Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-01-12
CHAPTER XXI

Thanks TO my darling's devotion, q
her unwcarled attic tons, TO her fore.
sight and care OF nc. / was strong
enough TO leave my cabin on the third
day following my restoration to con
seriousness.
During that tlmo mony inquiries
were made after my heal h by the pas.
sengor', and Mary told mo that the
greatest curiosity prevailed fore and
aft 60 SEQ mo. So misfortune had made
n little ophcmcral hero Of me. and this,
perhaps, was ono stroke Of compensa-
ton which | should havo been very
willing TO dispense with.
Tho second officer Of tho ship, a man
Of about my height and build, had
very kindly placed lis wardrobe ut my
disposal. but all that had chosen TO
borrow from him was some linen,
which, indeed, ! stood greatly In need
Of; but ny clothes. though rather tho
worse Or salt-w atCr, were, in my opin-
ion, quito good enough fer me TO wear
until SHOULD b. ab!O to buy now out
tit hOrc.
Attwe.ve O'Clock, then, on tho third
day, ! rose aud lcisurclY dressed my
SOL, and then sat waiting for Mary,
who9u arm to lean on | preferred to any
ones else.
She oamo to the oabia presently. and
VIII u sAc entered / folded her In my
arms with SO dccP n feeling Of happi-
ness and love and gr-titsdo in me that
1 had no words to speak to her.
IL was when | released her that she
said; "uiuco God has heard our pray
rrs. dc. rest, and morciiully preserved
Us from death, shall we thank Him,
now Tat we uro together, and say one
prayer for my dear father, who, Ifirm-
IS believe, l1oEs down upon US and has
still the power to bless usp'
took her hand, and We knelt to-
gethcr, and. first thanking her for re-
uinding mo OF my boundcn duty,
lifted up my heart to Almighty Tod,
Father Of al mon, who had gu rled us
amid our peril who had brought us to
tho know lcdgo and love al Linn and of
zach 9th r by tho ! ssou of hard trials
and sorrowf priyation,
When IqIi,tld tho cabin, supported
by Mary, | found myself in very spa
cious saloon. most hand ON ly fur
nished and decorated, and striking mo
more by tho contrast IL offered TO tho
plain and small interior OF the Grosyu-
nor's cabin.
Tho table was ing prepared for
lunch; smartly- stewards and
undcr-stowards trOtted to and fro,
there were flowers on tho table. vases
OF goldfish swinging from the deck. a
rich thick carpet under foot, comforta-
bio and handsome sofas; pianoforte
stood against tho milzen-mast, which
was covered with mahogany skin and
gilded; two rows OF lamps went tho
lcngth of the saloon, and what with
the paintings on tho cabin doors, tho
curtains, the rich brass-work about the
spacious skyights, tho bright sunshine
streaming In upon the whole scene and
kindling brillianco In to polished
woodwork, the crystal on the table,
the lo0king-glass's nj tha fore end Of
the saloon-l fairly paused with uma8'-
ment, scarcely concciving II possible
that this airy, sunsniny, sumptUous
drawing-room was actually tho interior
OF ship, AMI that we were on the sea.
steaming ut tho rate OF SO many miles
toward En- land.
There were several ladies and gentle
m In tn saloon who rose and shook
hands with US They quito pvercame
mo v IL thcirprais OF what they were
plca.CC ( call my heroic actions
had sJncC Tough 10 know that these
bluehint honor3 which were thrust
upol nc ou.l be ,.ort lived.
So we Gu on the deck, / ovcrhear-
ing 81, , the ladies talk some nom
SONG. bcC her neye having read or
hoar o my thin; more Celica ell
romsr tic ard exciting thaa th young
sailor ro,cuing n. pretty girl from
wreck and falling in love it'll h-r
There were mum or OF passenger
on dc k-men, women and children,
AMI when : ran my eye along the hip
(ths Grosy nor W uld have made :
neat long at for Ler) and observed
her dim Isl ms, ought that eli.
might have rome to SEA " ,cr without
amy Inconvenience arisin~ (, m T. err
cr0wding In word, she was a mag
nilicont tlydc-luilt iro boat of some
four thousand tons burden, and pro-
PEELED by eight hundred Horsepower
engines; her decks W it. GIa ysc is,
a shining awning forward and aft; g
short, yellow funnel, towering mEst3
and broa yards, Cld ON 'odyin every
conceivable ".ato't Improvement In
compasses, ca IAN boat lowering
gear, blocks. gauG $, lors, windlass'
and tho rest Of 1t, She was teaming
over a smooth iea and under n glori-
Gus blue sky at tho rtl, thirteen
knots, OF nearly fifteen m .es. an hour
Cool draughts VI ..ir circle Under tho