The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-06-21

OF the surginS breakers. brushed aft and
shouted the fearful tidings in the cap
tain's ear.
"God help usl God help usi" was all he
said.
An instant after we were in white, seeth-
ing, Kissing water. and then, lifted sky
ward on mountain roller, we were dashed
down with terrible crash upon the dread
ed rocks. Darkness aboye-hashing phos-
phorism all around-the ship shattering,
parting beneath our feet, men shrieking in
wild misery-my pen cannot paint the
FIGURE
And now wave after wave swept "a over
Us, lifting the ship up and crushing her
down, tearing her all asunder, and yet I
chung TO rope which / had fastened to
bolt in the deck, not knowing whether one
was alive beside me or not, for all was
silent but the winds and waters. Like
bowling demons they went on with their
fearful chorus.
How long seemed that night. while
could feel that the shattered remnants of
the old ship were going fast from under
mel But the blessed daylight came at last,
and even the sun shone out. And saw,
dashed like myself to the deck, but one
man-that man was the captain. Whittier
than foam was his face, and full as white
his hair, which had been glossy brown on
the day before. Our eyes met-his were
wild and wolfsh-insanltys fire was in
them.
The sea now drove the last part of the
wreck asunder, and for anoment thought
we both were gone; but on one high spot
of rock we got foothold, and there clutch
ing the coral crag with bleeding hands we
hung.
Until then neither OF us had looked
away from each other or the wreck. But
together glancing southwark, there we
saw, not mile distant, beautiful, flower
carpetea, fruit laden Cuba. White cot
tages, groves Of golden oranges, and tall
palm trees-never had they looked SO beau
tiful to me. Yet mile of terrible break
ers lay between US and it-a waste of wa
ters," through which the strongest swim
mer could not hope to pass.
And the ship was gone-no, one plank
a single plank-small, but large enough
for one to cling to, came drifting in our
reach. With one hand each of us seized it,
while with the other we clung to the peak
of rock which alone had saved US from in
slant destruction.
LET go the plank, it is mine! 1 will
lash myself to it and livel" cried the cap
tain, his eyes glazing fiercely On me-
Il will not yield my right; the plank is
mine, and life Is as dear to me as to your
/ shouted.
II have a wife and children; you have
none; let me live for themP' he pleaded.
II have one dearer than all the world; /
will live for her who yet shall be my wifer'
I cried
."Fool-fooll she shall look for you in
vainp And as he said this he drew pis-
toll from his bosom. Well l knew it was
capped, waterproof; well knew how sure
he was in aim; but l drew the plar':
toward me which he had let go of when he
clutched his weapon. He raised his hand,
his weapon was leveled at my heart.
Give up the plankp' he shouted.
"Neyer, coward-neverl Fire, and my
dying curse go with you'll"
l closed my eyes-I knew my fate-but
wild rush of water, a fearful wave, swept
me far, far away from the rock Then
was drowning-gurgiing, choking in the
water. But rose, and as did, something
hard touched my body. clutched tit
was that blessed plank. To it l chung with
death grasp; yet it seemed as if I was
OOOHleu 10 gre, AFTER al, LOT Jne waters Gov
cred me and l lost all consciousness.
But not for all time. | was restored to
knowledge that dear life was yet mine by
the kind acts Of CubanS, who had drawn
my body, yet cHnging to the plank, from
the surf, and were applying stimulants
when | opened my glad eyes once more on
the face of bright humanity.
| asked if any others had got to the shore.
They carried me to 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 him in, and for an instant thought
he lived he looked so grim, with the pistol
yet cfutched in his hand But he was cold
and dead, and after they bore him to the
corpse pile of the rest, and had grown
l took The pistol from his stiGened
grasp, took aim at a piece of the wreck
and fired. The bullet which had been in.
tended for my heart went deep into the
oaken wood. / went down on my knees
then and there and thanked the Almighty
that | was saved for my poor Ella; and
though l have since done a sailors duty in
protecting and aiding the widow and or
phans of the poor captain, never have
been so unselfish as to regret that had pos
session of the last plank.-True Flag