The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-07-25
FIRST SHIPWRECK.

bhese words: 'Ialmpol-La Belle vonne
500"
The sun had long since sunk out Of
sight, and night fell, drowning all this
corner of France in transparent shadows.
In the deep chasms of the rocks the waves
wero beating fiercely--almost growling,
but upon the sandy beach they rolled,
murmuring softly.
"Harl, do you hear it, 1t is calling usl
1t is time to quit our moorings If we wish
to go as far as the isle of Brehat," said a
fisherman, who descended the iron ladder
of the pier after having thrown his basket
and oars into the bottom of his craft.
/ Yyonne Rouzic clutchcd her son, who
was following, by the arm. Her ear
strained to catch the menace of the break
ers upon the rocks, and II supplicating
murmur rose to her lips
Z "Alain! Alainl Ny poor boyn'
The robust boy, proud of his II years,
listened only to the tender call of the sea
upon the sands. He discngaged himself,
saying;
'Wo must not miss the tide-quick!"
The sail went up slowly, with noise
like the prolonged cry of u bird, dragging
little, the length Of the mast, and the
boat moved obGdiently. II sank littlc by
little into tho night which took it, absorb.
ing 1t gently, until it vanished in the dusk.
Yvonne came back with stumbling feet
overcome by n sense of abandonment ma
the feeling that she had bid her loved ones
an eternal farewell. Never before had her
heart ached ms 1t was doing now Ii
. seemed to her that the night had dariicned
her joy and Swallowed her life-that 1t was
drinking the blood from her veins. She
raised her head, looked at the sky, the
coasts, the waves, which were so strong
and yet so supple, as they rocked like a
cradle-at the starry, moonlcss night,
with clouds scudding here and there She
tried to smile, but in her mind rose up
the thought: 1T is the first timc that he
has ever loft at night. My poor boyl If
She did not dare finish, and with su.
perstitious haste began praying to all the
saints, both male and female, who are
said to protect mariners
For several years they had been in the
habit of quitting Paimpol to pass tho sum.
NOR season at portrieux, leaving for the
time the house and nest Of little ones in
went out with his boat and Yvonnc sold
the fish on shore. Thanks to tho wealth
of the strangers who came there for the
baths, their affairs prospered more than
they had done in the country. But never
before had their joy been so complete as
it was this year. The oldest child, the boy
Alain, now accompanied his father when
no went fishing at night, and with the aid
of former gains they had been able to reflt
the Bellc-Yvonne. 1t seemed to Jenr,
Mario Rou2ic that on SO famous craft he
might go straight to Newfoundland If he
wished. And no looked almost defantly
Mt the first boat of the season from those
Shores with her paint defaced hun incrust,
cd with shells and green marine moss, the
deck covered with salt and tho mir impreg.
mated with tho strong odor Of the sailed
cod in her hold.
Until the hour of departure Yyonne had
felt confident aud joyous, but suddenly ut
the moment of parting sob from the sea
alongside the pier moro violent than before
had awakened in her something hitherto
unknown-the sense of fear Memories
of catastrephcs hCsicged her; phantums
seemed whirling about her; lugubrious
i shadows of shipwrccks swept past her IN
mad dance. She rubbed her eyes, STAN
Inering: Il am fool. Ma Douc What
Is the matter with me this eyening2n
Her brow was again smooth, her eyes
shining with reawakened energy beneath
the ilG' ring frill Of her headdrcss, a.
she cxe.s.aned, Tho daughter OF sailor
the wife and mother Of sailors, ought K
begin to tremble at this late day2''
4 But her voice died within her, ant
once moro she was seized with fright
| 30 God, protect theml" she cried.
/ AS she lay on her bed She at first triet
in vain to sleep, but found herself listen
j ing to tho noises of the night believing
! that she heard plaintivc calls for help Blu
she was SO exhausted from fatigue that a
/ last she slept heavily, dreaming the Will
:, that she was falling into some great, faith
! omlcss abyss where she heard savag
noises Of the angry ocean, the formidable
roaring Of the water--the tempest itself
At dawn Of day she was tortured by sucl
anxiety that she thought herself dying ant
awoke with q start The empty room sud
! denly recalled the parting. In a momen
/ she stood in the door The sea was rollinl
j as after furious storm. The heavy SIX,
4 was dark and lowering, but the boats wer
/ coming in together, with furled sails
Thy were all there She laughed an,
+ showed her teeth, trembling, while he
eyes famed with jog,
passing fisherman called out brusqucl
/ to the women assembled upon the pic
+ heud.
j That was an awful squat Mt o'clocl,
! ] wouldn't have cared to be near tn
rocky coast Of Brieuc
Had sho misunderstood him' With
hurried glance She searched among tn
boats. Tho Belle Yyonne alone was miss
Ing. 1t was like stab In her heart. She
leaned forward and asked:
4 Jean Mario is not with your"
! A mist oh5cured their honest eyes. They
tried TO avoid looking ut her. One of then
said:
II saw him mt Q o'clock going toward
tho open sea. He will return later on, NJ
doubt The catch will be great, 1t is said
SO lie is doubtless satisfied u
j Turning toward comrade, he said In
low voice: God knows w hero Jean Marie
II sailing at this hour-the course that hC
will tako 1t was hardly prudent to fact
that big sea :"
! A little bewildored and with the bloot
NIL gono from her brain, Yvunnc murmur
ed, All, yes, he will surely return ant
my boy with him."
With her elbows on the hard stone o
the parapet and her eyes fixed upon tn
A horizon she sat there without again speak
ing. In the evening She was still there
Night came on, and the lighthouse threw
its red light ovor the waves. She had no
moved and sat there as though fascinnt
Ell, her eyes on the distance and mutterinj
to herself. All night She watched, he
fearless eyes burning from the salt Of tn
] In no hul fag, .