The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-09-12
VOLUME XVI.


our bearings, and at last the fogs told
us we were somewhere oil the Banks of
Newfoundland. but where no one was
quite sure. 1t seemed 10 me it had all
happened before, or had read it or
dreamed it. At all events, it was hardly
a surprise to me when, on the tenth
night, Just after midnight, the awful
crash and shock took place-a 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 filed 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 panic--cries, terror,
confusion, agony-O, it was awful!
trust never to see such a scene again.
| made my way through it all as if I had
neither eyes nor ears, and got to the
stateroom had long ago found out was
the one which belonged to my girl.
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, ''eome Quit make
hastel there is not a moment to loscr'
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 doctor
orders, and it fell full on me as I stood
there in my sailors jersey and cap
wondered if she would know me. l
forgot the danger we we're in-for got
that death was waiting close at hand
forgot that the world held any one but
just her and me.
"Dickl" she cried-"O, Dick, Dickr'
and she fell forward in dead faint on
my shoulder.
All my senses came back then; end
threw her over my arm and ran for the
deck. A great fiir-lined cloak had been
dropped by the door of the ladies' cabin.
There was no light, but I stumbled over
it as ! ran. l snatched 1t up and Garfield
it with me-
Up above. ali 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 were mad with ter
ror, and lost their heads alto gether.
l saw there was not a chance for the
over-crowded boats in that sea, aud
sprang for the rigging I was not a
second too soon; score of others fol-
lowed my example, aud with my
precious burden | should not have had
chance two ninutes later As it was
| scrambled to the topmast, and GOT a
firm hold there. Winny was just coming
te herself. l 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 | dashed her to nae, 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. l 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
ever knewp Multiply that by thou
sand, and you will have some idea of
that nights length. The cold was aw-
full. 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 littleS Ishall walk lame as long
as live. Sometimes there was splash
in the black water below, as some poor
fellows stiffened hold relaxed, and he
fell from his place in the rigging. There
was not breath of wind, nothing but
the bitter, bitter fog. How long could
we hold outp Where were weP How
long would the ship be before she broke
upp Would it be by drowning or by
freezingp 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 be-
lieve me, that all seemed little in COM
parison to the thought that after all the
struggles and the sorrows, after all
those ten long weary years, l held my
girl in my arms at last!
She had pulled one corner of the
cloak around my neck Il stood on a
level just below her, and her hand lay
there with tit was the hand that
warmed me more than the cloak-and
her cheek rested against my own. Often
l thought its GOODNESS was the GOODNESS
of death, and almost exulted in the
thought that we should die together.
And then would catch the murmur of
the prayers she was uttering for us both,
and know that life was there still, and
hope lived too.
Well, well! Why should I dwell on
such horrors, except to thank the
Mercy that brought us through them
alp Day dawned at last; and there
was the shore near by, and soon rockets
were fired, and ropes secured, and one
by one the half-dead living were drawn
from their awful suspension between
sky and sea, and landed safe on shore.
They had to take Winny and me to-
gether, just as we were, and even then
they had hard work to undo the clasp of
my sttfened arms about her. / knew
nothing then, nor for long after; and it
is wonderful that Winny was the first
to recover, and that 1t was she who
nursed me back to life and reason.
And how did | ask her to marry mep
Upon my word, now you ask, l can't
that ever did. That seemed
utterly unnecessary, somehow. Caste
distinctions look small enough when
you have been staring death in the face
for few hours; and words were not
much needed after we had been together
in the rigging that night. Somehow
was glad it was SO; glad my girl had
taken me in my cap and jersey, for a
common sailor, and yet loved the old
Dick through it all; glad she never
dreamed was owner of Indian Creek
farm. and the richest man in that end
of Ontario, and had wealth and posi-
ton higher than Mr.. LOTUS, the young
Squire at home. The people she was
with had all gone down on that awful
night; she had no one in the world but
me. We we're married at Montreal
the Captain of the Antartic gave her
away-and then brought her home to
Indian Creek. To see her face when
she saw the rocking-chair, and the work
basket and the thimble! Heaven bless
ho~f