Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-07-03
A HEROINE.
A True Story Of Storm and Shipwreck.
BY NJ. E. W.

the little village on the cape. The
winds blew as if the very fury of Hades
itself had been let loose and the sea
mrged and beat upon the cuckles,
those cruel rocks that turned skyward
lust outside the harbor, until it threat
ened to tear them from their very foun-
dstion and hurl them with mighty
force against the village. 1t was night
such as few men cared to be abroad in,
unless the stern call of duty brought
them out.
And yet far out on the cliff that
formed the southern boundary of Wood
Island stood young girl. She was
closely muffled by cape and hood, and
vet the face, as it showed in the dim
twilight, was siugularly beautiful--a
face that one could scarce expect to
meet in such town as Cape Newaggen,
and one that would certainly make a
person stop to take second look were
/ i met in the heart of some big city.
Six years before Kate Johnscn's
father had sailed away in his good ship,
1 the Water Witch, taking with him as
second mate young Ned Bolton.
I'VE will be back inside the year,
lass, the old sea-dog had said as he
kissed his pretty daughter goodbye,
'and if this trip is successful it will be
nv last and Ned can have the ship and
you"
And Kate had blushed and hoped
that all might be well.
But the time had flown and nothing
had been heard of the Witch until one
day there had come to the village news
that the stern board Of ships boat
had been picked up in the south seas
bearing the name of @Water Witch,
and that was all the tidings that had
ever been heard from the proud ship
that sailed from the little port that
bright June morning, so full of life,
and joy and hope.
The days grew into months, the
months into years. aud the subject of
the disaster was drowned in that of
more recent calamities, for not
winter passed that did not
bring to that little fishing town news of
one or more disasters, and sometimes
many lives were sacrificed to the mer-
ciess deep.
But though others might forget, there
was one who never would. Kate John
son held the memory Of her father and
sweetheart as fresh as when she had last
seeu them, and there we're some among
the people of the little hamlet who de-
clared she was grieving herself to
death.
Be this as it may, she had never
given up hope that some day, in some
mysterious manner--she never even
dared TO think when or how-her father
and her sweetheart would be restored to
her. When the storm beat fiercest and
the tempest was at its height, she was
wont to creep out ON the lodges near
the dangerous reefs and watch the cruel
sea, andmany were the alarms of danger
she had given in the little town back by
the harbor, for this was one Of the most
dangerous reefs on the coast Of
Maine.
But tonight, as she stood and
watched the great breakers
as they beat against the giant
rocks, she seemed to feel vague un-
easiness, dread that she had never felt
before. Was it premonition of some
thing--some tragedy that was about to
happen beneath her very eyes, and she
unable to lend helping hand?
How long she had stood, silent and
alone, upon the ledge she never knew,
when suddenly she was aroused from
her reverie by a dull, sullen boom
She started as though she had been
shot, and putting her hands to her eyes.
peered out into the gloom. How well
she knew what that sound foreboded.
Two years ago she had heard SINH
lar sound, and the next morning the
coast was strewn with wreckage and the
dead bodies of the crew and passengers
q one of the mightiest steamers that
plowed the deep, had been gathered up |
oy the fishermen for days.
A moment more and the sound was
repeated. 1t was no trick of the sea,
no cruel hallucina,ion; there was ves-
sel III the offing in deadly peril What !
should she do? To fly and alarm the !
iown was her first impulse, but she !
knew that the men at the life-saving |
station, two miles beyond, had heard the !
sound and would soon be on the scene;
but alas they would come too late
She must act at once if she would be |
q any assistance to the imperiled craft. /
by fash of lightning she could see
ship Just inside the deadly |
eaekles, a quarter of a mile to the
south and east. Could she reach 1t? /
There was possibility slight hope,
out hope, neveriheless-that she |
night he able to pilot them safely into |
iharbor. Only last summer the coast I
Improvement service had blasted the !
oig rocks at Devils Ledge; but even
nov nothing bnt fishing vessels entered !
tae harbor by that channel, and they |
only in fair weather.
Again came the ominous boom OF the /
gan, and this time a rocket WIS sent mp /
MO the air. She started as though |
= had been shot. How well she knew
nat Light Years before. Capt john
"a had had a set of rockets made IN
boston Of special kind, so that he
ss.ald announce to his wife and daughter
rs arrival in the offing; the Water i