The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1881-03-10

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heart glowing with love and pride; with
love, for there. Just below me, on the
little forward deck, sat my sweet bride :;
with pride, because the Mobilia was one
OF the finest of the beautiful floating
palaces of the Mississippi, and to pilot
such one had for years been the height
of my ambition. -E -
The steamer was fitted up with a
double cabin, one above the other; the
upper one opening upon a small deck,
reaching out toward the bow, near the
center OF which, on q raised platform,
was placed the pilot house. This deck
was always occupied by passengers,
and this morning 1t was particularly
crowded. for the boat was heavily laden
with people taking advantage of the
beautiful weather to make an excursion
up the river.
Some rough fellows jostled against
Mollie's chair after a while, and she
rose and passed down into the lower
cabin. ITO get drink of WATER" she
whispered to me as she passed; but !
suspect it was to prevent the bursting
OF the thunder-cloud she saw gathering
ON my brow.
saw that the insolent fellows made
no attempt to follow my dear one,
80 gave myself up to my own happy
thoughts, and looking out on the far
distant, peaceful shores of the great
river, over whose placid bosom we
from my heart glad silent hymn of
rejoicing.
But suddenly q cry broke from the
cabin behind me that effectually
changed the current of my thoughts:
Fire! 6re! firer' A horrible cry at
all times, but most horrible of all when
it rings forth in the midst of gay, unsus-
picious hundreds floating in fancied se-
eurity in the midst of the waters
An instants awe-struck silence sue
ceeded that awful cry, and then 800
voices of men, women and children uni
ted in fearful, heartrending shrieks for
help.
I" Fire! fire! firer'
Aye! there was no mistake about il,
nor false alarm. No one could tell how
it had commenced, but there IL 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
flames down to the floor to clasp the
light chairs and tables and settees in
their fiery embrace.
As well seek with a sieve to scoop up
. the waters of the great river on which
the Mobilia floated, as to try to sub
due the roaring, devouring enemy
that had seized upon the Inflated steam
er.
The people darted down from the
blazing upper cabin to the forward deck
below, where as vet the foe had made
but little headway, and there our brave
Captain-who was that rara aUis "the
right man in the right place sue
ceeded in partially quelling the panic.
"Keep quietr' he ordered-'.keep
quiet, and stay just where you are, or I
you! The steward will provide every
one of you with life preservers; but
there is no reason for any person to 60
overboard-not yet awhile, at any rate,
unless suicide is desired. Keep quiet,
/ say! Pilot, head her straight for the
land, half a mile ahead" (We were at
least twice tina. distance from the main
land on either shore. Engineer, put
on all stean,-crowd her onl We will
run a rsce with the foul fiend who has
boarded the Mobilia."
There was an instant's pause, and
then. with q groan and a surge, with
the timbers creaking and straining, and
the windows rattling, and as though in
mortal terror, the Mobilia gathered her.
self up to run her last race.
Each passing moment the flames
crept on, and on and on, never pausing
| in their terrible march. Fortunately,
they leaped upward rather than down.
ward, 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, singeing my hair and eye
| brows.
Suddenly there was a murmur among
the people below and the next instant
q light form flew up the ladder lead
ing 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 at
my side:
heavens sake 60 back. go back! Don't
you see how the flames are creeping to-
wards us here? Go, 60. my dearest,
by making me fear for you. Go down
i WhCAO L SoA ACCA SAob ou hoNO q CuouCC
of safety" ~.
"Ro6 Thorner' she exclaimed, with
her eyes looking, straight into mine,
"Am your wife?"
"Suely. surely. thank Godg' Imut.
tered. "But go, gor'
"My post is here, Just as much as
yours is,,h she answered, firmly. ="
will stay here. Rob, and If you die,
will die, too. We will make our wed.
ding trip together. my dear husband,
even If it be INTO the next world. Keep
to your duty, and never mind me, Rob.
There is hope for us yet, and If it comes
to the worst, why''-and q grave, sweet
smile crept round her lips-"we are
still together, dear love-"
| ! saw il was no use to urge her any
more, and besides something swelled in
my throat, so that / could not utter 8
word, SO Just gripped the wheel hard
and looked right ahead. though every
thing looked very dim Just then, and my
devoted darling stood calmly at my
side, watching the flames that were
creeping closer and closer upon us
leaping around the pilot house like
hungry demons impatient for theiI
"Thorne," shouted the Captain,
"come down. Lower her and yourself
over the rail. Wen catch you. You
cannot stay there any longer. We are
very near the shore now, and the rest
we'll take our chances on"
1t was an awful temptation. / knew
that, did / follow the Captains advice,
both Mollie and would be safe. for
was q good swimmer, and should the
boat not reach the saore, 1 could save
her and myself; but then il did this
would 1 not deliberately expose every
one of the three hundred souls on board
to destruction? True, the boat NIGH,
keep to her course during the short
space remaining to be passed merely
from the impetus of her approach. bu
again she might not-and thena