Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1892-12-15

DOatswaln whore i procured o saw
from tho tool chest. Before going
alolt sounded tho well and found tho
ship perfectly tight This discovery
allied mo with joy
With incredible toll ! succeeded In
gaining tho oross-trees, and, taking |
no saw, won't 10 work at tho mast
with IL. saving tho mast just under
Inc yard, so that II might go clean oil
at that place.
When sawed deep enough l cut
away tho weather rigging and sung
out TO the boatswain TO cut away TO
leeward. =,
By the timo reached the deck all
was adrift TO leeward, and the mast
was now held In its place by the
weather backstays. | dropped into
the chains and there helped the boats
vain with my knife, and, watching an
opportunity when the ship rolled
heavily 10 ieeward, we cut through the
lanyards Of the top-gallant backstay,
and the whole structure OF spar, yards
and rigging went flying overheard
Encouraged by the success OF these
operations. and well knowing that
large measure Of our safety depended
upon our easing the ship Of her top.
hammer, sung out that we would
now cut away the mizzen-top-gallant
mast and once more went aloft,
though the boatswain begged hard to
take my place this time.
This spar, being much lighter and
smaller, did not threaten mo so dan
gerously as the other had done, and,
In a tolerably short space OF time, we
had sent II flying overheard after the
main-top-gallant mast; and all this we
did without further injury 10 ourselves
than n temporary deprivation OF
strength and breath.
The ship had now tho appearance oil
n wreck; and yet In her mutilated con-
dltion was safer than she had been ut
any moment since the gale first sprung
I'M The easing her Of all this top
weight seemed to make her rs buoyant
us though we had got hundred tons
OF cargo out of her. Indeed, was
now satisfied, providing every thing
stood, and the wind did not increase
In violence, that she would DO able TO
ride out the gale.
Cornish Gas well ms the boatswain
and myself) was soaked through and
through; we therefore arranged that
the boatswain and | should go below
and shift our clothes, and that the
| boatswain should then relieve Cornish.
So down we went, |. for one. terri
| bly exhausted. but cheered all the same
by an honest hope that We should save
our lives and tho ship, after all.
stepped into the pantry to swallow
dram, 80 us 90 get my nerves togeth-
CIR. for was trembling all over with
| the weariness In me. and cold as ice on
| the skin from the repeated housings
had received, then changed my clothes
and never was any thing more COM
iorting and grateful than the feel OF
| the dry flannel and tho warm stock
ings aud sea-bools which | exchanged
for shoes that soppcd like brown paper
and came to pieces in my hand when
pulled them oil.
The morning was now far advanced
little past eleven o'clock. was anx
ious 10 ask Miss Robertson how she die
anu knocked gently at her cabin door
She responded by opening the door
but the momen. she saw me look o
agonizing sorrow came into her face
and dropping into seat by tho tabl'
|
| legged hor not 10 he alarmed ant
assured her Of our comparative safety
She upturnod her pale face, stream
ing with tears, anil said the simpl
words, but In tone | shall never for
get; Papa Is dcadg'
Was II so. indeedP
Here was blow could not avert
n sorrow no labor could remit.
took her hand and raised her an
entered tho cabin hand-in-hand wit
her. 1t was too true. The poor oil
man lay silent corpse.
God was with nm when no died,
said, aud closed his poor eyes d
tcndorly as my rough hands would Ii
me.
} She looked at him, speechless wit
. grief, and burst into an uncontrollabI
1 lit of crying.
My love and tenderness, my dec
: pity of her lonely helplessness, were a
l so great I'm impulse In me, that too
n her in my arms and held her while 81
i sobbed upon my shoulder l am SUI
n that she knew my sorrow was dee
I, and real. aud that ! held her TO N
heart that she might not feel her Ion
% illness.
n She said she could not bear u
II thought OF being separated from h
q father.
: But you will not be separated fro
him. / answered, even though "
should never SEQ him more with yol
10 eyes. lie viii always DO with you
" your thoughts, dear friend, kir
70 companion and father. as in lfe." Al
... 4
10 tried to console her.
n She wept quietly and once or twi
III looked up as though sho would smi
st through her tears. 1t happened tn
IT my eye lighted on little Bible hi
IS carried with me on all my voyage
to and IL seemed to mo that this was
II fitting time to invoke Gods mercy NJ
or pray 10 him to watch over us.
She eagerly consented. The boz
ie swain could not leave the wheel to 10
TO in our deyotions so l went on deck Al
tn said 10 him;
no Blossom, am going to call
Id Cornish and the steward, and re
prayers and ask God for his prot,
p- ton. should have liked you, bra
90 Old messmato, to join, butas you cal
al leave the deck, pray with us in yo
nd heart, will youP'
rd "Ayc, aye, that will, heartily; Q
'p- hope for tho lady's sake that God !
mlghty'll hear us, for I'd sooner I
'et myself than she should, poor gelll
GU I'm older, and it's my turn afore h,
rs by rights"
TX l clapped him on tho back and we
below, where 1 called to the stowa