People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1894-11-01
Jennie HarIoWe.
CHAPTER X.
BY W. CLARK RUSSELL.

than Harness. | was captain and
part owner of a little bark called
the Mary Anstrutter.' We sailed
from London at the close OF August
in last year and all went well till we
we're in some six or seven degrees
south latitude, when a couple OF
drunken villains OF sailors, entering
the hold with naked light to breach /
one Of heap of rum casks below, /
set fire to the ship. We were bound |
to Callao with a general cargo of |
light in1ammable stuff, and when |
the cry of fire was raised | seemed |
to feel as though instinctively that |
the vessel was doomed, as a man gets
Nto know inwardly that he is bound !
to die within a certain time, though |
they may tell him there is plenty of
hope and that his complaint isn't
deadly. All that could be done was
done; but the fire quickly took a
strong grip, and the fore part of the
hold was presently in a blaze, with
the smoke dribbling up and gather.
ing in a sort of thunder storm upon
the ship, and glare like lightning
upon it now and again from the leap
of a crimson fame. l had my wife
on hoard witt me. l secretly called
aft three good, trustworthy seamen,
quietly got them and my wife into
one of the quarter boats, and told
them to lie off ready to receive me
should | hail them. 1t was ten
o'clock at night, | must tell you
when the fire broke out, the weather
almost calm, and the air dark
though starlit Ibent the end OF the
boats painter on to some running
gear, aud paid out the line plenti-
fully overheard that the boat might
have plenty OF scope to lie hid away
out in the darkness out Of sight Of
the sailors who were tOiling with
hose and pumps and buckets. The
quarter boat had not long been low
cred when fresh breeze of wind
sprung up right abeam. You heard
the flames roar again as the ship
gathered away, for the yards lay as
though trimmed for that slant The
snip was fated, / saw that; we toiled
on a bit then all hands were seized
with panic fear, and rushed aft in
a body to the boats of which we had
two remaining. | sprung on to the
quarter and shouted. straining my
eyes into the atmosphere that was
yellow with the light of the burning
ship long distance the whole way
round, bat heard nothing and saw
nothing. 1t was blowing fresh, the
ship was whitening the water as she
swept through it with fellow at
the helm tanning the wheel hard
a-starbOard to bring her to that the
boats might be lowered. | seemed
to be able to follow the line that had
been secured to the boats painter to
the end of it where it followed in the
arching wake like a black serpent
out on the sulphur-like water Well
sir, to shorten this yarn, the boat
had gone adrift; | had lost my wife
and | could have flung myself int
the burning hold of my vessel in my
misery and grief"
A sigh broke from him with a sor
OF half choking sob with it. II,
came to stand to pass the sleeve 0
his shirt over his streaming fore
heao.
Hal" cried he. with a sudden gle,
coming into his face and pointing
Il see your boat. sir Oh, my God
it is sight l have been praying TO
during my Imprisonment here. D"
lie brought the sharp of his han,
to his brow and peered again. Tn
figure Of Jenny seated under the co
cOanut tree was as visible as tn,
form OF the gig in that exquisltel
crystalline atmosphere. but she wa
still good long walk from US.
He continued peering little an,
exclaimed:
Your companion is lady?"
l answered yes" in low voice
Your wife?" he inquired.
my wife," l answered quickly.
"Alas, poor lady!" he said
"Shipwreck falls heavily upo
women, sir; but no matter.
little patience. There are ships on
yonder," pointing northward, ian
and" he broke down here t
some sudden rush of thought in hir
and grasped my hand. His eye
were dry, but there was a broker
hearted sound OF tears in the briC
stammer which had brought hi
speech to an end.
remained standing while he stOO
viewing me in silence. On sudde
he plucked up and we started atresl
TO finish my story" said he
1.-The fire beggared me in my hear
and in my purse as we'll, for l ha
lost nv wife, aud my venture in til
vessel was uninsured. l got into or
OF the quarter boats and besought Ii
hands in her to make a search Il
the boat containing my wife; b.
they grew hellishly mutinous in
breath en- hearing that three of the
number had been told to ride q
astern in safety In boat while the
were tOiling at peril Of their lives {
the deck Of a burning vessel, ar
bluntly refused to seek their mate
So we kept near the burning shi
which was all aback. and lay SIT
until dawn. when she was little mo-
than a red hot cradle through whiC
YOU could see as through a Gao