The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-08-21

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, the awful shock
and crash took place "a sensation
which no one who has not felt it can
imagine IN the least-and VIC 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 conf
ing to each of them to die. Before
you could have struck match the
whole ship was in panic-cries, ter
ror, confusion, agony--O, it was aw-
full l trust never to see such a scene
again. l made my way through it all
as If had neither eyes nor ears, and
got to the state room had long ago
found out was the one belonged to my
girl. l knocked at the door with a
heavy hand; even at that awful mo-
ment thrill ran through me at the
thought of standing face to face with
her again.
"Winny y l cried, "come out make
haste there is not a moment to lose y
The door opened as spoke, and she
stood just within, ready dressed, ever
to her little black hat. The cabin
light had been left burning by the doc.
tors orders, and it fell full on me as l
stood there in my sailors Jersey and
cap. l wondered if she would know
me. ! 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, sob, Dick, Dick y
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 furlined cloak had
been dropped by the door Of The ladies
cabin. There was no light, but l
stumbled over it as ran. l snatched
it up and carried it with me.
Up above all was III the widest
chaos; the boats overtilled and pushing
off; the ship settling rapidly; people
shouting, crying, swearing. One hears
tales of calmness and courage often
enough at such times which makes
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 major
ity of them and the crew were mad
with terror, and lost their heads alto.
gether.
I saw that there was not chance
for the overcrowded boats in that sea,
and sprang for the rigging. l was
not second too soon; score of 9TH
ers followed my example, and with my
precious burden l should not have had
chance two minutes later. AS it
was 1 scrambled to the topmast and
got 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 l lashed her to me,
and fastened us both to the topmast.
The ship sank gradually; she did not
keel over, or l 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
no more. The rigging was pretty
full, at least in the upper part; down
below the sea was too strong. The
captain was near me. l felt glad tc
think he had beeen saved-he was no,
a coward like some of the others.
How long was the longest night you
ever knew7 Multiply that by thou
sand, and you will have some idea OF
that nights length. The cold was
awful. The spray froze on the sheets
as it fell; the yards were slippery with
ice. stamped on Winny's feet to keep
them from freezing. Did you notice
that limp little shall walk lame
as long as live. Sometimes there
was splash in the black water below
as some poor fellows stiffened hold re,
laxed, and he fell from his place in the
rigging. There was not a breath Of
wind, nothing but the bitter, bitter fog.
How long could we hold QUIT How
long would the ship be before she
broke up? We asked ourselves these
questions again and again, but there
was no answer Death stared us in
the face; we seemed to live ages Of
agony in every minute-and yet, will
you believe me, that all seemed little
in comparison to the thought that af
ter all those ten long weary years,
held my girl in my arms at last
She had pulled one corner of tn,
cloak around my neck q stood on ;
level just below herr, and her hant
lay there with tit was the hand tha
warmed me more than the cloak-anC
her cheek rested against my own. OF
ten | thought its coldness was tn,
GOODNESS of death, and almost exulteC
in the thought that we should die to
gether. And then | would catch tn
murmur of the prayers she was utter
ing for us both, and know that life wa
still there and hope lived, too.
Well; we'll. Why should l dwell oil
such horrors, except to thank the Mere,
that brought us through them all
Day dawned at last, and there was tn
shore near by, and soon rockets wer
fired and ropes secured, and one by on
the half-dead living were drawn from
their awful suspension between SIX,
and sea and landed safe on shore
They had to take Winny and me to
gether, just as we were, and even thel
they had hard work to undo the clasl
of my stiffened arms about her. | knew
nothing then. nor for long after, and i
was wonderful that Winny was tn
first to recover, and that it was sh
who nursed me back to life an,
reason.
And how did / asked her to MARI,
me! Upon my word, now you ask,
cant remember that ever did. Tha
seemed utterly unnecessary, somehow
i lN1I. ,.v~ol 4