The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-04-16

ut means, sir, that the Adamant has
eighty-tive saloon passengers and near
ly five hundred intermediate and steer
age passengers who are in the most
deadly danger. The cotton in the hold
is on fire, and they have been fighting
it night and day. IL may break out at
any moment. 1t means, then. sir,
that the Vulcan is going to stand by
the Adamant"
A wall of anguish burst from the
frightened women at the awful fate
that might be in store for SO many
human beings so near to them, and
they clung closer to their children and
thanked God that no such danger
threatened them and those dear to
them.
And, curse it, SIR" cried the con-
gressman, do you mean to tell us that
we have to go against our will-with-
ont even being onsulted-back to
Queenstown?"
81 mean to tell you so, sir"
"Well, by the gods, that's an out.
rage and I won't stand it, sir | must
be in New York by the twenty-sev-
enth. ! won't stand it, sir"
II am very sorry, sir, that anybody
should be delayed"
Delayed? Hang it all, why don't
you take the people on board and take
em to New York? / protest against
this III bring lawsuit against the
company, sir"
mir. Vincent" said the captain,
sternly, permit me to remind you that
am captain of this ship. Good after
noon, SIR"
The congressman departed from the
saloon exceeding wroth, breathing
dire threats of legal proceedings
against the line and the captain per-
sonally, but most of the passengers
agreed that it would be an inhuman
thing to leave the hdamant alone in
mid-oce in such terrible straits.
why didn't they turn back, Capt
Flint?" asked Mrs. Gen. Weller.
Because, madam, every moment is
of value in such a case, and we are
nearer Queenstown than we are New
York.
And so the two steamships, side by
side, worried their way toward the
east, always within sight of each other
and with the rows of lights in each
visible at night to the sympathetic
souls on the other. The sweltering.
men poured water into the hold of the
one and the pounding pumps poured
water out of the hold of the other and
thus they reached Queenstown.
On board the tender that took the
passengers ashore at Queenstown from
both steamers two aStonished women
met each other.
why! Mrs.-G n.-WELLER!!! You
don't mean to say you were on board
that unfortunate Vulcan"
For the lands sake, Mrs. Assistant
Browning. Is that really you? Will
wonders never cease? Unfortunate,
did you say? Mighty fortunate for you,
l think. Why weren't you just fright
ened to death?"
81 was, but I had no idea anyone
| knew was on board"
"Well, you were on board yourself.
That would have been enough to have
killed me-"
ION board myself? Why, what do
you mean? / wasn't on board the Vul-
can. Did you get any sleep at all after
you knew you might go down at any
MY sakes, Jane, what are you talk
ing about? Dozen at any moment? 1t
was you that might have gone down ut
any moment, or, worse still, have been
burned to death if the fire had got
ahead of them. You don't mean
to say you didn't know the Adamant
was on fire most of the way across?"
"-HrS,-G General Welleri There's some
horrible mistake. 1t was the Vulcan.
Everything depended on her bulk
heads, the captain said There was
hole as big as barn door in the Vul-
can. The pumps were going night and
day"
Mrs. General looked at Mrs Assist
ant as the light began to dawn on both
of them.
''Then it wasn't the engines, but the
pumps" she said.
And it wasn't the steam, but the
fire, " screamed Mrs Assistant. "Oh,
dear how that captain lied, and |
thought him such a nice man, too. Oh,
l shall go into Mysteries, l know l
shall"
II wouldn't if | were you," said the
sensible Mrs. General, who was
strong minded woman; besides, it is
too late. We're ali safe now. l think
both captains were pretty sensible
men. Evidently married, both of 'em."
Which was quite true Luke Sharp,
in Detroit Free Press.