The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-04-26

lively that the majority of the passen
| gers were below in their berths.
Three men had placed their deck
chairs together in snug niche be
tween two of the deck houses, and hat
lashed them SO that they could not
slide down to ieeward when the shir
rolled. They were all smoking pipes
and their sun-burnt, bearded faces, an6
certain carelessness in their attitudes
stamped them as colonists on their way
home. They were talking of tragedy
tnat had happened but an hour before,
One OF the secord-class passengers,
a woman, finding the air in the cabin,
where most of her fellow passengers
were confined by sickness. almost IN.
bearable, had come up on deck with
her child, who was about a year old.
She had been married in England
two years before, and had come out
with her husband. young farmer, to
settle in Natal. The hus band was in
to grow seni-tropical produce. He was
already making progress when he was
carried off by fever. The young widow
had disposed of the farm on favorable
terms, and was returning with her
child to her people in England.
She had but just reached the top of
the companion, and had stepped out on
the deck, when the ship gave a heavy
roll and she slipped down to the lee
bulwark.
How it happened was not known,
but probably she loosened her hold of
the baby, in the instructive effort to
grasp the bulwark rail. At any rate,
it slipped from her arms and fell over
board. With a wild scream she sprang
on the bulwarks and plunged in after
it. The attention of the officer on the
bridge was called by the scream, and
as he turned round he saw her leap,
at the same moment the quarternaster
at the wheel shouted: "a woman
over board!'' The engines were instant
ly stopped and boat lowered. It had
rowed about for half an hour in the
heavy sea without catching glimpse
of the woman or the child, and then
was hoisted up again by the steamer,
that had rounded to and followed it.
The search had been hopeless from
the first, for even a good swimmer
could hardly have supported himself
for ten minutes in the broken sea. The
only possible hope was that the woman
might have grasped the life buoy that
had at once been dropped from the
ships stern.
The boat was lucky enough to find
this, but when it was seen to be un-
tenanted the last glimmer OF hope was
e eXtinguished, and the officer in COM
mand of the boat headed her for the
steamer.
ut was mad action. poor thingn
one of the smokers said. 'Of course
it was the wild impulse of the momeut.
An instant's reflection would have
shown her that she was only throwing
away her own life without the slight
est chance of saving that of her child"
Il expect she would have done the
same even if she had known it" an
other said. ''She had lost her hus-
band and without her child life would
be nothing to her, especially as she
would have always blamed herself for
its loss. Perhaps it was the best thing,
after all, for her."
There is hardly any limit to what
women will do for their children" the
third man put in. I'm not a married
man, and SO cannot speak from expert
ence; but as far as l can see the affec.
ton of mothers for their young chill
lren is a thing beyond most mems un-
Men may be fond of lit
lie children in a way-till they begin
70 be old enough to return the feeling
and become amusing and Iowa ble-but
they don't care for them in anything
ike the same degree that women do"
Il have noticed that over and over
again: but women will do quite as brave
things as men for anyone they love,
husband or child" John Beau
mont, the first speaker. agreed. There
was an instance at Pretoria | was
here, you know, through the siege by
,he Dutchmen, and a very hot time we
lad of it for bit. The fellows kept up
4 heavy fire on the inclosure we had
'oughly fortified, which surrounded a
lum Der OF houses. BY some blunder
'r other We had stores and provisions
'nough, but there was a horrible want
If water. What wells there were in
he place failed, and the only way to
ret water was to fetch it from one out
ide the inclosure. The Dutch occu-
bed 4 strong building that commanded |
his well, and they were such good |
hots that it was certain death to 90 /
'ut to it in daylight, and even at night |
t was very risky work, for they kept |
lp heavy musketry FIRE in that direc-
ion.
1--WE had made one or two attempts /
o capture the house, but it was so /
trongly Earrisoned that we were IN /
bic to do so. We had been for some /
ine on short rations Of water. L was /
hot. and as the time went /
4 we suffered good deal Every /
light few men would crawl out and, .
Z spite Of the DUtch rifles, bring in |
'ucslet or two OF water; but this did
lot go far, for we were 4 large party.
''0ne night one Of the soldiers went
u. Tie did not return, and when
aylicht broke we ~ him living as
ve supposed dead. He had fallen be-
inc / low wall, and where he lay was
heltered from the Dutchmen's fire,
lie was a married man, and had q
wife and three y5ung children. lie
vas not missed until daylight. Il he
ad moved OK lifted q hand. party
Sou'd have gone ont 10 fetch him n,
4 spite OF tie danger; and even as It
: a.. SIX q Us volun teered 70 do so, bus
he com Il andant would not hear q Il.
# he We're alive he said. ;: would
e Justitfa bic - run any risk 20 fetch
am Il; bag I coald noc th.uk 0f allow.