Middletown transcript., 1881-05-13

He did not know what it meant, but,
sensitive and keenly alive to every inn
preston that night, nothing escaped
him. He ran forward without know
ing why he did so, the rumbling of the
carriage leading him. 1t went his own
way, too, straight for the landing, and,
turning corner, he saw a steamboat
lying at the waters edge.
He was in luck, after all, he thought !;
this was the boat Hero, and almost
ready to start. The bell was ringing
Justify, but the plank was still out and
few passengers were making their way
across it. He hurried on board and got
back into the shadows where he could
see without being seen. The perspira-
tiOn was standing in cold drops upon
his forehead and face, and he trembled
so that he could hardly stand.
He had always been plain, straight
forward fellow, little given to noting
the particular phases of his own mind !;
and now, with no evidence of his senses
to assure him that it was so, he could
not understand why he believed so
firmly that his wife and George May
were on board the Hero with him.
The steamer glided out into the
stream and went sailing smoothly for
ward, its great lights making shining
path on the waters. The cloud which
had been lying in.the south was rising
and now covered half the sky, an occa-
sional CLEAN of lightning darted from
it. The wind was rising, too, sweeping
across the deck in strong steady gusts.
Leaning upon the deck-railing, Harry
Vane watched the rising tempest. He
saw that the cloud had a reddish tinge,
and that it still hung low.
These thoughts were flashing through
his mind when the tempest came in its
full fury. The boat was caught up
from its course as a plaything is taken
in the hand of a child, then dashed for
ward. No sound was heard, no shrek
nor cry, nothing but the mad roar of
the winds and the terrible crashing of
the thunder. Like some goaded, mad
dened beast, the Hero rocked, plunged
and leaped, it's timbers crashing and
breaking, the foam rising in great
sheets above and about it. Then, it
seemed hardly a moments time, the
wind lulled to calm, and instead of
the hurricanes roar was heard the
screaming of children the groaning of
strong men.
''The steamer is sinking-tO the life
boats, quick y some one cried in a loud
voice.
And then shrieks followed, and half
clad women and little children clinging
to their mothers breasts, their sweet
lips frozen with fear ; men, helpless
with terror, rushed out of the cabin
and state-rooms to the side of the sink
ing steamer.
A few men, nerved with superhuman
energy, put out the boats and helped
the passengers into them. One man
stood, tall and strong above the rest,
very Sampson in strength, the bravest
among the brave. Bruised and stunned |
by the falling timbers, yet he had been
the first to rally the men to their duty, !
and now he stood, drenched to the skin,
lifting women and children into the |
boats.
They were all in at last, and he stood |
alone. "Come - some one cried, reach
ing up hand to him ''there is no
time to lose. There is room here"
care you sure that the boat will not
be overburdened ?"
He spoke rapidly and in a low tone,
but from the boat below some one gave
out smothered cry. He had not time
to say more-a strong hand pulled him
and the next moment he was
in the heavily-laden life-boat.
"Let us make for the Shore" one
man said.
'Move easy, if you value your lives"
to sinking"
Beyond this was silence. Now and
then the lightning flashed over them,
showing white faces, shivering forms
and figures crouched and trembling
with fear. In the end of the boat, quite
near the brave man who had fought so
calamity to so save them, a woman sat,
her hands clasped about the arm of
man whose face seemed shrunken with
terror. Whatever there had been of
beauty in the regular effeminate fea-
lures, it was gone now, leaving only
weak cowardice. The woman was Sarah
Vane, and the poor fear-jaded creature
beside her, for whom she had deserted
ler husband, was George May.
''We shall sink if we go on in this
way. The boat cannot carry this load,'
some one said. "How many men can
swim %
'ESwim ? 1t would be death to try
it, was the answer.
''Then we shall all go down to-
yether.''
Sarah Vane turned to the man beside
her.
"You can swim, George ?'' she whis-
pered in his ear.
''Hush ! do you think 1 want to
lie ?''
She shrank away from him, q look of
contempt sweeping over her
face. This was her hero, her god, then
but the poorest of clay in time of
need. She sprang to her feet. She,
woman, would show him how to die.
Before she could speak, her husbands
voice sounded, striking down upon her
heart full of it's old music.
81 will try swimming, gentlemen"
he said.
The wife caught his hand in hers.
''I will go with you, Harry"
He tried to put her away, but she
,lung to him with desperation.
II am not coward, whatever else
am,' she whispered. For heavens
,ake let me redeem myself"
He wound his arms about her and
leld her passionately to his breast. A
lash Of lightning revealed them for
second as they stood there clasped int
zach others embrace then, without
word they went over the boats side to-
yether.
All in the life-boat were saved-and
hey perished.
THE new spring style in bonnets is