Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1893-10-05
|0N a BLOCK a D b RUNNER.
;Exciting Scenes Aboard Ship in
war Times.
Rmma M Henry ferguson, in Lippincott's.

Exciting Scenes Aboard Ship IN
War Times.
RmRa Henry Ferguson, in Lippineott's.
The captain had ordered the
Schil ldren, nurse, and myself onf
deck ere starting out, and wrapped
about With sheets we sreclined or
Sat onthe cotton bales that lined
the sides Of the ships deck. The
men WeresaH dressed.in white, the
moks.staoks we're painted white
andinverted giving forth no sound
and consuming their own smoke.
No word was spoken on the ship.
Thus, without sound, aid SEEM
iing1y without visible motion, she
glided through the waters like a
bird on the wing. She was an illu-
sion to the material senses, a
phantom; we on board seemed
spectfes, silently but recklessly
Laughing in the face Of death.
Faster, faster glided the toy ship;
nearer; nearer grew the great red
light. 1t seemed. to me we must
run into int it. / sat. motionless be-
side Capt. Reid on a bale of cotton,
watching the glowing ball Of fire
that loomed through the shroud OF
mist in front, and realized that
impending death was on either
side, the visible risk of it ahead.
Suddenly and without verbal or
der from the captain, the men at
tha.swheel turned the little craft
with the alertness of hand of the
magician, and she shot to the left,
just outside of the radius made by
the beacon light of the flag ship,
{ and. .between:itan great lum-
bering cruiser rolling about in the
waters half mile off.
Aswe noiselessly> ran thus be-
tween the very jaws of death Capt.
Reid touched my arm and pointed
i right.and left. Following his di-
rections I saw on one side, within
the radius, a magnificent man-of-
war, its deep-mouthed cannon near
the surface of the water, its tower
ing masts majestically reared
against the clouds, its deck swarm
ing with a powerful marine force,
all bathed in red and yellow light
that made a minute, distinctive
picture against a dark sea back
ground.
On the other side, in shadowy
outline, lay the dark hulk of the
other, noisily putting her steam,
but quiet, like a monster held in
} leash against its will; while be-
tween the two, with the incest kind
Of calculation, ourlittle craft ran
her gauntlet, boldly, defantly.
Once well through, ] could feel the
speed being grad stTengt gthen-
cd, until IN two hours q fine dis
lance had been put between her and
the feet.
At the end of that time Capt.
Reid advised me to 60 below and
get all the rest I could before day.
break.
aWhy before daybreak?" 1 ask
ed. aIsn't the danger Of blockade
running over2"
He smiled grimly. ''It has not
fairly commenced. What we have
done seems something to you, but
it is not difficult. My ship makes
ne noise, nor shows herself at
night. With a little management
in guiding her by the flag ships
light, It is easy to run through the
fleet. The enemy knows that. All
they are clever at Washington.
They've put their two fastest men
of-war into the high seas to pay us
for this and by the light of day."
It has been suggested by a
staunch Reformer, who has done
great deal of work for his faction
without any adequate reward for
his services, that an. equitable
solution of pending and prospec-
tive troubles in the political camp
would be for Senator Irby to send
in his resignation right away, SO
as to- avoid any further complica-
tions growing out of his recent
escapade in Columbia, which would
enable the Legislature to elect
Governor Tillman to fill the
vacancy this winter, and thereby
avoid the expected contest between
Butler and Tillman next summer.
It is very doubtful whether this