San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-12-29
A TERRIBLE NIGHT.

"CheeriIy. boys" shouted the master.
eve must be nearingth coast. Hold hard
thehelm, Jean. Make fast the rope Pierre"
Over the raging sea the fishing smack
shot like flash. The previous day they
had set ont amid superb weather. There
was a stiff breeze, covering with light foam
the waves, upon the surface Of which the
sun was mirr0red with bright slvery re-
Elections. Nevertheless, on passing the
lookout house Pere Landure, the master,
had paused with an uneasy air. In less
than an hour the barometer, the column
of mercury of which glittered at the door,
had fallen a centimeter. The old man had
remained there a second, seeming to reflect
Then he had glanced at the sky, shifted the
wind, and had ended by Struggling his
shoulders \ tempest in such weather,
was that possible: He would have felt it;
he who scented the gales a day in advance,
and he did not scent anything at all save
good catch of fish. The barometer was GER
tainly wide of the mark
That was why Perc Landure had set out
with his two young men, Pierre and Jean.
Were they his sons? No; Pere Landure
had only.a daughter, Marie. the pearl of
the coast, "a superb lass of 20, robust and
delightful, with eyes of velvet and skin like
a ripe peach Pierre and Jean were mari
nerS of the district, very resOlute fellows,
PERSISTENT workers, understanding their
business, whom he had employed for year
past to go fishing on his vessel. With them
eeyerything went splendidly. 1t was ques-
5tiOn which OF the twain had had most heart
in his toll. They were genuine rivals, for
sooth. The master had his suspicious as
ITO what caused this laudable zeal. The
Young fellows were after his daughter
That was clear. There was a struggle be-
tween them as to which of the pair should
pe accepted as -MaEie,s husband Well, ~let
that go ahead. Pcre Landure was not dis
turbed. His daughter was sage, and sound
in mind as well as in body. When she
wished she would make her choice, and
everything would be arranged.
She would perhaps do well not 10 delay
too long all the same. For to wait thus in
impatience is not the best thing for two
lads equally snitten. For about month
past Pere Landure had detected black
looks between them, on Jeans side partic-
ularly, who was more ardent than Pierre,
more choleric also, perhaps, and more I'M
demanded. But that would be settled on
the wedding day, and the rejected lover
would console himself with a double share
of cider. 1t would not be the first time
such a thing had been seen, veXation
drowned in II stout bumper-and pretty
girls were not scarce in the neighbOrhOOd
Meanwhile they had worked hard all the
afternoon, very calmly. But suddenly,
toward o'clock, the breeze had freshened
'Hola sailors, what does this mean"
Pere Landure had raised his head, put his
hand above his eyes and scanned the hori-
ION. Down there, away down there a
black cloud was scurrying along at the ut
most speed.
'Let go behind, the master had shout
ed, "and make for land!'
And they had FASTENED toward the coast.
But suddenly the wind had shifted, driv-
ing the vessel before it toward the open
sea. What Il tempest, great Jupiter!
Never had the two young fellows, never
had Pere Landure himself, old as he was,
seen anything like it. 1t was surely one
of those diabOlical hurricanes mentioned
by those VINO have vOyaged in southern
seas; one of those frightful cyclones that
surround one with a circle of furious
winds had made a mistake as to the ocean
and had fallen upon the wrong waters.
Every half hour the wind shifted and the
mad bark, tuning about, shot Off in an
unknown direction through whirlpOols of
waves as high as houses. How was it that
1t had not foundered twenty times? It's
ribs must be solidly bolted! Stoutly decked
as it was, it rolled from wave to wave,
plungipg, then rising as if by miracle,
shaken, tossed, dashed, speeding along
constantly at "a fearful rate.
Where was it going now? That. for
sooth, the three sailors would have found
it very difficult to say. The night had
come Oman inlly highland they could
not see sixty feet in front of them. For an
instant they had perceived the Belle Isle
lighthouse. Now they saw nothing save
the horror of the darkness, heard nothing
but the sinister bowls of the wind as it
tore its way through the cordage
master" said Pierre suddenly, "the
watch light is out!'
''Try TO light it below, and be careful Of
the fire." answered Pere Landure. But
no." added he, taking a second thought
~ will do it myself"
And quitting the mast to which he haC
been clinging, the aged sailor took tw,
steps toward the hRtchway. Just at tina