New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-08-25
Then die, Elsie, for ye shall never

sank down in the bottom Of the
boat and closed my eyes. / could not
look at my death, though knew it
must come. A dull stupor crept over
me, and the agony Of fear which held
me before was gone. Was it my dis
ordered Imagination which made me
think something had happened which
sounds perfectly Incredible?
1t was getting too dark to distin-
g1lish plainly. but, surely, that was
Edam Carr's big form saw at the
other end of the boat STOPPING over q
coil OF rope?
Then who was the man busted with
the sail in the centre of it?
We were shut off from all human
help there in the midst of a bowling
tempest, and yet some one had man
aged to come on board, and evidently
to give us his assistance. No other
vessel could possibly have approached
us while my eyes were shut, certainly
not without my hearing it. Where
then, had this stranger come from?
All these thoughts flashed through
my mind, but at the time l was too
stupefed to wonder much. My facul-
ties seemed dulled, and Icould neither
suffer nor fear any more. I simply
waited for the end I could see dimly
| the sharp ridge of ,rocks we were near
ing, and from which nothing short of
a miracle now could keep us.
But this miracle did take place. All
at once our course changed and the
boat turned from its dangerous way.
Then, and not till then, did Edam
seem to awaken to the knowledge that
he was no longer managing affairs.
With sudden oath he started up and
crept forward.
When he got to the figure standing
with its back toward him l saw him
raise his arm to thrust it aside. Then
slowly, slowly, it turned and looked
him straight in the face.
He cried out wildly, "God help me,
for Pm mad now, any way!" and,
throwing up his arms, he leaped over
board into the seething waves.
watched him strike out when he
rose, but was too paralyzed to scream
even. He had not a chance in that
terrible sea, but was thrown like bit
OF floating weed upon the very rocks
he had been steering for, chung there
for moment, only to be swept back
by the return OF the waves. saw
| this in the last !urid streak OF light
which flashed across the water before
the night came, and in it were shown
| at last the features of my strange COM
panion. Was it all a dream? I did
not know even then. nor did I feel
afraid, but as those eyes met mine a
thrill ran through me, and sank into
Inconsistencies. Late that night,
when some of the msn went down to
see that their boats were secure, they
found Edam Cars new uoat safely
drawn up on the beach and me lying
in it in dead faint.
After that came a time o. dull, stu
pid misery to me. l could never an
swer questions, nor give any account
of that dreadful evening, save that
Edam Carr had gone mad and jumped
overheard, and had been dashed
against the cribs of DEATH" and that
| I tainted when this happened, and
knew no more But then, how had
the boat been brought into port? they
asked. My story was proved true by
poor Edam's body being washed
ashore two days after. For long the
people looked at me strangely. Their
superstition made them regard me now
as "uncanny" and shun me as some
thing they could not account for. Be-
sides, instead OF the sea claiming its
victim, as they expected it to do, | had
been miraculously saved from it!
often wonder [ did not go mad my
self during that dreary time.
For settled in my own mind clear
ly enough how it was. l should never
see my bonnie sweetheart more. Ihad
not a doubt that he was dead and
that my cry for help had brought him
IN the spirit to my assistance. For a
while | nursed my sullen grief in
silence; but at last Miss Ashford $
kindness broke down the barrier and
/ told her everything. Only for that
and because she did not laugh at me,
but believed that l spoke the truth, I
should have lost my senses or my life,
for the secret was killing me.
''Truly there are strange mysteries
we cannot hope to be revealed in this
life" she said solennly. "Hast thou,
which art but air, touch, a feeling OF
their affections? Would try not to
think too much about it, Elsie; and
don't give way to despair, above all.
Think how the little ones need YOU"
1t was all very we'll to talk, and
did try honestly; but couldn't help
thinking Of my boy during the long
dreary Winter nights, after the chill
dren had gone to bed, and was left
alone by the glimmering freight:
Then the tears would come, and, oh!
it felt so lonely, and life so sad want
ing him.
/ | was sitting thus one night, leaning
my cheek upon my hand, and the
stocking / was knitting for one Of the
BARNS had fallen upon the floor, while
I gazed into the dying embers. How
long l sat know not, but suddenly
the Goals fell together and fared up
into a blaze, and there on the other
side of the hearth, stood Willie, my
Willie, Laughing down at me.
/ screamed and covered my eyes.
dared not look at what seemed COW
| firm ti0n Of INV worst fears. but in a