The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1881-11-11
Miscrl laneuus.
The Pilots Story.

Molly and !, our parents being near neigh.
bors, and firm friends as well.
Our parents being such good friends, it ma.
turally resulted that Molle and | followed
their example. We went to school together
read together played together, and somehow
when Mollie was eighteen and | twenty, we
agreed to travel together all our lives, and
were happy i'll that arrangement, in fact, no
other would have seemed right or natural,
either to us or our parents.
From the earliest days my boyhood, |
had evinced fondness for the water, haunt.
ing the palatial steamboats, that floatcd on the
great Mississippi River, on whose banks nes-
tled the city in which we dwelt, and, Mt the
period to which am about to refer, | had
Just secured position as pilot on small
freight steamer.
1t was not much ola position, to be sure, nor
was there much of Il salary attached to il but
small as ii was, Molie and declared that we
could make it answer for two people
so, early one bright morning, having OBJ
tanned days leave of absence, Mollie and |
were married, and stepping into carriage |
llad hlred Tor the occasion, we started of, hay
ing decided on days excursion to Il cele-
hrated cave near by, this being all the we'd
ding-trip we could allow ourselves.
We had scarcely driven beyond our own
street, however, when we were brought to a
halt.
Here is noteto you from the superintcnd,
ent. Thus it ran
Am sorry to have to recall your leave to-
day, but you must Immediately go on board
the .N0Jtttd, which is ready to start up the
river The pilot is too i'll to attend to duty,
and you are appointed to take his place for
the present"
There goes our wedding trip all to smash
said |, as | read the order to Molle
"Why so? 2" she asked.
You see, l must go to the pilot-house of
the 4N0biha"
VERY well, she replied, eve will just 20
up the river instead of to the cave Drive on
Rob; let us go down to the wharf in state"
But you can't go into the pilot house with
me, little goose"
"Of course not, but can sit or the deck
outside" laughed Mollie, land we can look
at each other"
And so it came about that took posses.
sion of the MobIia's pilot-house, my 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 floating palaces" of the Missis-
sippi and to pilot such II one had for years
been the height of my ambition.
Tbs steamer was fitted up with q double
cabin, one above the other, the upper one
opening upon a small deck reaching out to-
wards the bow, near the centre ofwhich, on Il
raised platform, was placed the pilothouse
This deck was always occupied by passen.
gers, and this morning it was particularly
crowded, for the boat was heavily laden with
npnnlp taking nlynnt To- nf bn F,,l
weather to make an excursion up the river.
Suddenly Il cry broke forth from the cabin
behind me. "Fre Fire Firem
A horrible cry at all times, but most hor-
rible of all when it rings forth in the midst
of gay, unsuspicious hundreds, floating in
fanced security in the midst of the waters.
An instants awe-struck silence succeeded
that awful cry, and then three hundred voices
| ofmen, women and children united in fearful
heart rending shrieks for help.
Fire fire fire!
Aye, there was no mistake about it no false
| alarm. No one could tell how it had com.
menced, but there it was, creeping along the
| roofof the upper cabin, with the deadly
flames greedily tapping up every awning and
curtain they could find in their way, ever
anon darling long tongues of flames down to
the floor, to clasp in the light chairs, and ia.
bles and settees in their fiery embrace
The people darted down from the blazing
upper cabin to the forward deck below
where as yet the foe had made but little head
way, and there our brave captain-who was
| thatTdrd dCiS, the right man in the right place
succeeded in partially quelling the panic
keep quiet !" he ordered-"keep quiet and
stay just where you are, or will not answe,
for the lives of any of you. The steward will
| provide every one ofyou with life preservers
but there is no reason for any person to gel
overheard yet awhile, at any rate, unless sui
eide is desired. Keep quiet, | say Scream.
ing wont frighten the tireaway. Pilot, head
her straight for the island half n mile ahead
| 1--WE were at least twice that distance from
| the mainland on either shore) Then he
shouted to the engineer: put on all steam
crowd her on. We will run race will
the foul fend that has boarded the Mobilia.
| There was an instant's pause, and then will
a groan and surge, with the timbers creak
ing and straining, and the windows rat.
Ting as though in mortal terror, the Mobiie
together herselfup to run her last race.
Each passing moment the flames crept or
and on, never pausing in their terrible march
Fortunately, they leaped upward rather thar
downward so that there was as yet but lit
tie danger to the panic-stricken crowd on the
lower deck
But the pilot,house was directly in the track
ofthe flames, and already their advance. guard
was beginning to surround me, singing my
hair and elbows.
Suddenly there was murmur among the
people below, and the next instant light
form flew up the ladder leading to the decl,
by the pilothouse, and before | could utter
n word, my precious Molie had thrown oper
the door and closing it again, stood by my
side.
"Mollie, Mollie, cried, "for Heavens sake
go back, go back Don't you see how the
flames are creeping towards us herep Go on