The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-02-16
(Conllu1lel from frat paos.l

lCohet1ded from .ltfSt P9ys-1
"Rob Thornep' she exclaimed, with
her eyes looking braYely straight into
mine, Fam your wife7''
''Surely, surely, thank GodP' utter
ed; "but go, go"
'tAIy post is here, just as much as
yours is" she answered, firmly. 81 viii
stay here, Rob, and if you die, viii die
too. We will make our wedding 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 brave, sweet smile
crept round her ips-"we are still to-
gether, dear Lowell"
s'Thorne," shouted the captain, "come
down. Lower her and yourself over the
rail. Well catch you. You cannot
stay there any longer. We are very
near the shore now, and the rest we'll
take our chances for"
It was an awful temptation. knew
that, did follow the Captains advice,
both Mollie and 1 would be safe, for ]
was a good swimmer, and, should the
boat not reach the shore, I could save
her and myself; but then, if did this,
would / not deliberately expose every
one of the 300 souls on board to destruc-
ton? looked at my dear wife inquir-
ingly.
"Stick to your post, Robp she said.
"No, STRIP shouted back; 81 shall
stick to my post; shall stay here till I
run her clear on the shore, or die first"
"My brave ROb-my noble RObW
murmured Mollie.
But alas for my devoted Mollie! alas
for me! Not the pilot-house only, but
the entire deck around it was now sur
rounded by flames. 1t was too late to
lower ourselves to the deck below!
The railing was all ablaze. My arms,
released from the guardianship over the
wheel, clasped Mollie close to my heart /;
but my eyes and brain were busy seeking
some mode of escape from death that
seemed each instant more certain.
All at once my eyes rested on the pad
| die-box. It had not taken fire yet; the
flying spray had saved it. had only
to dash across the fame swept deck, and
fling open little door in its side, which
afforded ready access to the wheels, to
lower my precious charge to the water
beneath in safety. No sooner thought
| of than done.
"Take my hand, Mollie," said, "and
run with me. We shall be saved, after
all. Wrap your shawl across your
mouth. Now, now-runp
Leaping down on the deck, We sped
hand in hand, to the paddle-box.
dashed open the little door, and, pushing
Mollie inside, passed in myself, and drew
the door close again, shutting out the
eager flames whose angry roar pursued
US as we dropped gently down into the
shallow water and crept out from be
meath the wheel.
Our appearance was hailed with s
shout Of delight and relief, for all haC
given us up as lost, and we must have
been but for the heaven inspired though
of the wheelhouse.
| Now that the danger was over, poo
little Mollie tainted; and no wonder
But she soon came out all right; and, a
the people began to find out that thu
"brave little girl" as they called her
was really bride of only few hours
and that we were on our wedding trip
there was regular ovation, followed vi
by nine deafening cheers.
Though some miles from any larg
city, we knew that the burning steame
must have been seen from the farmhouse
scattered sparsely along the river bank
and that from these, notices of the disas
ter would be sent to the nearest town
And so it was. Before nightfall seyera
small steamboats, arrived, and, after that
but few hours elapsed before we foun
ourselves safely at home, and our adveI
turous wedding trip at an end. But it
results were not ended by any mean:
The terrible nervous strain l had eI
dured, combined with the severe burn
on my face and hands, threw me pro:
trate on bed of sickness.
When 1 was able to report for dut
again, two weeks later, ! learned that
noble gift from the Mobilia's gratefU
passengers-no less sum than $1,000
lay in the bank awaiting my ordel
Not only this, but the steamboat CON
pany had voted me a gold medal and tn
appointment of pilot of the finest steam
: er on their line.
Years have gone by since my BRAY
wife and Ihad so nearly journeyed out {
the world on our wedding trip. Frol
pilot I have come to be captain and pal
owner of one of those beautiful foatin
palaces that used so to excite my envy
but never do I pass without sickenin
shudder the little island where the Nj
bilia won the stakes in the last race
race of fire against steam, of life again
death.
The English Noblemsn and the Green