The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-12-29

mouth before Rube also rose. II nun go,
too," he said quietly.
tAn T." cried Bob Yardes, making for
the doorway.
Straightway the whole assembly fol-
lowed suit. There was a stampede for the
door, the women implied thereto by
mingled dread and curiosity; the men, by
a laudable desire to help, should their help
unfortunately be required. Dick seemed
to hesitate q moment before he also rose
to his feet and sidled from the table.
You need not go today, Dick" muir
INJURED Esther TREMENDOUSLY. Surely not
today?"
Nay, nay, my lass, don't talk SO" re-
some use down theer. Think a bit.
Thaer's men aboard that ship belize as
ha'o wives an sweethearts at home wearin
their cen out for EN-. You can tell what
their feelin's is, just as I can. You wouldn't
haze me stop here easy an comfortable if I
could do auaht for 'em, now would you,
lass?" ~.
Esther made no apswer. She dared
not trust herself to words. She felt that
her ~utterance would show the selfshness
she we'll knew was at the bottom of her
reluctance to let her husband go. Yet
how hard it was to forswear hG1 thoughtsl
Come, cheer up, Esther" added Dick,
kissing her. We've had t. boat out i as
ugly weather as this before, an you may
be sure l won't stop away fro you a min
ute mere'n 1 can help. I'll just step
across homo an don these fine clothes. I
must not spoil them"
Meanwhile the whole population Of the
village had gathered on the shore. Over
head the murky clouds sped rapidly by, SO
low that they Appeared to touch the rug
ged headlandG to north and south of the
little bay. The air was d%arkened, as if it
were dusk. Vast mountains of water
curled and broke over the beach with
thunderlike peals, Kissing and spu1ning
up to the very feet of the watchers The
chill, cutting rain beat in their faces so
ferocly that they could scarcely discern
the quiyering ship that was beating out
her heart upon the rocks. Heavy seas
swept her decks, on which the stump of
the mizZen was the only spar left stand
ing. Fore and main mast had both gone
by the board. eShe was fast upon the
Forks, every Succeeding wave just lifting
her clear to dash her down again upon the
jagged mass.
A ma had been dispatched on horse
back to apprise the Morperland lifeboa6
crew of the disaster, but it was plain that
before aid could arrive from that quarter
tho vessel would be a total wreck. She
could not hold together much longer.
The adamantine battering ram Of the
Forks was fast splinterlng her timbers to
matchwood. The bark herself was doomed.
No rocket could reach her. The sole hope
lay in the possibility of a boat approach
ing near enough to throw a life line aboard.
The possibility We had all but said tlse
impossibilify. Yet tho attempt was about
to be made.
Already the fishermen had run Gr@me's
pilot gig down to the waters edge, and
already one luckless essay had been mado
to launch her. An incoming wave had
filed her and tossed her back mockingly
upon the shinglo, her crew scrambling to
land as best they might, Tom Croft with
his arm broken.
Dick arrived just as the catastrophe oc-
CURED. He was now dressed in oilskins.
Esther followed him, a cloak thrown over
her wedding dress and a heavy shawl sup
planting bridal veil and orange blossoms.
Dick mechanically stepped forward and
took Toms place in tho boat.
The second attempt was more success
full, for although some water was shipped
the gig safely topped the advancing wave
and rode i'll deep water. Now came the
struggle, tho unequal combat between
mans puny strength, backed by courage
and Determination, and the c~onvulsive
power of tho seas onslaught. Anxious
eyes, half blinded by the driving scud and
salt spray, followed the frail craft as her
oars plunged deeply below the swirling
surge, rose and dropped again. Now she
was seen on the crests Of the pillows,
which broke around her in clouds Of foam,
and anon she disappeared wholly in their
hollows.
Not yet, however, had she felt the full
brunt-of tho seas. Open as the bay was,
the protection it afforded was appreciablc,
SO much so that no ooner had the gig
got clear of its shelter than the change be-
CAME terribly apparent. She no longer
met the onooming waves head on, but
broadside. She pitched and staggered, tho
oars rising and falling spaslnodicallySlike
the tentacles Of solno Laundering sea mon
ster.
She'll no'er max the wreck" ex-
claimed Ben Tarlcy foarfully. Nicer il
this world can She do It. Sure as I'm
Twin, they'll be swainped if they go for
rarder."
He had but spoken the words when a
huge sea struck her. 1t hurled her back
into the trough, the waters breaking
high overhead and pouring into her. For
some seconds sho was invisible. AT length
she rose. heavy and inert. She was float
ing keel upward.
My God. old Ben cried hoarsely,
s'she's over-she's oapsi2edp'
Esther, standing near, heard the, dire
exclamation, butsit was not necessary to
hear-sho had seen. Yet no cry escaped
her lips. She simply stood there, as be-
fore, with a dcathlikc pallor, mute and
motionless. She was still staring, with
stony gaze, in tho direction of the over
turned boat, when her father touched her
gently on the shoulder.
H"Come, my lass he said in hushed
tones. ssThce'll be best at home. Come"
Esther put her iissnd to her throat. A
muffled sob struggled for u~tterance, but
no tears came. silently she took her IA
theirs arm and hastened away. Hers was
of the grief that is too deep lying for out
cry-a sorrow that gnaws the heart
strings.
Two hours later tho cart on which the
Morperland lifeboat had been transported
overland runlbaed down to the beach. In
the interval, however, the ship on tho
Lf,,f- ,aoI-e h,1 ,o,& ~. ,;s.one n,o of bo,