The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1885-08-29

purpose In my head. By-and-by |
bought some land dirt cheap, and sold
It for three times what gave for it
then I began to make money fast. l
should call my luck wonderful II l be-
lieved In luck, and didn't prefer to
think was helped by Power far ADLER
than my own. At last, 10 years to the
very day after | set foot on Canadian
soil Il bought Indian Greek farm, and be-
gan TO build this house. All the neigh
bors thought my good fortune had turn
ed my brain, for fitted II up and fur
nished II for lady, down to little
rooking-ohair by my study table, and a
work-Jasket with tiny gold thimble in
It.. And when all that was finished, |
took the first ship to Liverpool.
Ten years build city over here. II
doesn't make much change In n Devon
shire village, The very gates were still
half of their hinges, as ! left them, only
the people were little older and trifle
more stupid; and there was n new vicar.
Old Mr.. Branscome had been dead six
months; died very poor, they told me;
there was nothing left for Miss winny.
My heart gave one great leap when i
heard that. And Miss Winnyp oh, she
had gone governessing with some people
who were Just oil to Canada, and the
ship sailed tomorrow from Liverpool.
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-appenrranoe OF two of the crew.
Without a seconds pause l offered for
one OF the vacant places. was as strong
as a horse, and active enough, and though
the captain eyed my rather askance-I
had been to a West End tailor on my
way through London-he was too glad
to get me to ask any questions. So |
sailed on the ship with my girl, little as
she knew IT. saw her the first day or
two, looking so pale and thin that she
was like the COST OF her old self. and yet
sweeter to my eyes than ever before.
The children she had charge Of were
troublesome little creatures, who wor-
ried and badgeied her till | longed to
cuff them well. But there was gentle
ness and a patience about her quite new
to my idea of Miss Winny, and only
loved her the more for II. After the
second dry out, the wind freshened, and
j saw no more OF her.
We had at awful passage. II was late
In November-an early winter, and the
cold was intense. 1t blew one continu-
GUS gale, and some Of our machinery was
broken-the screw damaged and we
could not keep our course. AS we drew
near the other side OF the Atlantic, we
and Mt last the fogs told us we were
somewhere of the banks of Newfound-
land, but where no one was quite sure.
Ii seemed to me II had all happened
before, or had read 1t, or dreamed 1t.
At all events, ii was hardly 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 Ii can imagine In the
least-and we knew that the Antarctic
had struck.
It's fearful thing, II you come to
think Of 1t, n great steamer filed with
living souls in the full flow of life and
health, and In one moment the call COM
ing to each of them to die. Before you
could have struck match the whole
ship was In n panic-cries, terror, con-
fusion, agony-O, it was awful l trust
never to see such scene again. l made
my way through II all as II | had neither
eyes nor ears, and got to the stateroom l
had long ago found out was the one be-
longed to my girl. | knocked at the
door with a heavy hand; even at that
awful moment thrill ran through me
at the thought of standing face to face
with her again.
"WinnyW cried; "come out make
haste there is not moment to lose !"
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 1t fell full on me as l stood
there in my sailors jersey and cap. /
forgot the danger we were in-forgot
that death was waiting close at hand
forgot that the world held anyone but
her and me.
"Diokr ~ she cried; 80, Dick, Dickw
nd she fell forward in q dead faint on
my shoulder.
All my senses came back then. threw
her over my arm and ran for the deck
A great fur-lned cloak had been dropped
by the door of the ladies' cabin. There
was no light, but l stumbled over 1t as /
ran. snatohed 1t up and carried 1t
with me.
Up above, all was in the widest chaos;
the boats over-filled, and pushing off;
the ship settling rapidly; people shout
ing. 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 pas
sengers, but the majority Of them and
the crew were mad with terror and lost
their heads altogether.
overcrowded boats In that sea, and
sprang for the rigging. l was not
second too soon; score of others fol-
lowed my example, and with my
precious burden l should not have
had a chance two minutes. AS 1t was,
scrambled to the topmost and got q
firm hold there. Winny was Just COM
ing to herself. had wrapped her round
like a baby in the fur cloak, and with
my teeth 1 opened my knife to cut
rope which hung loose within reach.
With this dashed her to me, and fast
ened 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 1t every second and swept 1t 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. / felt glad to think he
had been saved-he was not u coward
| like some of the others.
How long was the longest night you
ever knew Multiply that by a thousand
and you will have some idea of that
nights length. The cold was awful
! The spray froZe on the sheets as it fell.