Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-09-17
" THE RIBS OF DEATH
Elsie's Narrow Escape from Them
and a Mad Lover.

Three months before l was born my
fathor's boat went down In a squall within
sight Of homo and of my mother, who, with
tho rest of the ilshormon's wives, awaited
tho landing of tho little fleot.
Perhaps this was tho reason why had
such an instructive horror and dread OF
the sea, even while it fascinated and drew
me to it In its stormiest moods. 1t was a
queer feeling that possessed me. When
away from the sight and the sound of
tho breakers i was restless and unQuiet;
near them was awed and melancholy,
but somo craving OF my nature was salts.
fed, and l was comparatively calm.
believe many Of our people, who are in
tensely superstitious, looked upon me as
doomed in consequence OF this. 1.-THE 500
always swallows what 1t gets hold OF,
they said among themselves with sorrow
full fataliNm. We can hardly holp being
superstitious and gloomy--wo who are born
and reared in Callermonth. Nature is so
stern In her moods and so cruel in her way
Of expressing them
Miss Ashford, our wears daughter. is
very cross with mo for saying things like
this, but can not holp thinking that even
she feels them to be true sometimes during
the long and stormy winters on this north
east coast OF ours. She Is very kind and
good, and as she Is always busy working
among us perhaps that helps her through.
1t was she who taught me how to write and
put sentences together so as to make this
story ineligible, and II was she who
wished me to write it, Why, | do not
know. When told it TO her first hardly
expected her to believe il, but she did, and
helped me through the bad time which
had aftor--but that must bldo until | come
to il,
Callemouth Is only cluster of cottages
around a little hqrbor, with pier and life
boat house below. About mile to the
north is the ugly rpridge OF rocks which
bears tho significant name of the cribs o.
Death" Many iine vessel has struck and
ground her timbers TO match-wood, and
many poor clinging life has been washed
off those fatal ribs. They do say that in
the old times many ship was lured there
to Its destruction, too; but can scarce be-
lieve tho grandiathers Of our brave follows
who lived by and on the waters just as now,
could be inhuman enough To trade upon
the danger and deaths of fellow-mariners.
Only must say that even yet, whilo any
one Of our men would risk his life without
thinking twice about it to save another he
wouldn't have any very definite ideas on
tub laws VI NulNukt.
was not comely lass in the estimation
of the village critics. In fact, when saw
my little white face with its big dark eyes,
In the dim old looking-glass which hung
over the mantelpieco in our front room,
and compared it with that of Bell Carr our
highest and best-looking girl, used to feel
very small and insignificant. She was a
true fisher lass, tall and strongly made,
with a swinging walk and saucy smile, and
ready word for every one, gentle or sim
| pie Tho artists who came here sometimes
| TO paint us in our characteristic blue fan
neIs always selected her and passed me
over. was not a "type,n and she was, they
said. Well, / was glad of it, for Willie
| wouldn't have liked me to act as model
Spite of my want Of beauty had two lads
come courting me, and Willie Lisle was the
one favored. Edam (Adam) Carr was toe
much ofmy own temper for me, too gloomy
was afraid OF him, had the same sort Of
mistrust OF him that had OF the sea, and
perhaps q little of the same idea OF his pos
sble power over me. But Willie, with hi,
bonnie yellow curls, and his blue eyes, ant
his sunny smile, what girl could have re
sisted hint He brought his brightness int
my life, and 1t seemed TO go out like tht
sun beneath a cloud the day he sailed II
the Rowena, bound for China and the Eas
Indies, from the Tyne.
All onr most energetic and enterprisini
young men become sailors, II they do no
feel satisfied to be fishermen as thei
fathers before them. It never seems u
OAter into any Of their heads that there Al