The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1886-10-15

our bearings, and at last the fogs told lis
we were somewhere off the banks of New
foundland, but where no one was quite
sure. 1t seemed to me it had all happened
before, or | had read it or | had 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 the Antarctic had struck.
It's a fearful thing, if you come to think
of it-a 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 to die. Before you could have
struck a match the whole ship was in a
panic-cries, t%errors, confusion, agony-O,
it was awful, ! trus. never to see such a
thing again. | made my way through it
all as If neither had eyes or ears, and got
to the stateroom I lad long ago found out
was the one which belonged to my girl. |
Knocked at the door with a heavy hand;
and even at that awful moment a thrill
ran through me at the thought of standing
face to face with her again.
"Winnyn' I cried, ''come out! Make
haste! there is not a moment to loser."
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 it fell full on me as | stood there in
my sailors jersey, and | 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 me and her.
"Dick!!' she cried, ooh, Dickr'' and
or.
All my senses came pack 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 now, but | stumbled
over it as | ran. | snatched it up and
carried it with me.
Up above, all was in the widest chaos;
S'S O"s ttiiA lAtSiliilE IN ShC
ship settling rapidly, people shouting, cry
ing, swearing. One hears tales of calm
ness 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 Ant
artic. 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 altogeth-
er.
| saw there was not a chance for the
over crowded boats in that sea, and l
sprang for the rigging. | was not a second
too soo;; \ score OF others followed my
example, and with my precious burden
should not have had a chance two minutes
later. As it was, | scrambled to the top
mast, and got a firm hold there. Winny
was just coming to herself. l had wrap
ped her round like a 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 me, 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 afterwards-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 a 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: The yalds
wer c slippery with ice. | stamped oil
Winny's feet to keep them from freezing.
Did you notice thar | limp a little? /
shall walk lame as long as | live. Some
times there was a splash in the dark water
below, as some poor fellows stiffened hold
relaxed, 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 out? Where
we've we? How long would the ship be be-
fore she broke up :? Would it be by drown
ing or by freezing? 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, all that seemed little i'll comparison to
the thought that, after all the struggles
and the sorrows, after all these ten weary
years, l held my girl in my arms at last.
She had pulled n corner of the cloak
around my neck q stood on a level just be-
low herr and her hand lay there with it
it was the hand that warmed me more than
the cloak-and her check 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
knew that life was there still and hope
lived, too.
Well, well, Why should dwell on such
horrors. except to thank the Mercy that
hronrbt uS berp throngh them all? Day