The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1882-09-22

The fading eyes frightened little. and
the lips tried to smile, but it was wan,
shadOwy smile. which brought the tears
to Mvra Anderson eyes.
mamma, here he is" cried the girl,
eagerly, looking up with smile break
ing through her tears.
The woman lifted her arms with sud-
den strength, and drew the bright face
down to her bosom, and kissed it pas
s:onately; then she laid the little hand
in Ralph's. and turned away her face.
There was little moment of silence.
and then she started suddenly. and
caught at the child's dress.
ut is no: Mallard-yotir name, Viola
it is-is"-and her voice died away
in an indistinct murmur.
"What is the child's nameP" Mr..
Anderson asked, putting his ear to her
lips quickly.
"You will find~it in-the-trunk-I
wrote it out-all-a'l," she whispered,
with fast failing breath.
CHAPTER II.
The sun came up through golden
halos. and the blue skies bent softly over
the sea, still moaning and sobbing like
a passionate child. The shore was
strewn with pieces of the wreck, and
trunks and boxes of merchandise we're
scattered here and there in wild con-
fusion. Some of the trunks and boxes
were stove to pieces; others scarcely in
iured by their battle with the elements.
Two or three bodies had washed ashore
during the night: and it was concluded
all on board had persisted. The hull
and shattered masts of the ship were
barely discernible through the waves
that still b oke over them when the tide
was in. A. low tide she was plainly
| visible, and her name, "Le Brun,"
could be distinctly seen.
After her mothers death the child
had cried stormily for little time, and
then grew suddenly quiet. She was a
slight, 1.-the little creature; delicate
looking, had it not been for the bright
color in her dark cheeks, and the fear
less look in her great black eyes. One
would not have taken her to be over six,
at first; but when he heard her talk, he
| would be willing TO add six more. She,
/ however. laid claim to but eight years,
which, indeed, seemed quite preposter-
Gus, she was such bit of creature.
"You must findm mamma S trunk. !"
she said, gravely, to Ralph, when some
time during the forenoon they were pre-
pairing to visit the scene of the wreck.
| There had been so much to do at the
house that there had been no time be-
fore.
II am afraid I cannot" Ralph re-
piled; Its not very likely to come
ashore. and if it does it will be stove
into kindling wood"
but l tell you, you shall find il"
she cried. fiercely, her eyes flaming.
Didn't nv mamma say it was in the
trunk all about me. She never would
tell me about my papa, but | remember
but, o. such a little bitr' and the
small face took on a sad. thoughtful
look-such a very, very old look for a
child!
"But l shall not know your trunk.
little Wildfre," Ralph said. teasingly,
enjoying her display of spirit with true
boyish relish.
Il am not Wildfire, and you needn'
call me sor' she cried. sharply. liam
Just Viola Mal-no, she said, that was
not it; II don't know who am and
the red lips trembled, and the flashing
eyes filed with quick tears.
"There there, don't cry" Ralph
said. soothingly. Il am mean fellow
to tease you nO,C. I'm very sorry, and
| I'll try my best to find your trunk if
YOU will tell me something how it looks,
whether it's black, or white, or blue"
s.Blue! A blue trunkr' she replied,
scornfully.
"Well, what is there SO terrible about
that? My mother has got a blue chest
that is, o, ever so old guess it come
over in the Mayflower'
lin what?" her eyes dilating.
80, you don't know anything about
it." Ralph replied, loftily, 1T concerns
our ancestors. Come, I'm going"
Thus admonished the chlld began a
hasty description of the trunk, which
amounted to this: 1t was not very large,
was black, and her mamma had always
called it ..hair trunk" 1t had a great
many very bright brass nails in it-at
the top and sides and round the bottom,
and great M. in brass nails on the
cover.
There was quite crowd of people on
the beach when Mr.. Anderson and
Ralph reached it. A vessel had run
down from Duxbury, and several wagon
loads of men had come down from Ply
mouthtown. all drawn hither to see and
hear about the wreck. and variously en-
gagged. some in picking up the shattered
boxes. and some-by far the larger part
standing about in groups talking over
the incidents of the storm, and the
wrecks reported here and there, and this
one in particular.
I'D no idee any on 'em escaped, I
hadn't" said Ned Bradlee, just as Mr..
Anderson came up.
Escaped! You don't mean to say?"
81 mean ter say that them are three
men there-why, one of 'em isn't there!
o, there he is down the blackwell. he.
and them two just putin off in Sim
mons boat. belonged to that vessel.
They are French chaps, take it, least
wise one of 'em is. the tall one, he was
mate OF the ship"
But how were they rescued?" de-
manded Anderson.
"Well, they wasn't rescued at all.
SEEM as they was safe and snug. high
and dry on Clarks Island. You see
they put in there in the life boat to leave
a passenger, and the storm came on SO