Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1892-12-16
yhc Nan With the Jewels.

speaking Of jewels" said +. Marion
Crawford, the author. 10 Sun reporter
yesterday, "recalls TO ne an incident on
an Italian steamer. 1t illustrates the
ovcrpowering greedfor gold and the esti-
mate some people place upon their
worldly possessions 1t also illustrates
mans splendid nerve.
at was on my last trip up from
India. Ii was dinner hour. My seat
was Oh the captains right. Opposite
me sat an old English sea captain.
Next to him was a Calcutta English
merchant who had accumulated a for
tune and was returning to old England
to enjoy it. He had invested large
sum of money in rich jewels and they
were aboard with him. There were
only few of us who knew that the
ships safe contained many thousands
of pounds sterling worth of diamonds
and rubies.
I'VE were all laughing and talking
and enjoying our meal immensely. No
one thought of disaster or accident.
Next came sudden and tremen-
dous shock, accompanied by thump-
ing, humping sound from the hold as if
we had struck upon a rock. The SEN
sation was indescribably painful. There
was a noise of running about on deck.
The passengers sprang from their seats,
their features blanched with terror,
and their eyes starting with
fear. Wives threw themselves into
their husbands arms, mothers pressed
their little ones to their breasts. All
was confusion and disorder. Every
body was panic stricken. 1t seemed as
if we could hear the waters rush in the
aperture we were all certain had been
torn in the vessels bottom. Every
woman screamed. and the men were
about as badly demoralized.
''Thc English sea captain sprang to
his feet, exclaiming, We'll, l guess we
are done for 1t was a supreme mo-
ment.
"The owner of the jewels was q pitt
able sight. He was the first person to
reach his feet, clutching the back of
the revolving chair with one hand and
pressing the other tightly against his
heart. His face was a sickly livid, his
mouth was open and his eyes wild.
My God my jewels.
Ellis tone was scarcely above a
hoarse whisper. The mans terror was
so great that he fascinated me, and for
moment l forgot my own apprehen-
sions. | could not take my eyes oil'his
face. You see, his first and only
thought was his jewels. Every other
person in the saloon was thinking OF
his life, but this mans mind, in that
moment of terrible suspense, was CEN
tered upon his wealth.
"There was but one man who re-
mained in his seat and apparently un-
moved, for if he experienced any fear,
he certainly did not manifest it. At
the moment the crash came the ltal-
ian captain had put forth his hand to
grasp a bottle fwine between his plate
and mine. The muscular movement
did not cease. The hand grasped the
bottle, and conveying it to his glass, he
coolly poured the red liquid full to the
brim. He returned the bottle to its
place and glanced up almost inquiring-
~ at the terrified creatures who were
ranged in al sorts of attitudes express
sive of their respective feelings.
'It was all over il q minute, you
know. The passengers with their next
thought instinctiyely looked toward
the captain, and, seeing him so calm,
hesitated before taking their mad flight
up the saloon staircase to the deck, as
all were contemplating. at that mo-
ment one of the petty officers hurried
down the staircase and whispered q
word in the captains ear.
"Do not feel alarmed, my friends
said the captain in clear, reassuring
tones which at once soothed the emo
tions aud stilled the fears of his hearers,
there is 10 danger and we are not on q
rock
"The man with the jewels dropped
into his seat as limp as rag and as
weak as baby, great sigh of relief
escaping from his lips. The relief was
Of course general, though our appetites
were seriously impaired. We then
learned that the cyliner head of one of
the low-pressure engines had blown out
and the piston rod was having a parrot
and monkey time ali by itself. 1t was
an exciting experience one which l
would not care to so through again. y
n Y SIM