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

The youngest girls cowered against
their father, who in CONSERVATION watch
ed the boundless sea around us.
And night was coming as rapidly as
the tide; heavy, damp darkness. We
remained there half an hour, an hour,
hardly know how long, looking at the
yellow water which thickened and boiled
and played upon the reconquered beach.
One of the girls complained of the
cold, and we thought we would go in
frr pE06eCtiJl. a.;,,iost .no iis's but cold
breeze which stung our faces. leaned
over the trap door. The ship was full of
water and we We're obliged To crouch
against the stern. which gave us some
protection. Night was now upon us and
we drew closer together, surrounded by
water and darkness. felt the shoulder
of the young English girl, whose teeth
chartered at times, tremble against mine.
| also felt the soft warmth of her body,
and that warmth was to Inc as delicious
as a kiss. We no longer spoke: we were
motionless, silent, crouching like ami
mails i'll u ditch during storm.
And somehow, in spite of all; in spite
of the darkness, in spite of the terrible
and growing danger, l commenced to
feel happy at being there, happy at the
cold and danger, at the long hours of
agony to be passed on those planks, so
near that pretty delicate English girl. /
wondered why this sensation of joy pene-
trated me. Why? Who can say? Was
it because she was there? Who was she?
A little unknown English girl. l did
not love her. did not know her, and
yet I felt touched, conquered. would
have given my life for hers. Strange
that the presence of a woman can so up
set usl Is it the power of beauty which
envelopes us? the allurements of youth
that like wine makes us drunk? Or is it
touch of Love, the mysterious, who
tries without cessation TO unite two
people? that tries his power as soon as
he has brought man and woman together
and penetrates them with an emotion,
subtle and profound, as one moistens the
earth to make flowers grow?
The silence of the darkness became
frightful, and the silence of the heavens,
for we heard around us the monotonous
wash Of the sea against the side of the
ship. After awhile | heard sob. The
smallest of the girls was crying and her
father tried to Console. They spoke in
English. | turned to my neighbor.
Arc you cold?' "Yes, very" / want
ed her to take my cloak. She refused,
but had taken it off, and wrapped it
around her against her wish. In the
slight struggle her hand touched mine
and sent a delightful thrill through me.
The wind had become sharper and the
waves now broke with greater force
against the sides of the ship. raised
myself up and felt rush of air against
my face. The wind was rising!
The Englishman noticed it at the same
time and remarked, THAT is bad"
1t certainly was bad; it meant certain
death if the waves, no matter how small,
struck and shook the wreck, already so
broken and disjointed that the first large
one would demolish it.
Then cur agony increased from second
to second with the rise of the wind.
Now the waves broke and saw in the
darkness the white line of foam appear
and disappear, while every wave shook
the frame of the Marie Joseph with a
shudder that reached US.
felt the English girl tremble against
me. was conscious of wild impulse
to take her in my arms.
Before us, TO right, to left, behind us
the lighthouses were shining on the
coasts-white, red, yellow; revolving,
like eyes of giants looking at us, watch
ing eagerly for our destruction. One of
them in particular irritated me. That
one was perfect eye, opening and shut
ting its fiery pupil.
From time to time the Englishman
struck match to look at the hour; then
he would replace his watch in his pocket.
Suddenly he said aloud and with per-
feet seriousness, "Sir, | wish you a
happy New Year,
1t was midnight. | offered my hand,
which he shook; then he said something
in English to the girls. who began to sing
God Save the Queen" At first felt
like laughing; then l was seized by a
strong. quaint emotion. There was some
thing superb and sinister about this song
of these wrecked people; something of
prayer and also greater and comparable to
the Ave Cesar, mOrituri tie salutamus."
When the song was ended | asked my
neighbor TO sing alone, a ballad, anything
she pleased, to help us forget our situa-
ton. She consented. Her fresh, pure
voice rose upon the night. 1t was doubt