The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-01-09

the tempest and arctic temperature
outside.
BY and by without undressing at oil
and In fact putting on overcoats and
wraps wife and l laid down and tried
70 sleep and forget how the gale was
shrieking In the black night without
and how our boat was crealfing and
straining and tossing on the rough
| waters.
The wind and the rocking Of our
craft after q while made US sleepy and
soon we were slumbering as soundly
az the baby. was dreaming OF ship
wrecks and drowning when suddenly
awoke. It seemed as II our boat was
pitching harder than ever and being
battered and knocked about frightful-
ly. The noise OF the hitting against
the wharf and the breaking OF the
ropes ! missed. / got on my feet and
managed to get to the little window
and peer out through the frosted glass.
The city lights had vanished and
nothing but intense blackness met my
gaze. Something was wrong knew.
Mounting the ladder stairs and open
ing our little hatchway door looked
out We had broken loose from the
dock and were flying before the Shrek
ing gale and the huge waves to almost
certain death. Where we were-what
to do knew not quickly reused
my wife and told her OF our danger.
How brave and how calm she looked.
Her courage made mine.
Leaving her to bundle things on the
baby and prepare for what was to
happen, stuck my head outside again
to try and discover a way OF safety. II
there was one. We were drifting rap
idly across the bay. and so far. luck
lily had not struck an anchored vessel.
Behind us l could soc the distant and
disappearing lights of New York city.
In front the lighthouse on Robbins
reef, and beyond that the lights ION
Staten island. ~
IL we were not carried. out on the
ocean through the Narrows--if we did
not collide with ship or strike the
reef we probably would bring up
against some dock on Staten island
provided our frail and clumsy craft
lived TO get there. AS soon as we
struck anything. realized too surely
that In a moments time after the
crash we must founder and die. Our
only chance, then. was to be ready to
leap. II possible on tho object we
should dash against and trust to Provi-
dencc for the rest The Sally had
whirled around. and was rushing
ota ff,pa pct he
pillows and l hoped when we struck
that the end on which we were would
hit first. II it didn't no use leaping.
for we never could all OF US make our
way over the icy. slippery two foot
wide deck on the boats sides to its
other end.
Passing a large ship so close that
thought our end had come, barely
missing the lighthouse reef. We were
fast approaching Staten Island-and
the Narrows For a time it looked
certain that we would DO swept sea.
ward and surely perish-then we
switched around and went before the
wind straight for the island docks.
Five minutes calculated and our fate
for life or death would be sealed.
Getting rope placed our darling
baby. laughing and growing mt the ex-
element on its feather bed. rolled the
soft bed entirely around it trusting it
wouldn't smother for awhile. and
bound the precious bundle firmly with
the ropo. Taking 1t in my arms, bid
ding my brave and quiet wife TO hold
me and follow l gained the stern, over
the slippery boats deck.
Thank heaven. we were still stern
foremost dashing straight on dock.
One more moment OF suspense and
horrible dread-then with n era h
that smashed the boat under us like an
eggshell, we hit the wharf.
At the same instant before the
wreck could rebound. flung bed and
baby on the dock seized my dear
wife 8 hand and leaped for lie. We
landed safely along .ide of our dear
child-then down under the raging
waters plunged our good boat drown
ing the awful cries OF the poor mules
left on board. Cutting the ropes to
give air to our babe. blown along by
the blasts behind US. we reached land
and a house and soon inside found
shelter and warm welcome.
We also found The Sally after the
storm was over raised and mended
her. and now she is n, good a, ever
for fresh-water sailing. which she
means to stick to for tho balance OF
her days And this is why / am pro.
voked when land-lubbers try to ridi-
cule her. or her captain. mate and
crew -ChicaQo Sun