The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-02-17

ucck. SGt NY SWccJ uIltc, DcCuuSc
the Mobilia was one Of the finest Of
the beautiful floating palaces Of the
Mississippi, and to pilot such a one
, had for years born the height Of my
ambition. .....
The steamer was fitted up with Il
double cabin, one above the other
the upper one opening upon a small
deck, reaching out toward the bow,
near the centre Of which, on raised
platform, was placed the pilot house.
This deck was always occupied by
passengers, and this morning it was
particularly crowded, for the boat
was heavily laden with people tax
ing advantage of the beautiful
weather 70 make an excursion up the
river
Somt 4 rough fellows jostled
against .Mollie's chair after awhile,
and she rose and passed down into
the lower cabin, "to get drink OF
water" she whispered to me as she
passed; but | suspect it was really
to prevent the bursting of the thun-
der-clould she saw gathering on my
brow.
saw that the insolent fellows
made no attempt to follow my dear
one, so / gave myself up to my own
own happy thoughts, and looking
out on the far-distant, peaceful
shores of the great river, over
whose placid bosom we were NOV
ing so swiftly, there rose from my
heart a glad, silent hymn of re-
joicing.
But suddenly q cry broke forth
from the cabin behind me that effec
tually changed the current of my
thoughts:
Fire. fire! fret A horrible
cry AT all times, but most horrible
of all when it rings forth in the
midst of gay, unsuspicious han
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 voices, of men, wo-
men and children, united in fearful,
heart-rendering shrieks for help.
"Fire! fire! firer
Ave. there was no mistake about
it, nor false alarm. No one could
tell how il had commenced, but
there it was creeping along the roof
of the upper cabin, with the deadly
flames greedily tapping up every
scrap of awing and curtain they
could find upon their way, ever and
anon dartng long tongues of flame
down 70 the floor to clasp the light
chairs and settees in their fiery en-
brace.
As well seek with a sieve to scoop
up the waters Of the great river on
which the Mobilia floated, as to try
to subduc the roaring dcvopring
enemy that had seized upon the
-fated steaaneR,
The people darted down from the
blazing upper cabin to the forward
deck below, where as yet the foe
had made but little Roadway, and
there our brave Captain-who was
that rara avis ''the right place"
succeeded in partially quelIing the
panic.
keep quiet" he ordcred-'kcep
quiet, and stay just where you are,
or | will not answer for the lives of
any Of you! The steward will pro
vide every one of you with life pre-
servers; but there is no reason for
any person to 90 over board; not
vet awhile, at any rate, unless sui
eide is desired. Keep quiet, | say.
Pilot, head her s'reight for the land,
half a mile ahead" 1--WE were at
least twice that distance from the
main land on either shorc) "Engi
neer, put an all the stoan-crowd
her on, We will run q race with
the foul fcnd who has boarded the
Mobilia.'
There was an instant's pause,
and then. with a 9roan and surge,
with the timbcrs creaklng and
straining, aad the windows rattling
as though in moral terror, the Mo
bilia gathered herself up to run her
last race
/ Each passing moment the tlamos
crept on and on, never pansing in
their terrible march. Fortunately,
they leaped upward - rather than
downward, so that there was as yet
bu little danger to the panic
STRICKEN crowd on the lower deck.
But the pilot house was directly
in the track Of the flames, and al
ready their advance guard was be
ginning to surround me, singeing
my hair and eye brows.
Suddenly there was a murmur
among the people below, and the
instant a light form flew up the
!, ladder leading to the little deck by
the pilot=housc, and before | could
: say a word, ny precious Moile had
/, thrown open the door, and closing
it again, stood at my side.
"Moilie. Mollier' | cried, "Fol
| heavens sake 90 back, go back
Don't sou see the flames are keep
ing us herc7 Go, go, my dearest
! my own true wifei Don't pnman
me by making me fear for you. &C
down where / can feel that you
have q chance of safety
"Bob Thorne. she exclaimed, Will
! her eyes looking bravely straight
] into mine, ''am | your wife?"
"Slrciy, surely, thapkGod" | ut
tered. "But go, GOT
q My post is here, just as much as
o yours ISL she answered, firmly. 81
o will stay here, Bob, and if you di'
V | will die, too. We will make oul
!, wedding trip together, my dea
j husband, even If it be into tho mex
o world. Keep to your duty, and neve
mind me, Rob. There is hope TO
q as yet, and if it comes to the worst
why-and brave, sweet smil
q crept round her lips-''we are stll
together, dear lover
| saw it was of no use to urg
+ her any more, and, besides, some
i thing swelled in my throat so tha
|, | could not utter a world, so / jus
e grippcd the wheel hard, and looke'
d right ahead, though everything
o looked very dim just then, and m.
devoted darling stood calmly at m.
Il side, watching the flames that wer
d creeping closer and closer upon us