistake about it !; no
false alarm. No one could tell how it had
commenced, but there it was, creeping along
the roof of the upper cabin, with the deadly
flames greedily tapping up every awning and
curtain they could find upon their way, ever
and anon dartinS long tongues of fame down
to the floor, 10 clasp in the light chairs, and
tables and settees in their fiery embrace.
The people darted down from the blazing
upper cabin to the forward deck below, where
as yet the foe had made but little headway,
and there our brave captain-who was that
rara avis, the right man in the righ place
succeeded in partially quelling the panic.
keep quiet!" he ordered-"keep quiet
and stay just where you are, or will not an
swer for the lives of any of you. The stew
ard will provide every one of you with life
preservers but there is no reason for any
person to 90 overheard yet awhile, at any rate.
unless suicide is desired. Keep quiet. say
Screaming won't frighten the fire away. Pi-
lot, head her straight for the island half
mile ahead" eve were at least twice that
distance from the mainland on either shore.)
Then he shouted to the engineer: "Put on
all steam-crowd her on. We will run
race with the foul 6end that has boarded the
Mobilia."
There was an instant's pause, and then with
a groan and surge, with the timbers creak-
ing and straining and the windows rafting
as though in mortal terror, the Mobllia gath
cred herself up to run her last race.
Each passing moment the flames crept on
and on, never pausing in their terrible march.
Fortunately, they leaped upward rather than
downward, so that there was as yet but little
danger to the panic.stricken crowd on the
lower deck. But the pilot-house was directly
in the track of the flames, and already their
advance guard was beginning to surround me,
sngeng my hair and eyebrows.
Suddenly there was murmur among the
people below, and the next instant light
form flew up the ladder leading to the deck
by the pilot-house, and before could utter
word, my precious Molly had thrown open
the door, and closing it again, stood by my