Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1884-06-18

Uif r' So
"-trbp3M
dyer went the whcclto starh0ird. hcl
cl swings u port. rhcn ojmcs I
pcivmptory
4" teadil
steady II Is, sings back the helms
MAI, u, hlck went the wheel Ca most
her, hul Mt Ia stay. SLOWLY u went
over n fnniu alnrbona ~ The export
sircr.min holds hor nndhr 'lnlrol
She w nov over tho hnf, rnpi rlnd IN
turmoil AMI uprunr save Va ihN marrow
emanuel she muNNa W. Tn 80 n nldn
almost nlnnrHl,lo, The Wiifn Va race
with the spo NJ oI wild horses, Aho u
quivorng ~ Wory timber ~ dor iht
inpld play OF llio engines ih,u there
came n fearful crash, nn tho dock II
Immediately dilugod with wpttr The
mate thundcrs
"Slnhonrd h lltllo"
Tho wheel rayolyoa slowly oy ,r, stops
turning moment, aud then !, whrlod
swi ily back 10 port She stccta wildly
aud feels tho bottom. A monster wave
came sweeping in from seawaii. just
astcrn, Il Is n solid, hcaped-uI' hill OF
black water. wrinklcd aud ridQod W "a
Us crest bat on either flank IL y u steep
winrow of churning foam. With for
ward bound IL ovcrtakts tho steamer,
reaches under hor and clutches her in
It's irresistible embrace. liigc over the
holiid tumult Is heard the mai thunder
ing peremptorily;
'Aard-a port Hard down Go ahead
fnst!n
Almost buried in tho bril glance
reveals the wheel swiftly go az over TO
port. Over and over rs orly wheel
~ made to turn in moments OF deadly
peril Tinkle, tinklc, sounds u bell
down belowwhorc tho engh cor stands
with hand on the throttle. On and on
races the wave, still clus hing the
steamer. which trembles fiie fright
cncd bird. Still holding thu wheel hard
down. the steamers head is spinning
around TO starboard, ana the helms
mans eyes are rivcted IN the mate
The wave sinks from under her, she
shoots around low sandy point of
land, and the mate, smiling all over his
face, calls: IS
Steady
The next moment she DIR, pped anchor
clos, to the Swallow in smooth water.
Outside, the wild wall of The tempest
and the thunder OF the breakers kept
their revels, and all night long the vivid
lightning and pealing thunder combined
To make the rescued mariners and pas
scngcrs mindful of their security. In
the morning the storm went down, and
by the next day with thankful hearts
they rccrossed tho bar, now 40 longer
looking 81 terrible. Outside the bar
the two vessels parted with Prolonged
cheers.
When the Swallow reached New
York the mate received letter inviting
him to take command of the Ella. He
laid it before the skipper, who warmly
congratulated him and advised him TO
accept the responsibility. Before leav-
ing for his new duties the owners of tho
Swallow gave all hands CRANE blow.
out in an uptown hotol; made speeches
about heroism, GOODNESS and courage.
The popping of the corks sounded like
the barking of muskets between the
pickets of opposing armies, and the
stories and songs were the best OF their
kind. In those days we did not have
such I'M all-iired hurrah about the lower
classes and the best people. But in
good time the distinctions came.
Three or four years rolled by and
then came the war of the rebellion.
From the Highland light to Key West
you could not see the shadow of sail.
The tleets OF schooncrs were idle. Briggs
and barks and ships were tied up to the
docks or had hoisted English or Dutch
colors and sailed in other waters The
idle steamers llocked into the army or
navy and did excellent service wherever
they went In 1865 in the battles
around Richmond, q Confederate light
battery was posted at point on the
South Shore Railroad. Around it were
desperate efforts to carry the position.
From twenty directions came the
screaming shells, which continually cX-
plodc in and around the position.
Suddenly the continuous thunder
ceased, and over the brow of the hill in
front appeared squadron after squadron
of cavalry, On tho dead gallop they
came straight for the battery. Over
their heads flashed the sheen of the
sailors which advanced like waves of
the ocean. What could the gunners dog
Before each pioce was fired half n score
Of limos the troopers were sweeping
through the battery. Posted in a
thiokot in the rear the Confederate in
fantry moved out TO meet the charge.
But ut brcakneck speed Shcridan's
dragons rode after the gunners. cleav-
ing them with the sabcr. On the dead
run came a tall artillery man and close
behind him trooper with sabcr aloft
ready to cut him down. CHANGING over
his shoulder the gunner sees the hope
lessness of his case and turning short
around he lifts his hands over his head.
In an instant the trooper Is upon him
Pulling up shortly the two men shake
hands in plain sight of the contcndine
forces the Confedcrates are utterly
routed and of the men composing the
light battery only one survived the
slaughter That was the tall gunner
who was overtaken by tho trooper.
Ills name was Anthony James, and the
trooper was the engineer of the Ella.
j. d. Goldrick, IN Boston Times.