The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-09-10

oil the banks OF Newfoundland, but
where no one was quite sure. 1t seem.
ed to me it had all happened before, OIL
had read it, or dreamed it. At all
events, it was hardly a surprise to me
when, on the tenth night, just aftel
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. ~ s
1t is 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 10 die. Before
you could have strt ct match the
whole ship was N panic-cries, ter
ror. confusion, agony-On. it was aw-
full! trust never TO see SEch scene
again. / made my way through it all
rs if had neither eyes nor ears, and
got tn the siate-rOom | had long ago
found out was the one which belonged
to my girl. IN .cked at the door
with a heavy han /; even at that awful
moment n thrill ran through me at the
thought OF standing face to face with
her again. -t..E -.. -'.
"Winny" 1 cried, ''come outl mako
haste! there is not a 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 doctor s
orders, and it fell full on me as stood
thero 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. .e.. .#.IH.
'.Dickr' she cried-"Oh, Dick,
Dick" and she fell forward in a dead
faint on my shoulder.
All my senses came back to me 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 1 ran. I snatched
it up and carried it with me.
Up above, all was in the widest
chaos; the boats overfilled, and push
ing off; the ship settling rapidly; peo-
pie 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 terror, and lost their heads
altogether.
saw there was not chance for the
over-crowded boats in that sea, and l
no rior II
second too soon; score of others fol-
lowed my example, and with my pre-
cious burden should not have had L
chance two minutes later. As it was,
| scrambled to the topmast, and got
firm hold there. Winny was just com
ing to herself. 1 had wrapped her
round like baby in the fur cloak, and
with my teeth l 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; 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!
Ono 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 Tho
captain was near me. felt glad to
think he had been savcd-he was not a
coward like some of the others.
How long was the longest night you
ever knew? Multiply that by a thous-
and, 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. 1 stamped ON Winny's feet to
keep them from freezing. Did you
notice that limp a little? 1 shall
walk lame as long as L. live. Some
times there was splash in the black
water below, as some poor fellow s
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 out? Where were we? How long
would the ship last before she broke
up? Would it be by drowning or by
freezing? We asked ourselves these
questions again and again, but there
was no answer. Death stared us in
agony in every minute-and yet, will
you believe me, that all seemed little
in comparison to the thought that
after all. the struggles and the SORROWS,
after all those ten long weary years, /
held my girl in my arms at last!
She had pulled one corner of the
cloak around my neck Q 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. Oft
en- / thought its GOODNESS was the cold
ness of death, and. almost exulted in
the thought that we should die togeth-
er. And then | would catch the MUIR
muir of the prayers she was uttering
for us both, and know that life was
there still, and hope lived too.
Well, well! Why should dwell on
such horrors, except to thank the mer-
cy that brought us through them all:
Day dawned at last; and there was the
shore near by, and soon rockets were
fired, and ropes were 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 stiffened arms about her. Iknew
nothing then, nor for long after; and il
is wonderful that Winny was the first
to recover, and that it was she who
nursed me back to life and reason.
And how did ask her to marry me!
Upon my word, now you ask. l cant
remember that ever did. That seem
ed utterly unnecessary, somehow.
Caste distinctions look small enough
when you have been staring death in
the face for a few hours; and words
were not much needed after we had
been together in the rigging over thai
night. Somehow | was glad it was so
glad that my girl had taken me, in my
cap and jersey, for a common sailor,
and yet loved the old Dick through il
all; glad she never dreamed Twas own
er of Indian Creek farm, and the rich.
est man in that end of Ontario, and
had wealth and position higher than
Mr.. LOTUS, the young squire at home
The people she was with had all gone
down ON that awful night; she had ne
one in the world but me. We were
| married at Montreal-the captain o
| the Antarctic rave her aWay-and theI