The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-10-22
In a short time the news of the pro.

upon the shore, all taking a lively inter
est in the preparations being made there.
The sun was just going down behind
a dark mass of clouds wkzi Jay aud
Sim, accompanied by their sisters, came
down to the landing, where their re
spective friends had hoisted sail on the
two boats, and made everything ready
for start.
The young men made hasty survey to
see that their crafts were in ship-shape,
and having satisfied themselves that
everything had been properly attended
to grasped the tillers, gave the signal to
cast off and darted away from the shore,
like birds on snowy wings, amid lusty
cheers from those left behind.
The sky looked rent and threatening.
There were distant thunder and frequent
flashes of lightning. Dark towering
masses of clouds rose slowly upon all
sides of the horizon. The wind was due
east, blowing stiff breeze. The two
boats were close hauled on the wind,
barely making their course. The water
was rough and the waves ran pretty high,
casting a drenching spray over every
thing as the little crafts were forced
straight through them. The crews OF
the two boats-the girls as we'll as the
boys-were we'll protected, however, by
long oilskin coats, reaching down to
their feet, and Southwestern hats.
For the first ten miles it was pretty
even race; then the wind died out COM
pletely. Night had setin. The thunder
sounded louder and closer, and the light
ming came in binding flashes. The
clouds rolled upward from every side un-
til they met overhead. For a few min
utes the thunder stopped its loud can
nonade, and the lightning ceased; the
only sounds that broke the silence being
the dying murmur of a breaking wave
and the gentle swash of the water against
the sides of the boats.
The darkness was intense; the air was
hot and sitting. Then an OMNIBUS sound
came from distance--a sound that the
occupants of the boats had often heard
before-a low murmur at first, increas-
ing gradually in volume, until at last, as
it drew nearer, it sounded like roar OF
wrath mingled with shrill shrieks Of
agony and despair.
Sim and Jay hastily lowered their sails
and furled them snug and fast; and just
as the first chilly breath of the squall
touched their sweat-beaded cheeks and
foreheads they threw the anchors over
board.
Then the storm broke loose in all its
fury. The thunder roared more deafen-
ingly, the lightning flashed more blind
ingly than before. The phosphorescent
water cleaned as an ocean of fire lashed
and driven before the gale. The two
sail boats were tossed like corks upon
the angry sea, but their anchors held
them head to the wind, while strong,
nervous hands grasped the tillers and
steadied them as they plunged up and
down among the furious waves.
The two boats seemed to be riding tho
gale safely, until suddenly, the "Annie's"
cable snapped. The Annie was to the
windward of the Lily, and when tho
cable parted sho drifted straight down
upon the latter. They came togethet
with fearful crash. Then came wave
higher crested and more furious than its
fellows. 1t burst upon the boats whild
they were yet side by side, sweeping their
decks from fore to aft, at tie same timd
tearing them apart and carrying one fai
astern of the other.
Jay looked around for his sister. At
his feet, in the small cockpit in which he
was sitting, now half filled with water,
he saw a motionless figure, which he
thought to be hers. He reached down
his hand and dragged her toward him.
A long and vivid flash lighted up
everything around him, revealing instead
of the expected face of his sister that oI
Annie Jason.
At that moment q woman's piercing
cry rang out above the voice of the
storm. Jay heard it and sprang to his
feet.
"It is Lily, and she is drowning" he
cried. "I'il cut the cable and drift down
with the wind. I may save her yet"
He started forward, but just then the
topping-lift broke and the boom came
down with all its weight upon his head.
With moan upon his lips he sank down,
unconscious.
*
It was o week after the night of tho
squall on the bay when Jay Spratt awoke
to consciousness again. He was at his
home in Tomsburg. Two sweet faces
were bending over him, while the arms
belonging to the possessors of the faces
were wound lovingly around each others
waists.
"Where am II"
"You arc at home, Jay, and all is
well," said Lily with a smile.
"And you didn't drown2"
"No, dear; thanks to Sim Jason, who
risked his own life to save mine"
"How did I get homes"
"Annie-"
But here the blushing Annie placed
her disengaged hand over Lilg's mouth.
"Did you sail the boat and take me
home, Miss Jason?" asked Jay, looking
up into her face.
eyes," she whispered, "but be quiet
now, and try to go to sleep"
The great majority of the people in
Tomsburg are we'll pleased to know that
tho icud between the Jasons and the
Spratts is at an end. A double wedding
is announced there to take place in early
autumn. Times Democrat.