Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1891-01-10
A SAILORS LOVE.

A SAILORS LOVE.
The GIay i,a-le went On her course,
parting the waves OF the | an
ocean. She was a packet stca"" in
the employ of a great English Gem
rany. and carried many passengers.
Amor . these, standing on the pom
cr%dc deck forward, and looking out
across the broad eXpanSe of water be-
foie her, was beautiful girl III the
lluSh of her youth and beauty.
In the wheelhouse stood a young
mau. second mate of the ship, looking
nj Mabel Vane. He had a bold. manly
"a G. curling brown hair and beard,
an1 speaking gray eyes-a man, in
grace of person, manly beauty, and
pure heart-a man worthy of the name.
He was only sailor and had risen to
his present rank from cabin boy, but
vet he dared to love the daughter of
the East Indian millionaire, Arthur
Nanc.
He loved her and he had no hope
loved her as we worship a star which is
far beyond our reach. Nothing was
further from his thoughts than to in
Sult her by telling her that he loved
her: but to be neal her, to see her
often. perhaps to do her some service
Which would win smile from her
tn: was reward enough for Will Clay.
She never dreamed of his alteration;
and he had heard her say to her
friends that she liked him better than
any other officer on board the Gray
Eagle. She said it in the careless way
of girlhood, and yet he treasured it
in his heart Standing there. watching
the course of the ship, and ready to
give word OF waning to the wheel
man if it were needed, he never took
his eyes from her long.
MIR. Clay" salG the man at the
wheel, as he gave it half turn and aad..
res ed there. "don't you smell smoke %
1T comes from the galley
Perhaps so: but what are they
burning rosin in the galley for?''
I" Rosin ?" cried VIII, raising his
head quickly and snuifing the air:
lie caught the peculiar smell himself
and leapcd down from the wheel
house. 'Keep steady" he whispered
to the man at the wheel. "There may
be danger, but if there is, for Gods
sake, keep quiet ~
The man nodded quietly and took
a firmer hold on the wheel. Will Clay
crossed the deck without apparent
haste. vet with a terrible fear tugging
at his heart. He caught sight of the
captain coming out of the gentlemen's
cabin and hurried up to him.
"There is something wrong,' he
whispered. "Don't YOU smell burning
rosin. captain %
The old sea captain suppressed a cry
of horror. With fifty passengers on
board, in the midst of the Indian
| ocean, fire was one OF the most nor
| rible things that could happen snip.
eco forward and Investigate" he
| said in a low tone. II you lind that
| it is fire you Will know what to do.
| How are the boats ~
vi right, sir
They had good cause for fear. The
forehold was fllled with rosln IN BOXES
and casks, and if fire started there
| it might as well be IN nest OF lat
| pine.
Will ran down t. the lower deck,
where he was met by crowd OF eS-
cited firemen and coal paSsers. who
We're rushing madly en- deck. Quick
as lightning he seized the foremost
and hurled nm back GIVING
Get back, you fools. Where are
you making for p
"Fire-in-the-forch - WhIs-
pered the man, hoarsely,
"Suppose there is ? Is it your duty
to rush on deck and alarm the pas
sengers, or get buckets and try to put
out the fire? Back there, all of you.
| will brain the man who dares finch
hair now Stand back, | say ~
The men covered before his superior
will. and saw that they might yet do
something to save the steamer.
A guard was placed at the hatch so
that 70 one could come down, and the
scuttle which led into the torehold
was opened When this was done a
cloud of black smoke rolled out, and
the scuttle was closed again, for VIII
saw that nothing could be done in that
way.
The men ran forward with axes,
but had scarcely gene dozen steps
when they felt the deck trembie under
their feet and saw small jets of flame
shooting mp through the planks. A
moment more and there was a sort OF
explosion, and the red flames caught
the planks above.
There was no hope of concealing the
danger from the passengers now,
for the ship was full of smoke, and
Il