Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1894-10-20

ing shoreward. and amid Its foam | saw. or
seemed TO zee, shapes that struggled, sunk,
and died.
Man the lIfe-boatr' / cried. ''Qnick, ladsi
Follow mep'
My uncle gripped me by the arm.
"roo late, lad! There's zee a sawl
aboardp
Look yonderp I answered. pointing sea-
ward. There are living men on the deck
still. and IN the rigging. Gomez
The lads, who were English born and had
their hearts In the right places. responded
with a cheer, and down the path we rushed
till we reached the shore. Entering the boat
house, we soon had the boat baled and ready
for launching, when / first realized, to my
dismay, that we were short-handed, several
OF my best men being away. But two strong
lads from the mine volunteered, and my I'M
Gle made q third; and so we formed q crew.
To every man l gave a cork life-belt, and
tied one on myself. Then, springing TO my
place In the stern, l urged on my men, as
with shouts and yelis, scarcely heard amid
the roar OF water, they ran the boat into the
creek.
Each man knew his place. They urged
the boat, bow forward, into the surge, and
waded with II, those the furthest from shore
wading breast-deep In the waves. Thrice we
were beaten back, and I thought the boat
would have been crushed To pieces on the
beach, but At last she floated-the men leap
ed In and took their places-the oars smote
the boiling surge, and out we crept to sea.
Once fairly afioat, we realized for the first
time the strength and fury of tile storm.
Clouds OF flying foam covered us, the strong
seas caught the oars and almost tore them
from the grasp, and for a time we scarcely
seemed to gain q foot of way. But the lads
put out their strength, and sheer muscle and
bold heroic will conquering at last, the life
boat left the shore.
And now I alone, standing In the stern
sheets. with the steering oar In my hand,
could see what mountainous seas we had to
pass before we could reach the doomed yes
sci, which was now scarcely discern.bie
through the sheet of low-fiying spray. As
some great wave came near, curling high
above us, ! cheered on the men, and we met
1t with a shock like thunder and a rattle of
every plank Of which the boat was made.
More than once the seas made a clean breach
over US, but the alright compartments and
cushions OF cork kept us from actually found
ering. On we went with the light OF the
kindling east-turning from red to reddish
gold behind us, and the mlsts struck by the
new radiance, thinning to seawaru; and so,
after a fierce tussle with wind and water,
we came in full sight Of the doomed vessel.
Stuck fast on the cruel reef, her back
broken, she was struggling like n crippled
bird-lying over. with her decks and funnel
inclined toward tire shore, and Quivering
through and through with every blow of the
strong metallic waves. A pillar of smoky
foam, ever vanishing, ever renewed, hung
over her In the air, and from time TO time the
waters foamed over her weather side, and
streamed over the splitting decks.
At first l could discern no sign of life, but
as we drew nearer and nearer, / saw one or
W figures ciinging in the rigging, from
which many OF their comrades had doubtless
been washed away. They saw us coming,
for one OF them waved something white.
Pull for your llvesr' l cried. There are
men aboardr'
The lads answered me with a cheer, and
the boat shot forward to the steady sweep Of
their united oars till we were within q hun
dred yards OF the steamer.
Then / saw a sight which filled all my soul
with fear and pity. Lashed TO, or clinging
to the mainmast, was the solitary figure of q
woman. / knew her sex by the wild hair
failing over her shoulders, and the curious
feminine grace of her form, Visible through
a dark cloak that had been thrown hastily
upon her shoulders; but her head was droop-
ing and her face hidden, and she did not
seem conscious of what was taking D ace.
/ told the men that a woman was there,
and though they needed no new incentive to
give them strength, their faces grew more
animated, and / knew they would have faced
fire as well as water In such a cause. In q
few minutes more we were close at hand, ris-
ing and falling on the white surge in the
vessels lee.
Thei the woman raised her head, and look
ed IA oar direction. The men saw her, and
gave s0other cheer; but IL could have
swooned away In CONSERVATION. Ny head
went round. l looked again and again.
Either 1 was mad, or dreaming, or the face
! gazed upon was that OF the love Of my boy.
hood-Madeiine Graham!