The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1881-04-08


The steamer was fitted up with double
cabin, one above the other the upper one
opening upon a small deck, reaching out to-
ward the bow, near the centre of which, on a
raised platform, was placed the pilot house.
/ The deck was always occupied by passengers
and this morning it was particularly crowd
ed, for the boat was heavily laden with peo-
pie taking advantage of the beautiful wealth
er to make an excursion up the river.
Some rough fellow jostled against Mollie's
chair after a while, and she rose and passed
down into the cabin, 'to get drink of wat
err" she whispered to me as she passed but
l suspect it was to prevent the bursting of
the thunder clouds she saw gathering on
my brow.
/ l saw the insolent fellow made no attempt
to follow my dear one, so l gave myself up
to my own happy thoughts, and looking out
into the far distant, peaceful shores of the
river, over whose placid bosom we were
moving so swiftly, there rose from my heart
a glad, silent hymn of rejoicing.
But suddenly a cry broke from the cabin
behind me that effectuaIly changed the sub
| ject of my thoughts.
"Fire fire fire - horrible cry at all
/ times, but most horrible of all when it rings
/ forth in the midst of gay, unsuspicious hun
dreds floating in fancied security in the
midst of the waters.
! An instant's awe-struck silence succeeded
+ that awful cry, and then three hundred vol
/ ces of men, women and children united in
( fearful heartrending shrieks for help.
/ 'Fire fire FIRE -
/ Aye there was no mistake about it, nor
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 scrap of
awning and curtain they could find upon
their way, ever and anon darting long
[ tongues Of flame down to the fOoI to clasp
the light chairs and tables and settees in
their fiery embrace.
As we'll seek with sieve to scoop up the
waters of the great river on which the MoDil
ia Aoated as to try to subdue the roaring, de
vouring enemy that had seized upon the Ill
fated steamer.
The people daTted 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 rcra acis ''the right man in the
right place''-succeeded in partially quel!-
ing the panic.
"Keep quiet" he ordered, 'keep quiet
and stay where you are, or I will not answer
for the lives of any CT you. The steward
will provide every one of you with life pre-
( servers, but there is no reason for anyone to
/ go oyerboad-not yet awhile, at any rate,
unless suicide is desired. Keep quite, say
/ Pilot, head her straight for the land, half
7 IL, oh a.,
distance from the shore. Engineer, put on
all steam-crowd her on We will run a
race with the foul fend who has boarded the
Mobiia'
There was an instants pause, and then,
with groan and surge, with the timbers
creaking and the windows rattIing, and, as
though in mortal terror, the Mobilia gather
ed 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 there was as yet but littledan-
ger Of the panic stricken crowd on the lower
deck
But the pilot house was directly in the
track Of the 1ames and already their ad-
vance guard was beginning to surround me-
singeiug my hair and eyebrows
Suddenly there was a murmer among She
people below and the next instant light
form flew up the ladder leading to the little
deck by the pilot house, and before could
say word, my precious Mollie had thrown
open the door, and closing it again, stood by
my side.
''Nfolie, MoIieg I cried. ''For heavens
sake, go back, go back! Don't you see how
the flames are creeping towards us here ?
Go, go, my dearest, my own true wife
Don't unman me by making me fear for you.
Go down where l can feel you have a chance
of safety
'Bob Tbo1neI' she exclaimed her eyes
eyes looking straight into mine, cam 1 your
wife %
Surely, surely, thank God p 1 muttered
"But go, goF'
my post is here, just as yours is,'' she an
swered firmly. 81 will stay here, Rob, and
if you die 1 will die, too. We will make our
wedding trip together, my dear husband
even if it be into the next world. Keep 20
your duty, and never mind me, Rob There
is hope for us yet, and if the worst comes
why''-and grave, sweet smile crept around
her lips-''we are still together, dear love-"
l saw it was no use urging her any more,
and besides something swelled in my throat,
so just grlpped the wheel hard and looked
right ahead, though everything looked dim
just then, and my devoted darling stood
calmly al my side, watching the flames that
were creeping closer and closer upon us,
leaping around the pilot house like hungry
demons impatient for their prey.
"Thorne," cried the captain ''come down.
Lower her and yourself over the rail Wen
catch you, You cannot stay there any long
er. We are very near the shore now, and
the rest Wei take our chances on.
1t was an awful temptation. l knew that
did follow the captains advice, both Mollie
and I would be safe, for was a good swim
mer, and should the boat not reach the shore,
l could save her and myself but then il
did this would l not deliberately expose
every one of the eight hundred souls on
board to destruction? True, the boat might
keep to her course during the short space re-
naming to be passed merely from the impe-
tus of her approach, but again she might not
and then?
L looked at my dear wife inquiringly
''Sticz to your post, Rob, " she said.
"No, sir - l shouted back 81 shall stick
to my post; 1 shall stay here till run her
clear to the shore or die first
My brave Rob my noble Rob - mur-
INJURED Nellie,
But alas for my devoted Mollie Alas for
me Not the pilot house only, but the en-
tire deck around it was now surrounded bv