Wichita eagle., 1886-12-28
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9ai1Y - Eaaale
LOSS OF THE PARAGON.

Ralph Rswson Milford was the fifth Office
on board the steamship Paragon, one Of Il
fastest boats on the Cable line Of steamer
which piled between New York and Sering;
patam. He had been, as youngest Of q larg
family, pitchforked into the employment c
the Gable lire by rich uncle, who paid hi
fees and took al interest in his progress a
long Is he saw nothing Of him. But III
Ralph r. milford, being young, good look
ing and human, found bis profession remark
ably dull "Ycu soe," he remarked to
chance acquaintance, who had introduced
himself to him az they lunched at the SAM
table at Deimoaico's, one day, shortly bcfor
the Paragon was 10 start on the homcwarC
- journey; @you see. we junior officers dom
have much fun on board The .eniors, i
they caro- about it, can get up no end o.
amusement with the fairer section Of the pas
aengers; but what chance has q fifth officer
/ hsvs 10 go about my duties ike "a aItona
esn: and at dusk, whom the rattle Of pronis
cuous oeculction echoes around tie decks
and every corner that ere turns is irnn,edi.
ately the tiiestre Of . Sadden llssztansls-
nent and precipitsts fight, TIA eject is, &c
cay The least Of it, t&ntsli6ng; azs ere wishes
sss were either cssisr ezosr a. passenger,
il.tssS ef 1fth in oeznyTsszdr
On The evening before tAs eepezt1ss Of the
Harasoa, tie new hands Ehe k&& bsea token
On in New York. and most Of ~ keasa ward
bound passengers were eE beaTG, we>E ger
SDoHs spscsEsx q tss U al rkzsxt Yankss,
sccs2psnisd By lovely sEAssrs e sens
uAnstHsz summers and CO equal nxeaber of
winters, eaass on beard, a1as, stSks asitLr Ar
4elph EAwsen Euttori. vhs wa standing
nser the gaAgwxy asked thas verify uhstksr
hs We tee captain Of the boat On ks 10
plying tkas he uas the 9th c,csr ths Yenkos
remarked:
@Weu, cir, I'd be obliged IL yea could TAXA
nle to tho ospt'n, under whose charge want
to place this young lady, whom l may IS well
Introduce to yoC-ss you're one a The officers
right now Miss Eeliie J. Robertson, Iny
piece; Hr-kst1ord-thaJk ycI-efth officer
CT this vessel"
While the captain wa5 beiEg found, Hiss
Nellie J. Robertson was doing great execu-
dcn with her great, soft eyes; and by the
time Capt. Sir Clements Lane had duly iden-
tilted the fair passenger in his LIST, and had
undertaken TO take charge of her during tie
voyage the impressionablc fifth officer was
no pedestal being handy-end fall down and
worship her The swell Yankee, with much
ostentatious farewell pantomime, having re-
turned on shore, the fair Nellie was left with
Gle captain, and new passenger came Gu
board-s sreen-eycd monster, who attached
himself to the susceptible Ralph, and pro-
oesded TO share with that gentleman his meals.
his berth, and his whole existence.
when the captains protege came on deck.
GraciouSl how beautiful she Was; and when
she went up to Mr.. Eutfcrd, and putting
both her hands into his, captured his soul
with a look, and requested to be shown tho
vessel, the fifth officer could have ciaspsd her
in his arms eld sprung overheard, like . now
Ckarmides taking bis Pa!las with him As
they came up the companion, Nellie, stunb-
ling sgsinst Ralph, squeezed his hand ard
"Au plaisir!7
Tho Irritation Of theSe two young things for
the rest of the day had to be pantomimic; it
was, therefore, the moro unrestraiDed Ralph
didn't worship the sea, but he was a consci-
entious officer, and wouldn't let his lovo,
which grew herccr and fercer, interfere with
lbs duties. Rcsdos, the captain took the
gres test fslns shout his fGir charge, and kept
q sharp look out upon his fifth officer, whcSs
eloquent looks he considered to be in the
worst possible taste. An opportunity oc-
CURED 90 them, however, just before the last
meal, when they met under shelter in a
friendly .tatcrOonl
Il never knew, said she, that sailors uers
so nice. Do you know, sir" she added, put
ting her hands upon his shoulders, chat this
uniform makes you very hnndsopiel | bs-
Eeve that's the only reason you're here at all"
A fool would not have caught her violently
TO his breast, and kissed the passionate lips
and eyes which raised themselves 10 level
with his. Ralph Rswson Nutford wsa no
fssl
Il must 20 away" he Whispered when
an We meet sgsini / shall bs O watch to-
night, ard shall wander up and dew. think
eE Of nothing but you. Cone a cock eorly
b mo.rsw, and shall bs FREE
re" ssid she: 1let rue ssms - tscs While
xsu are on watch. 1t VIII b Q very dark
AKtt sHs I'll wear q dark keek TtssS viii
- ~ Aoon-thsrs wac nSns ~ Hipht Dc
- ne csrnen
"I~peesSos, dariirgl SSs r>ess ~ Medic
- rs0Ae. Es era q. - ~ sszes %
lsck except ne captain. II wssld 10 rui. to
Ike tsss, dear, would yssF
-! WI vsal' Kew rznGas2ans ne,
- vcs wAsa eay rssA sF~s Ne le~bt |
- Sse~6 VI IT - sssxs - asreaz kS |
UstA, sd n ss- ca Hsv hczrid y~u |
80! dsaN bsksve ~ s.Es fs< - ga hi !
EAsss WI b 70 s.s - - i>sa hue tie 1--WE |
nA vsoshns vAA -, - Asy essldnS |
-. t- y l..s night G>a as e.s saw
-
u tss ssysai.r'-
EssC sssss wes ssiS-ia words Ralph /
. .asaV ss0ve.d, - h we'd s.nsad, -
i,.O shses eni shsut aleud
y vsB . Pssah-dsrk AiSkt, though ths air |
ws dear Of tsS. The tive hvsxs at heasath |
- tr-siEs, ena - Ssld kAr il Uhisp.rs all !
Shoes hines,f, sAl how fessl il would be L ID |
vosid - discovered that he had yielded TO
her pseys- axd let her come to him on deck. |
But what did anything matter while her soft, |
msstk fingers tvined and knottod themselves /
h his, aid her glory of gold hair vss the only |
hing between her choek and his shou!deri |
Suddenly there was great jar and q dull, /
Nashin. report. Nellie crouched in the /
shadow a. Milford sIrang TO his feet and !
harmed from The mon on watch that the Para
con had been run into. In a moment all was |
confusion, or apparent confusion. The cap
t0in, cool as il ha had been taking lis seat At /
dinner, csIno on deck, and said III loud (
calm voice TO the terrified passenger:
"Ns saye been rln into, and tho Paragon |
IS sinkin, There IS no danger to Us person. /
ally. The Sc Is calm, and tho beats are il I
perfect order sn1 preparation Tor such IN &C !
cidens. Ia a. hour we shall be on board the F.
ship tilst has rua Us down, which Is waiting /
for US Close by Then. Un3ar his calm and I
careful orders, passengers ard crew embarked /
in ss Psrsgon's boats AMI in very short ti,no 1
the Little foti!la was pulling away from the /
9iSannAeriNy iner BIT thu Shi IN tl,nt nd s,,,,l-