The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-05-10

,errih,a crosh upon the dreaded rocks. DARK
ness above faehing phosphorism all around
the shin shsttering. parting beneath our Ise'.
mon shriekinc in wild misery-my pen eahn"'
paint the picture :. oro, ne
lifting tbe ship up and crushing her down
tearing her ali asunder. and yet clnng 70
yone which I had fastened TO q bolt IN me
decL NOT knowing whether one was awe pc
sido rne or not. for al was silent out me
,g.nds ond waters Like bowling demons Ih'y
went ON with their fearful chorus. r..,a
How, long seemed that night. while coui9
feeI that the shattered remnants OF sIle Viu
shin were going fast from under me Du' .he
bloesod DAYLIGHT came at last ana even tne
go shone ont. And saw. lsshed like myself
20 tbe deck but one man-that man was the
oortair Whittier than foam was his face ana
fu{l go white his hair. which had been glossy
brown on the day before. Our eyes met-his
were wild and wolhsh-insanlty hre was III
them. .o1,
The sea now drove the last part Of the wreck
asunder and for n moment / though we Doth
were gone but on one high spot of rock we
rot foo;hold. and there clutching the corfu
crag with bleeding hands we hung.
Until then neither of us had looked away
from each other or the wreck. But together
gancng sOuthward, there we saw nor a i1le
distant, beautiful. fower-carpeted, frult-laden
oranges and tall palm trees; never had theV
looked so beautiful TO me. Yet mile OF
terrible breakers lay between us ana ia
waste Of waters" through which the strong
est swimmer could not hope to pass.
And the ship was gone-no. one plenk-a
single plank small but large enough Ior one
10 clinr 10. came drifting il our reach WIN
one hand each of us seized it. while with the
other we chung 10 the peak OF rock Wnlch
alone had saved Us from instrant destruction.
Let 20 the plank it is mine. Will lash
myself to il and live ?" cried the captain MS
eyes glaring fercely on me. -,,- -
u will not yield my right; the plank Is
mine. and life is as dear TO me as TO you
II have wife and children; you have none
LET me live for them ;" he pleaded
II have one dearer than all the world; Ewiil
live for her who yet shall be my wife" CRED
"Fool-fool she shall look for. you IN VAIN
And as he said this he drew a pistol from MS
bosom. Well knew il was capped, water
prOof-well ] knew how sure be was IN ann
but drew the plank toward me which he had
let 60 OF when lie clutched his weapon. lie
raised his hand; his weapon was leveled al my
heart.
Give up the plank" he shouted.
Never, coward, never. Fire, and my dying
curse go with you"
/ closed nv eves-I knew my tate-Dut
wild rush Of water, q fearful wave, swept me
far. far away from the rock. Then l was
Notwithstanding choking III the water;
But | rose, and as / did something hard
touched my body. I clutched tit was that
blessed plank To it / chung with death
grasp; Vet it seemed as if | was. doomed
to die, after all, for the waters covered me
and ] lost all consciousness.
But not for all time. / was restored 70 a
knowledge that dear life was Yet mine by the
kind act Of Cubans, who had drawn my BODY,
vet clinging TO the plank. from the surf, ana
were applying stimulsnts when opened my
glad eyes once more on the face OF bright hu-
mainly.
asked if any others had got to the shore,
They carried Inc to a mournful-loOking group
of bodies. / saw several Of the crew, but not
him-not the captain. But even while we
stood there great rolling wave swept nm IN
and for an instant | thought he lived. he
looked so grim with the pistol yet clutched
in his hand. But he was cold and dead. and
after they bore him to the corpse-pLe OF the
rest. ana ! had grown stronger, | took the
pistol from his stifened grasp, took aim at a
piece of the wreck and fired. The bullet
which had been intended for my heart went
deep into the oaken wood. | went down on
my knees then and there and thanked the Al
mighty that | was saved for my poor Ella
and though have since done sailors duty
in protecting and aiding the widow and or
phans of the poor captain, never have Deen
so unselfsh as TO regret that had possession
OF the last plank.