The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1885-11-07

/ heard that. And Miss Winny? o, she
had gone governessing with some peo-
| pie who were just off to Canada. and
the ship sailed tomorrow from Liver
pool.
The Liverpool express never seemed
to crawl so slowly before. / got there
to find every berth taken on board the
Antarctic, and the captain raging at
the non-appearance of two of the crew.
Without seconds pause offered for
one of the vacant places. was as
strong as horse, and active enough,
and though the Captain eyed me rather
| askarce-I had been to a West End
tailor on my way through London-he
was too glad to get me to ask any ques-
tons. So sailed on the ship with my
girl, little as she knew it. l saw her
the first day or two, looking so pale and
thin that she was like the ghost of her
old self. and yet sweeter to my eyes
than ever before. The children she had
charge of were troublesome little crea-
lures, who worried and badgered her
till l longed to cuff them well. But
there was a gcntleness and patience
about her quite new to my idea of Miss
Winny, and only loved her the more
| for it. After the second day out the
wind freshened. and saw no more of
her.
We had an awful passage. 1t was
| late in November an early winter, and
the cold was intense. 1t blew one con-
| tinuous gale, and some of our machin-
| cry was broken-the screw damaged
and we could not keep our course. As
we drew near the other side of the At
lantic, we got more and more out of
our bearings, and at last the fOgs told
| us we were somewhere OFT the Banks of
| Newfoundland. but where no one was
quite sure. 1t seemed to me it had all
happened before. or l had read it or
dreamed it. At all events. it was hardly
surprise to me when, on the tenth
night, just after midnight, the awful
crash and shock took place sensation
which no one who has not felt it can
| imagine in the least-and we knew that
the Antarctic had struck.
It's fearful thing, if you come to
think of it. great steamer filled with
living souls in the. full flow of life and
health, and in one moment the call
coming to each of them to die. Before
you could have struck match the
whole ship was in a panic-cries, terror,
confusion, agony-O, it was awful! /
trust never to see such a scene again.
l made my way through it all as if l had
neither eyes nor ears, and got to the
stateroom l had long ago found out was
the one which belonged to my girl. 1
knocked at the door with heavy hand;
even at that awful moment thrill ran
through me at the thought of standing
face to face with her again.
"Winny!' l cried, 'come out! make
haste! there is not moment to loser'
The door opened as spoke, and she
stood just within. ready dressed, even
to her little black hat. The cabin light
had been left burning. by the doctors
orders. and it fell full on me as stood
there in my sailors jersey and cap. 1
wondered if she would know me. 1
forgot the danger we were in-forgot
that death was waiting close at hand
forgot that the world held any one but
just her and me.
..Dick!" she cried-"O, Dick, Dickr
and she fell forward in dead faint on
my shoulder
All my senses came back then; and
threw her over my arm and ran for the
deck. A great fur-lined cloak had been
dropped by the door of the ladies' cabin.
There was no light, but / stumbled over
it as ran. snatched it up and carried
! it with me.
Up above. all was in the widest
chaos; the boats over-filled. and push
ing off; the ship settling rapidly; people
shouting, crying, swearing. One hears
tales of calmness and courage often
enough at such times, which make ones
heart glow as one reads them; but there
was not much heroism shown in the
| wreck of the Antarctic. The Captain
behaved splendidly. and SO did some of
the passengers, but the majority of
them and the crew We're mad with ter
ror. and lost their heads altogether.
saw there was not chance for the
over-crowded boats in that sea, and
sprang for the rigging. was not a
second too soon; score of others fol-
lowed my example, aud with my
precious burden / should not have had
| chance two minutes later. As it was,
l scrambled to the topmast, and got a
firm hold there. Winny was Just coming
to herself. had wrapped her round
like baby in the fur cloak. and with
my teeth | opened my knife to cut a
rope which hung loose within reach.
With this lashed her to me, and
fastened us both to the topmast. The
ship sank gradually; she did not keel
over, or should not be telling you the
story now; she settled down, just her
deck above water. but the great seas
washed over it every second and swept
it clean. The boats had gone!
One or two of the crew, floating on
loose spars, were picked up afterward
mo more. The rigging was pretty
full, at least in the upper part; down
below. the sea was too strong. The
Captain was near me. / felt glad to
think he had been saved-he was not a
coward like some of the others.
How long was the longest night you