Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1883-01-04
son crept to the window, and listened

son crept to the window, and listened
with her ear against the pane. Out
side. on the broad stone step, Ben
Anderson, with Ralph by his side.
listened to the crash, crash of the min
ute guns that came up through the ter
rible rumble and roar, sometimes with
startling distinctness, and anon caught
up by the fierce wind. and tossed
to and fro till it fell back into the sea,
and was lost in its hoarse diapason.
The guns suddenly ceased, and the
sky lowered darkly over the moaning
sea, and though they waited and
listened, no sound save the shock of
| waves and shrek of winds came up
| again from the stormy east.
The lamp was re-lighted, and the fam
lily sat down to supper with white. grave
faces. The simple grace which Ben
Anderson never omitted, had in it a
word of earnest supplication that He
who holdeth the waves in the hollow of
His hand would keep those of His
children through this hour of terrible
peril who were cast upon their mercy,
and if it was His will, bring them all
safely to land"
There was little pretense of eating,
but none of them ate more than three
or four mouthfuls, and with common
consent they rose from the table.
| "Have the tea-kettle full of hot wa
ter, Myra. and perhaps you had better
bring out the blankets, too" said Mr..
Anderson, taking down his lantern. II
am going down to the beach, and though
I think the ship has gone south of US, it
won't do any harm. to have things
ready"
You don't think she is ashore here,
do you, father?' Ralph asked, hastily.
| 81 hope she is not ashore anywhere,
but didn't like the sudden way those
minute guns stopped. Ii they can only
keep her off an hour longer, till the tide
turns. These fierce gales don't gem
orally last long, fortunately"
"Can l go. father?''
Mr.. Anderson hesitated. and glanced
at his wife. She was white as death,
and once or twice the plates she was re-
moving from the table slipped from her
nervous hand.
mo, my boy; you could do no good
if you went, and it is not likely there is
anything to do. Stay with your mother
till come back; shall only take look
along the shore;" and he shut the door
and went out, Ralph and his mother
watching the fitful CLEAN of the Ian
tern till a turn in the path hid it from
sight.
Mrs. Anderson finished clearing the
table, filled the tea-kettle and put it on
the fire, and then going to large blue
chest in the bedroom, took out a pile of
blankets and a roll of flannel, and
brought them out and laid them on the
table. Then she went to the window
and looked out; but the rain, which had
increased since nightfall, beat against
the glass with binding fury. and the
sashes creaked and ratified as if some
invisible hand were seeking to wrench
them from their fastenings.
The moments slipped slowly away;
the kettle sent out little cloud of white
mist, and the blankets lying over the
chair backs were SO warm that Mrs.
Anderson drew them back once or
twice, but Ben Anderson came not; and
now it was nearly an hour-and now a
full hour, and still, though they strained
their eyes to get glimpse of the Ian
terms pale glimmer, everything was
dense, pitchy darkness.
II can stand this thing no longer,
mother" Ralph said, catching up his
cap. There's trouble. or father would
not stay so long, and l am going to
know what it is, even if he Furnishes me
for it
Mrs. Anderson knew it would be use
less for her to object, and besides the
suspense was getting too painful to bear
much longer.
'.Be careful, dear: the waves are
strong and high, and if anything should
happen to my boy!'
so nonsensep' he interrupted, as she
stopped and kissed him, .'whata coward
you would make of metz but he put his
arms about her neck, nevertheless. and
returned the kiss very fondly and ten
derby. Willful and impetuous as he
was, the mother knew his heart was
very tender, and gentle, and so she re-
membered only that, and forgot his
faults.
Again Myra Anderson waited and
listened as the moments went by with
tagging feet. The tide had turned, but
the storm did not abate, as usual; in
deed, to her excited fancy, it grew wild
er every moment. By and by she came
back from her post at the window, and
proceeded to wrap herself for going out.
She could endure it 70 longer, she
thought, as she opened the door and
stepped out into the thick darkness and
drenching rain. Even that, fierce as it
was. was a relief from the dead incubus
of suspense and dread which had been
settling down upon her for the last
hour. |
The wind caught away her breath, it |
twisted her skirts about her limbs. it |
drove the salt spray into her eyes, but |
still she struggled on-staggering, fall
ing two or three times, but resolute as
only a weak, timid woman can be, when |
those she loves are in peril. 1t had
been growing steadily upon her for the
last hour that Ben had been caught in
the surf, and when she saw. far down
toward the Point. the ghostly glimmer
of lanterns moving through the mist as
if carried by invisible hands, she was
sure they had found him-they were
bringing him home! She gave little,
sharp cry, and put her hand to her heart.
"Hullo! Well, well, if this don't
beat all natur-I declarer' cried sur
prised voice. and lantern was swung
so close tn her face that its Sudden 1irht