Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-10-13

shot out of the fog within biscuit
toss of the ship. 1 remembered that,
as they came alongside, the upturned
faces of the men were CHASTITY and
pinched One glance showed that the
search had been in vain.
The boat was secured. the huge pad
dies struck the water like clods, the
heavy floating mass swung slowly round
! to her helm. But at the instant when
we were-turning away, awed by the
mystery of this death-scene, cry came
I out of the darkness yell of agony
and deepest horror-that nailed us to
| the deck. May never hear the like
again. Save me!-fOr Gods sake save
mer' pierced through and through the
silence till hundred frantic voices
seemed repeating it. The cry was so
near that every el e instinctively turned
TO the spot whence it procee led-so
near that it held all who heard it in
breathless. in sickening suspense. Had
the sea really given up its dead?
/ Before one might count ten, the boat
was again manned and clear of the ship.
] recollect the figure of the first off er
/ sbo llC SkOOu CIcCb lDC GIL -SuCClSs
with the tiller-ropes in his hand, peer
ing into the fog. can see the men
springing like tigers to their work, and
the cutter tossing on the seething brine
astern like chip. Then the fog shut
them from view again. But never
more was that voice heard on land or
sea. 1t was the last agonized shrek of
returning cons iousness, no doubt. as
the Pacific closed over Yankee jim s
head.
At eight bells we assembled around
the capstan at our Captains call, when
the few poor effects of the lost man were
produced. His kit contained one or
two soiled letters. daguerreotype of
two blooming hildren hand in hand, a
piece of crumpfed paper. and few ar
ticleS of clothing. / noticed that while
smoothing out the creases in this scrap
of paper the Captain became deeply
attentive, then thoughtful. then very
red. Clearing his throat, he began as
follows:
Its an old sea custom to sell by
auction the kit of shipmate who dies
on blue water. You all know it S Gus
tom of the land to search for the last
will of q deceased friend as soon as the
funeral is over. The man we lost this
morning shipped by his TO castle or sea
name-a very common thing among
sailors; but I've just found out his true
one sin | stood on this spot; and
what S more, I've found out that he had
been in trouble. An idea strikes me
right here that he found it too heavy for
him. God knows. But it's mo to the
point that he left wife and two chill
dren, whose sole dependence he was
Gentlemen and mates, take off your hats
while l read you this letter"
The letter, which bore evidence of
having been read and read again, ran as
follows:
! 'Oh, Jamesl and are you really coming
home, ana with such a lot of money. too? Oh /
can't believe it all! How happy we shall be
once moe! Ii makes me feel just like a
young girl again, when you and used to roam
in the berry lstures h md in hand. and never
coveted anything in the wide world but to be
! together. You haven't forgot that, my lad,
h've you? or the old cedar on the cliff where
| you asked me for your own wife, and the
heavsR over us and the sea at ouf feet, alseo
| Surely God has helped me to wait all this long,
/ weary time. but now it seems as If L couldn't
bear it another dav. And the little boy James,
just your image; it's all he can say. Papa,
! come home How C IN You have The heart to
STAY n that wicked placer
When he had finished, some of the
lady passengers were crying softly. He
then read the fatal certificate of depos-
it, holding it up so that all might see
''Now, ladies and gentlemen" he
went on. you've heard the story, and
can put this and that together. When
we get to Panama. I'm going to write
n letter to the widow. It's for you to
say what kind of a letter it shall be.
That why I've asked you here. Now,
purser, put up the certificate of de-
pos TT
"How much am 1 offered-how
much?" said the purser.
Ten, twenty, forty, fifty dollars were
quickly bid. Then woman's voice
said seventy and then the bidding ran
up to a hundred and fifty. 1t was
Knocked down to red-shirted miner,
who laid three fiftv-dollar pieces on the
capstan. saying as he did so: ''Tain' t
half enough, Cap. Sell her agin-sell
her agin.''
The sale went on, each buyer putting
the certificate up for sale again. until
the noble emulation covered the cap
stan with gold.
''Stop bit, purser," said Captain
M, counting the money! THAT
will d." he continued; 1.-The sale is
over. Here are just two thousand dol
lars. The certificate of deposit is re-
deemed. "-Harper' Magazine
A Remarkable Career.
| remark able caraar xvas tbat of +Lo