Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1883-11-29

order to give more cargo room and
better passenger accommodations.
Several times when Miss Hudson was
on deck size had sat down on the chain
and swung herself to and fro, holding
on by her hands. thought it so dan
gerous that one day l spoke to her
about it.
Pardon me, Miss Hudson" said /.
"but if you are not careful you will fall
overheard some day. That is too risky
an amusement, for the vessel may give
a lurch at any time and throw you off
your balance"
All the thanks l got for my warning
was this cutting speech;
"You will oblige me- sir, if you will
attend to your business, and l will at
tend to mine"
The young woman resumed her
swinging and l 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
stopper on my jawtackle.
A few days after this, l had 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 had 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 l looked into
the pinnacle to see if the wheelsman
kept the ship up on her course. Once,
as | turned at the break of the deck to
go aft, | looked toward where Miss
Hudson was sitting. There had been
a change. A pair of symmetrical fem
inine boots were pointing toward the
zenith. A somewhat disheveled femi-
nine head was pointing toward nadir.
Miss Hudson had executed a neat
somersault backwards over the chain.
Running past the sl1ylight, Ishouted
to our captain: "Miss Hudson has
fallen overboardT' then, throwing off
my coat. hat and slippers, cut the
life-preserver loose abaft the rudder
head. / told the man at the wheel to
put the helm hard down and let the
bark come up to the wind so they
could throw her aback and stop her
steerage way. In much less time then
it takes to write all these particulars, l
had jumped overheard, and was swim
ming toward the struggling girl. In
her fall she had turned a complete
somersault, striking the water with her
feet; her skirts and dress had formed
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 l 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 l could not
resist the temptation to retort for the
speech of few days before.
Listen to me-" said |. "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 up
behind you, and put this life-preserver
under your arms. Attend to your
business, and | will attend to mine"
Whether it was that she really re-
gained her presence of mind, or that
her self-possession came from anger at
my unfair retort, l never knew. T
had said it for that reason, however.
She ceased struggling, and soon had
the life-preserver over her head |
kept one hand on it, and swan with
the other arm, thus keeping us both
up. AS we rose to the crest of the
waves we could see the boat lowered
and started toward us, and in few
moments we were lifted into it, and,
returning to the bark, ran in under