The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-09-16

out than anything slss. And Notwithstanding
everything they were the last days Of our holi
day, and they went wings.
A week went by, sud then Jim and went
over to Terra Alta TO hear the wire messages for
ourselves | babe MsdRe a sorrowful good Bye
tried TO tell her how L appreciated her services
to me- but couldn't. And as l turned for the
Last time there were tears rolling down her
cheeks. Then / resolved that nothing could
ever induce me TO tell Julia the story OF those
weeks
The final message from the Office of the Ella
had come. There was no possible doubt bus
that il had persisted. There is nothing to be
DONE" jim said, bat 10 run up to New York
and say you came over In one OF the Northern
vessels" so going back by night and cross
roads, that would be sure of missing &C
Quaintences, / reached New York.
l only waited there long enough 10 inspect the
latest vessel in, and telegraph Julia that was
in America when / boldly took the train for
home. was still weak from my illness, and as
1 alighted from tho cars. the delegation of old
friends that came up with ordinations of greet
ing fairly bewildered me. Everybody cried out
a; once, Tell US about it. How were you
ssvedf
81 came over on the Etruris, l said, calmly.
Yes they said, but how did you escape
from the Elsfr
II came over on the Etruria~ I said, again
and again Then my wife's brother quickly put
me in the carriage and closed the door. There
come lot of those cursed reporters be said.
John drive fast
Il don't see what reporters can want of me-
1 said, peevishly.
Well my brothern law said in his slight
~ sarcastic manner, the sole survivor Of n
shipwreek is usually an interesting person TO
interview. The owners and insurance men will
think
But said. IL came over in the Etruria.'
''Well' my brothsr-in-law said, what they
want to know is how you got from the middle OF
the Atlantic to the Etruria When o man leaves
one shore on q vessel that never reaches land
and turns up again from another ship he must
have some sort of a tale TO tell, and he looked
as though he expected TO hear 1t then aud there.
fell back with groan. / was in mess!
Evidently the Ella has been lost before she
reached Bremen. At least could plead nerves
and tell nothing to night. Julia and the chill
dren met me at the door and fell soooine on my
neck Poor Julia was sick and worn with
anxiety and grief while Johnny and the baby
clune around my knees.
oh popper." Johnny said. 81 thinked for o
whole week you was q angel"
The first words Julia said were, TELL me- oh,
tell me how you were saved.'
Tonight ! cannot j said family. mot
now. Let me go to bed. am nearly exhaust
ed And truly was.
Some kind of yarn had to make up before
morning, and spent the hours turning over and
over in my brain various plans, only to reject
them all. One thing, the truth was out OF the
question. II Julia knew where had been she
you'd listen to no reason, bet would consider
b. morning my mind was made up, and call
ine Julia and her brother into the morning
room told my tale.
Before l begin" said sternly, II want to
say one thing. This story am in honor bound
not to tell the reporters. Can you promise me
that it shall never pass these walsh
Yes" they said, they would promise.
Then" said, sin the first place l did not re-
turn in the Etruria."
why, Harryr Julia cried in astonishment,
''you said you did"
Yes / ssid, I'VE are sometimes compelled
TO deceive the crowd and felt meaner than
any cur.
Another thing must tell the reporters and
owners of the Ella, and that is that did NOT go
abroad in that vessel"
"But. Harry, darling, you did,
Eyes, yes-but wait until tell my story. We
had been out out about eight days when ter
rible storm came up."
II thought it vas the eleventh day. my
brother in-law said
1T lasted until the twelfth day," 1 returned
''The ship was driven this way aud that, and, as
you know / am not good sailor, was wretch
screams and cries, and then the order for every
one to come on deck, and the order to man the
boats; but was so i'll rather hoped should go
to the bottom, so lay still IN my berth. In
the morning the storm seemed to have abated.
although there was a terrific swell on the ocean.
crawled ND on deck and found that was a
deserted ship, and IL was slowly sinking.
Iran up and down and presently found q
small boat, which lowered over the side. The
ship was so far down in the water now that there
was no dificulty in my leaping in. notwith-
standing the great swell. The next wave took
me far ont Of reach of the sinking ship, and al
most before could realize IL, was in that tiny
craft alone among the terrible mountainous
waves had not had time to think Of food, and
there was not even a drop OF ldrinking) water In