Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1883-11-30

Inc cdvlh Oi our bark was flush with |
the maindeek, running to within few
feet of the main-mast, having state.
rooms on each side the centre being
the saloon Or dining-room, with long
skylight for light and air. The top of
the cabin was the quarter or poop-deck,
and around this house on deck we had
no bulwpks orrail, instead. there were
some iron stanchions few feet apart,
with a chain running around two
sides and across the after part. as
lifc-guard. This cabin had been built
after the bark came to this coast. in
order to give more cargo room and
better passenger accommodations.
Several times when Miss Hudson was
on deck She had sat down on the chain
and swung herself to and fro, holding
on by her hands thought il SO dan
gerous that ono day l spoke to her
about ii.
"Pardon me, Miss Hudson, said /,
"but if you are not careful you will fall
overload some day. That is too risky
an amusement, for the vessel may give
lurch II any time and throw you off
your balance"
All the thanks got for my warning
was this cutting speech;
"You will oblige me, sir, if you will
attend q your business, and l will at
tend to mine
The young woman resumed her
swinging and resumed my pacing on
deck. AS turned away, | vowed in
wardly never to trouble her any more
with my good advice, but to put a
stopperson my jaw-tacllIe.
A few days after this, | hal taken
my watch at twelve O'Clock, when all
were taking dinner except the watch
on deck. We were sailing along on a
free wind with all the weather stud
sails set making six knots. | was
passing fore and aft the deck, listening
to the yarns being spun at the dinner
table; the skylight hal been off for
days, and could hear everything said
at the table. Miss Hudson having fin
ished her dinner, came up on deck and
went aft, taking her usual place on the
chain near the man at the wheel.
Every time | went aft | looked into
the binnacle to see if the wheelsman
kept tire ship up on her course. Once,
as fined at the break of the deck tC
70 - looked toward where Mis-
/ Hudsos was sitting. There Bad beer
a change. y pair OF symmetrical fem.
mime boots were pointing toward the
zenith A somewhat dsheveled femi-
nine head was pointing toward nadir.
Miss Hudson had executed neat
somersault backwards over the chain.
Running past the skylight, Ishouted
to our captain: Miss Hudson has
fallen overboard!' then, throwing off
my coat, hat and slippers, cut the
life-preseryer loose abaCt the rudder
head. | told the man at the wheel to
put the helm hard down and let the
bark come up to the wind 50 they
could throw her aback and stop her
storage way. In much less time then
it takes to write all these particulars.
ha Jumped overheard. and was swim
ming toward the struggling girl. in
her fall she had turned complete
somersault, striking the water with her
fceJ' fer skirts dffd dress lad fGTiiud'
a bag such as little girls make when
they whirl themselves round and
round and then suddenly crouch down
in the infantile amusement called
making cheeses.' In the same way
the air under the girls skirts had so
buoyed her up and protected her that
her head and shoulders were not at all
wet. As swan up close to her, she
tried to throw her arms around my
neck but ! backed off and told her |
was not used to being so familiar with
ladies | was not acquainted with.
She tried it again, and then could not
resist the temptation to retort for the
speech of few days before.
Listen to me, said I. "The air is
escaping from under your skirts and
you are gradually going down. If YOU
continue to struggle and attempt to
grasp me, will leave you and let YOU
sink All you have to do is to keep
still All l have to do is to swim IN
behind you, and put this life-preseryer
under your arms. Attend to YOUR
business, and l will attend to mine"
hot bar