Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-08-03
mutter1ng1o nerssrT sne began no.
iointed narrative anew.

on the little ripplcs that were so weak
they hardly broke on the shore that
fair September morn we two were mar
riod But as night came on, great dark
towerln' storm clouds, leaden-hued,
scurried across the heavens, an the
fierce, red lightnings glowered an
flashed ON roarin' sea. From the dark
south, up came the gale, drivin' before
1t straight, unbroken rows of mountain
GUS pillows, crowned on top same as
with white yeast; then, like a fend
turned loose with shrielin' yells and
bellowin's, down swooped the storm
and whipped big clots of foam from off
the waves, an hurled the heavy swell
far up the groaning shore. Truly the
earth seemed frightened with the mad
ness of the seas.
but in the house here we were hav-
in merry time. We had a lot Of
women and children from town, and
couple of the young men who were
just in from trip and stopped over TO
see us married. Old Cap'n Thomas and
the minister had each just said grace,
and we were about to fall TO and eat,
when suddenly some one heard faint
u
erything was forgotten; off rushed the
whole company, men, women and
children, Malcolm and me with them,
to the beach. What did we see in the
darkening evening light? A vessel way
out scaward, pounding on the bar!
Not stick nor spar did she have
standing; shorn OF everything by the
force of the shock when she struck, and
the big waves dashin' and lashin' clean
over her.
Not a minute do we waste, but all
hands help drag the life-boat down to
the edge of the surf, and then quick
call for volunteers, brave fellows who
count themselves nothing il they can
only save some one clse's life. My NAL
com felt no fear; he was the first to
spring forward, and, though chung to
| him and beseechcd and sobbed, would
not heed me lie gave one last embrace
| to me, his new-made wife, and turned
to the boat.
| "Vainly begged him to remain with
me that first day of our welded life;
but no, he counted his duty before all
else. Oh, that | had died them My
heart was filed with n dark terror;
twas torn and rent apart with anguish
that he would go; my head was swim
min and reelin', and crazed with the
cruel smart of his first refusal Knocked
and cursed him there. Aye, cursed him
for what was only right, for the boat
was but poorly manned, there were so
few men at the beach, and of them
some were old and almost crippled; but
| L., pa1N Oh I fol to
the poor ship in distress, screaming
again and again that wished IL would
break up before they got started, and
that If they went | hoped never to see
any of them again!
SLOWLY my Malcolm left his place at
the bow of the boat; II live till I'm q
hundred, which, God pity me, hope
won't, never can forget the look
saw on his face in the wan light.
Nell, darling, kiss me good-by,
Won'tP All, well, God bless your and
he was gone.
Down on the sand / fell in a dead
faint. What then? All, yes | lay
there but moment; the wet sand on
my face brought me TO. | s'ared about
me; none were left but little knot OF
|
crying and pcering through the gloon
at the struggling boat, and a couple o.
old men still standing waist deep il
the water where they had helped show
off.
Now the surf is passed.; they ar,
tossed on the great waves; down, dow
/ they go far from sight in the mad sea
then up they come again; up, up
'gainst wind and tide, now topping OF
the point of some monster billow, onl,
/ to go plunging down TO meet the next
and pulling up with might and main Il
reach the wreck that labored anC
4 strained on the bar and threatened t
go TO pieces every second.
0 "Now they work round under he
stern and are hidden from MS by tn
S hulk but soon we see them again care
o fully approaching from the lee side
I but even there it seems too rough l.
$ try TO board her Then we know froI
4 the motions that they have cast line
= which must be caught, as now we Sc
r dark shape suspended over the boa
|. for an instant; the next, a vast, noun
y famous wall Of foam overwhelms then
/, the gale bursts out afresh and whe
v we can get our breaths and look agai
y they are gonel Nothing is left but
: raging line OF breakers black wit
d wreckagel Ship and boat are n
). more"
y Calmly she wiped her streaming eye
o and concluded:
n AT daybreak eight bodies ha
washed ashore; four our own men an
| four strangers; the rest of the ship
81 company, nobody knows how many
and the fifth of the boats crew-m
ID own Malcolm, were never recoVeredw
Is The heat, which pulsated around I
10 like draught from hot furnace, an
the dramatic intensity of the old dame
is recital had SO worked upon me that
n was in a sort Of added comAtose cond
I ton. The few sounds of life from II
4 village were unnoticed; even the war
4 ing whistle had blown some minute
o before entirely Undecided; so had
4 take the Cape train back to town, b.
d somehow didn't feel like complainin
v III. Hamilton, In Boston Budget
l. -Bobbie-"Don't they feel awful
. funny when you wallS?" Mr.. Guzzle
. what do you mean, little man
i Robbie-"Why, somebody said you hi
y snakes in your boots real often."-I
:, ter Ocean.