The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-05-05

and the terrible crashing of the thunder.
Like some maddened beast the Hero
rocked, plunged and leaped, its timbers
crashing and breaking, the foam rising
in great sheets above and about it. Then
the wind lulled to calm, and instead
of the hurricanes roar was heard the
screaming of children, the grooming OF
strong men.
1.-The steamer is singing-to the life
boats quick" some one cried in 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 sinking
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
Samson in strength, the bravest among
the brave. Bruised and stunned by the
falling timbers he had been the first to
rally the men to their duty, and now he
stood drenched to the skin, lifting wo-
men and children into the boats.
They were all in at last and and he
stood alone. Gomez some one cried,
reaching up hand TO him; there is no
time to lose. There is room enough in
here"
"Are you sure the boat will not be
over-burdened?"
Of vnvx
but from the boat below some one gave
out smothered cry. He had not time
to say more-a strong hand pulled him
forward 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 our lives"
answered another. 'The boat is filed
to sinking"
Beyond this was silence. Now and
then the lightning flashed over them,
showing white faces. shivering forms
and figures crouching and trembling
with fear. In the end of the boat, quite
near the brave man who had fought so
calamity to save them, a woman sat, her
hands ciasped about the arm of man
whose face seemed shrunken and aged
with terror. What there had been of
beauty in the regular, effeminate fea-
lures, it was gone now, leaving only
weak cowardlce. The woman was Sarah
Vane, and the poor fear-jaded creature
beside her, for whom she had deserted
husband, was George Way.
"We shall sink if we go on::this way. The
boat cannot carry this load" some one
said. "How many men can swim?"
"Swim? 1t would be death to try it,
was the answer.
"Then we shall all go down together"
Sarah VRne turned to the man beside
her.
"You can swim, George, "she whispered
in his ear.
"Hush! do you think want to die?"
She shrank away from him, look of
supreme contempt sweeping over face.
This was her hero, her god, then-but
the poorest of clay in the time of need.
She sprang to her feet. She, q woman,
would show him how to die. Before
she could speak her husbands voice
sounded, striking down upon her heart
full of its old music:
81 will try swimming, gentlemen" he
said.
The wife caught his hand in hers:
II will go with you, Harry"
He tried to put her away but she chung
to him with desperation.
81 am not coward, whatever else l
am" she whispered. "For heavens sake,
let me redeem myself"
He wound his arms about her and held
her to his breast. A flash of lightning
revealed them as they stood there clasped
in each others embrace; then without a
word they went ever the boats side to-
gether.
All in the life-boat we're saved and they
neriahad