Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1882-04-18

right man in the right place"-succeed'
ed in partially quelling the panic.
Keep quiet J" he ordered-keep quiet,
and stay just where you are, or l will
not answer for the lives of any OF you
The steward will provide every one OF
you with life preserves; but there Is no
reason for any person to 60 overheard
not yet awhile. Keep quiet, say
Pilot. head her straight for the land, half
a mile ahead" 1--WE were at least twice
that distance from the main land on
either shore.) Engineer, put on all
steam-crowd her on! We will run a
race with the foul dend who has board
ed the Mobilia."
There was an instant pause, and then,
with the timbers creaking and stand
ing, and the windows rafting as though
in mortal terror, the MObilia gathered
herself up to run her last race.
Each passing moment the danes crept
on and on, never pausing in their terri
BILE march. Fortunately, they leaped
upward rather than downward, 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 murmur among
| the people below, and the next instant
| a light form flew up the ladder leading
| to the little deck by the pilot house, and,
| before could say word, my precious
Mobilia had thrown open the door, and,
| closing it again, stood at my side.
| ''Mollie, Mollie !" cried, ''for heav-
ems sake, go back Don't you see how
| the flames are creeping toward US here?
Go, go, my dearest, my own true wife!
Don't unman me, by making me fear
| for YOU. Go down where can feel that
Won have chance of safety"
"Rob Thorne!" she exclaimed, with
her eyes looking bravery into mine, lam
I your wife?"
Hsurely, surely. thank God!' I utter
ed. "But 60, go!"
"My post is here, just as much as
YOURS is she answered firmly. II will
STAY here, Rob, and if you die will 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 lips-"we are still to-
gether, dear love-"
saw it was of no use to urge her any
more, and besides, something sWelled
III my throat so that could not utter a
word, SO gripped the wheel hard and
looked right ahead, though everything
! looked very dim just then, and my de.
voted darling stood calmly at my side,
watching the flames that were creeping
closer and closer upon US, leaping around
l l. hv7, dovso
patient for their prey.
"Thorne.n shouted the captain, "come
down. Lower her and yourself over the
rail we'll catch you you can not stay
there any longer. We are very near the
shore now, and the rest we'll take ou1
chances for"
It was an awful temptation. l knew
that did I follow the captains advice
both Mollie and would be safe, for
was good swimmer, and. should the
boat not reach the shore, could save
| her and myself; but then, if l did this,
would not deliberately expose every
one of the three hundred souls on board
to destruction2 True, the boat might
keep to her course during the short
space remaining to be passed merely
from the rapid impetus of her approach;
but, again, she might not-and then7
| I looked at my dear wife inquiringly.
"Stick to your post, Rob-" she said.
mo, sir,"I shouted back, II shall
stick to my post; shall stay here till I
run her clear on the shore, on the first. "
my brave Rob-my noble Rob, "
murHured Mollie.
But alas Cor 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 beiow. The
railing was ablaze.
NV arms, released from their guard.
ianship over the wheel. clasped Mollie
close to my heart; but my eyes and
brain were busy asking for some mode
of escape from death that seemed each
instant more certain.
ALI at once my eyes rested on the pad
die box. It had not taken fire yet; the
| flying spray had saved it. I had only to
dash across the flame 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. Not sooner thought
of than done.
"Take my hand, Mollie." I said. ''and
run with me. We shall be saved, after
dhs W1op youA SA0WA oOAooo youA
mouth. Now, run-run!"
Leaping down on the deck we speed,
hand in hand, to the paddle-box. I
dashed open the little door, and push
ing Mollie Inside, passed ia myself and
drew the door close again. shutting out
the eager flames, whose angry roar pur-
sued us as we dropped gently down into
the shallow water and crept out from
beneath the wheel.
Our appearance was hailed with a
shout of delight and relief, for all had
given as up as lost, and we must have
been but for the heaven-inspired
thought of the wheel-house,
Now that the danger was over, poor
little Mollie tainted and no wonder
But she soon came out all right; and,
as the people began to find out that the
"brave little GIRL" as they called her,
was really bride of only a few hours,
and that we were on our Wedding trip,
there was o regular ovation, followed
up by nine deafening cheers.
The island upon which the Mpbilia
had been benched was low, sandy and
uninhabited, altogether not ali inviting
place for 800 people, without particle
| of shelter, to pass half a day upon, yet
even In this plight there were few
| grumblers In our midst.
There was no room in our hears for
| any feeling but that of thankfulness for
our preservation from fearful death,
and. after the peril of the last hour or
two, it seemed small matter to wait
patiently for the coming of the relief
boats that we knew were sure 10 arrive
before many hours were past
Though some miles from any large
city we knew that the burning steamer
must have been seen from the farm
houses scattered sparseiy along the riv'
er bank, and that from these notices of
the disaster would be sent to the nearest
town. And so it was. Before nightfall
several small steamboats, arrived, and
after thst but a few hours elapsed before
we found ourselves safely at home, and
our adventurous wedding trip at an end
Rut it's results were not ended by any
means. The terrible nervous strain I
had endured, combined with the severe
burns on my face and hands, threw ne
PROSTATE on bed of sickness.
Whom T WAS able to report for duty