Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1894-08-30

ing which added to the awfulness of
things in general. Then l began to get
4 insufferably warm. 1t was summer
time and with portfolios closed the
atmosphere below decks was almost
stuffy; but never before had l felt such
an oppression, / concluded that we
had gone into the gulf stream, or some
thing of that sort, and they had closed
all the ventilators for the sake of keep
ing the ship watertight.
| had to lie there in a bath of perspi-
ration, for could not get relief by tax
ing off my clothes. To unwedge my
self in order to make the attempt would
have resulted in my rolling out on to
the floor, where my shoes and water
bottle and careless companions razor
case were having perfect frolic to-
gether.
grew parched with thirst. Every
moment the air become more unbreath-
able. Ten minutes before and l gasped
aloud ~ must get out of this or dieW
l flung myself down, taking my chance
of the razors, and CROPPED out OF the
door. A sitting fog hung in the saloon.
The dim light of a swinging lantern
showed it to me. Peering about me
with almost blinded eyes l perceived
that from every stateroom abutting on
the saloon one or more passengers had
crept out like myself and were stand
ing at each opening like spectators,
holding on desperately to anything.
The saloon seemed to be doing its best
to subvert itself. At times the floor
was almost perpendicular. Now Twas
lying flat upon the outer wall of my
cabin; the next instant | was hanging
| from thn rail that arnI1n6 If as If |
were a trapeze performer. All about
there was pandemonium of tumbling
things. The sea Numbered against the
vessel fearfully, and again and again
there was that horrible shudder of the
screw.
| Near me chung an old gentleman in
night attire. GA nice thing, this" he
beloved in my ear To save discussion,
| | agreed with him that it was very nice
indeed.
Across the saloon was the cabin dedi-
Gated to Miss Bradley / detected a
ghostly figure there and made my way
over, holding fast to the chairs and the
table. Yes, it was she, white as the
dressing gown that swathed her grace
full figure. She grasped my hand. Her
dark eyes gazed into my face with a
terrible expression.
| "Thank God, you have come to meo'
she cried, with passionate earnestness.
We had grown very good friends dur
ing those few blissful days of her con-
valescence, but only by maintaining a
rigid barrier of the most respectful cere-
mony. How | blessed the accommo-
dating tempest which made her now
speak to me like that!
| kept her hand in mine and brought
my face close to hers-I had to do this
to make my consolation Ineligible,
| there was such a racket. cts all
rightW / shouted. "Only gale of
wind. Bit of sea on. YOU'RE quite
right to turn out if you feel nervous
She shook her head. "Oh, the storm
is nothing she replied
"Nothing at alp | assented, soothing
ly, as if had been used to thigh seas
and bowling windsn from infancy.
But in my heart L did not agree with
her. She must surely be testing -mak-
ing light oft in panic-stricken bravauo,
else why was she SO Enthusiastically
overmastered by fear? Her face was
set like marble, her eyes glared to right
and left; her beautifully chiseled nos
trils shifted the down draught from the
engine room.
AS we stood there in the darkness,
clinging to the side of the cabin and to
each other she asked: care you sure
there is nothing wrong with the ship
nothing?"
Her tone was so changed that |
stared at her for moment through the
smother before asking the counter ques-
ton: "What should there be?''
"What is this smoker" she whispered
h. ivy in, INV pnfpre +
swer there was conclusion above as if
the very heaven had fallen upon the
ship, and we were both dashed off our
feet fell with my hand upon some
metal work which the carpet did not
,ver. 1t was so hot it almost blistered
me. quickly scrambled up, and lift
| ing the almost fainting girl in both my
arms, staggered with her to acushioned
nook close by. AS did SO there came
rush of water into the saloon, sweep
| ing over the floor in waves as the oscil-
lation of the vessel flung it from one
side to the other; and as the floor re-
coded to mass itself in another quarter,
| a cloud of steam arose, adding to the
| denseness of the prevailing gloom.
The last shock had evoked wall of
alarm from the surrounding cabins, and
the saloon became crowded with people
rushing out of their doors. But when
they found the floor surging with water
and that white vapor floating upward,
there was perfect shrek of dismay;
| ''The boilers have burst! The boilers!"
Surprising the water to be scalding |
instinctively placed M'llicent Bradley
at full length upon the couch. There
was no time to save myself, and / let
out an unmanly yell as the waves
Tapped me right up to the knee. 1t
seemed to bite the flesh from my bones.
L can stand pain-I used to play foot
ball in England-but you just put
your stockinged feet into boiling water
and try that In a jiffy was perched
upon the top of a small table, and
clapped my hand t. my injured ex-
tremities, but, strange to say, was not
scalded at all. The water was cold.
Others found this out simultaneously.
And yet the steam was rising.
The meaning of it flashed upon Mill
cent first of all-or, perhaps, this phe-
nomenon only confirmed fear-"God
help us!o she cried!' the vessel is on
| fire."
The words flew like lightning. All
rushed peil nell out of the saloon and
up the stairs to the deck.
| "Save me, Horace" gasped Millicent