West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-08-28

some sort. we were too weak To row,
or direct the boat in any way. but we
soon found we were drifting rapidly in.
Fortunately, just as We came into shall
low water, "a large breaker lifted MS
clean up, and flung the boat some way
i'm. leaving it stranded there; otherwise
it would probably have been over
turned, and all washed away by an
outgoing wave. As we crawled out of
the boat, which was lying ON its side
among the shingle, one OF us noticed a
quantity of shell-ish adhering TO the
bottom. We had just enough strength
left to tear them Off greedily. open and
devour them. If it had not been for
this, i believe we must have died whore
We lay, for there was a long
stretch Of sand and Single 10 pass
before we could get sufficiently
inland 10 obtain any food. However.
hard as the shell-fish were, they served
TO support life for a time. Then the
mate, who was the least exhausted.
crawled little way in, and at last ro-
turned bearing some turtle eggs he had
found. Day by day passed, and we
grew stronger and stronger. all except
poor Mr. Wagner, whose noble self
sacrifice nearly cost him his life. He
got alittle better AT last and was able TO
accompany the others on short hunting
expeditions, but in all long or danger
Gus adventures he had TO be left behind
with me at homo How long we
were on that island Gf il were an
lsland) | can not say. IL must have
been considerably more than year,
but there was nothing to mark the days
by. They came and went, one after
another bringing always the same
events and tho same requirements.
We saw several ships pass by long
way out TO sea, but could not succeed
i'm attracting attention. One morning,
however, when all the others had zone
Tor whole days hunting expedition,
leaving only Mr. Wagner and myself
at home IN the cottage huts we had
built, we saw a vessel come within a
few miles OF the island, and went
almost mad with JOY TO see that they
were lowering a boat in reply 10 our
signals. II was a little trading ship,
bound for Liverpool, and manned
by rs rutlianly set rs | had ever
seen. We told them the Others would
be back in the evening, and begged
them to wait; but when they found
what little chance there was for getting
roughly that If we liked TO 90 with
them we could, but that they were be-
hind already and could not afford to
wait another hour for any one. We
begged, prayed, promised they should
be amply rewarded, but all without eff
feet, and we were obliged Mt last To po
with them, leaving note behind for
our absent comrades. telling them that
would tn i've h,t,- L.,
liverance on getting to England. MIR.
Wagner told me that when we landed
at Liverpool his first action must be to
let his wife i mean his mother-know
of his safety. He said he would take
me home to her. and l could stay
while | communicated with my friends
in Australia. Poor fcllow-littIe did he
think what was before him! The very
day of our landing, before he had time
even to telegraph home, he fell down
IN the streets in sort of fit They
carried him to a dreadful hospital.
where | followed and begged TO be al
lowed to nurse him; but when they
asked if l were his wife, and told
them No. they refused to believe or
even listen to my story, threatening TO
give me in charge as warrant il
came again. There was one doctor
who looked kind, and l waited for him
outside. begging him to tell me if there
was any hope. lie said he was afraid
not If my story were true, and
the patients friends could be
found, he thought, perhaps by the
greatest care and attention, such as il
was impossible for him to receive i'm the
hospital where he was, which was only
kind of pauper institution for foreign
seam en-, he might possibly recover. lie
said he would write Mr.. Wagner 3
friends If ! gave him the address. but
when | told him did not know where
they lived except that it was somewhere
in London, ne shrugged his shoulders
and went away. Then / determined in
my mind, that, God helping me. the
man who had laid down his lie for me.
az it were, should not die without an eff
fort on my part TO save him. / had
friends in London, IL could only oct
there, who would help me to find his
mother. / had enough money 10 pur-
chase ticket for half the Journey the
rest / would endeavOr to walk. When
you found me, madam, ! hal had no
food for three days, and had been walk
ing five days and nights, very nearly
without resting"
a" And your preserver, Mr. Wagner"
said, tell me Is he still livingP''
Yes, madam, thank God, he is bet
ter but still very weak and feeble
Directly / could speak / told your kind
mother (who had been telcgraphed for
when you fell ill) my story, and prayed
her Tor the love OF Heaven to help me 10
lind his relatives She wrote immedi-
ately 70 her brother in London. telling
him the whole case and bey-
ging him 90 make every cf-
fort 10 find Mr.. Wagners family.
which he did, without difficulty. I be-
lieve. Ills mother and sister went down
TO Liverpool instantly. They were only
just in time, the poor fellow was almost
gone However, everything that could
be- done, was done. One of the first
physicians in London was telegraphcd
for, and by the greatest care and dcvo.
ton his life was saved. llo is still weak
and feeble, but much better. sirony
enough indeed w be moved from chat
horrible hospital
Thank Godn I said. the tears com
ing into my eyes How ] should like
70 see him, and tell him what think
OF him d. must bc just such % one as
my Harry
Yes. madam, I think he must. F
an wnrci the woman. shall I describe
Mr. Wagner tO vOu2'
nodded. Tor my heart was ullof my
. husband aud ] could not trust mvscll tO
speak.
"ie is tall, but SO broad houldcrcd