Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-08-09


and although ] had to SIT upon namp-
s,oo, wb,,e I watched over her In my
,aufu, capacity Of landlord Of the deck
chair never enjoyed crossing 30 much
in nv life and I've been over the Atlantic
ahou, twenty times on business.
Rut within n days sail OF New YORK
disaster fell upon the ship. 40 terrifying.
so lurld. so indescribably horrible. mat
you will think me inconsistent In de-
cIarfng that II increased my happiness
bundredfoid and gave me In one hideous
moment all the concentrated JOY OF
lifetime.
II had come on 60 blow again. A great
bank OF bubbiing, purple clouds had
arisen In the northwest az the nikh'
closed in. and while l was helping Miss
bradley down the companionwsy, driven
from the deck. by the ugly, threatening
ASPECT Of the sky. q blast OF wind struck
the vessel. heelIng her over with sud,
denncss that forced ME 10 cling WIN an
nv might 10 the banister. and Miss Brad
low With all hers. TO my neck. For nearly
a minute my chin reposed against the
ton Of her head but that ecstacy was
vo,ichsafcd 10 me no longer. As the
shin rightcd Mnlicent parted from me,
sprang down the few remaining stairs,
grabbed at the hand-rail. and whisked
away to her cabin. sans adieux.
struggled back TO the deck for the
rugsand cushions. and found the vessel
enveloped In furious storm. ALREADY IL
was dark. and the ATLANTA was plungng
like a FESTIVE horse. the sea coming III
floods over the bulwarks. ana the wlhu
tearing and shrieking among the coroase'
and clustering against the big roaring
funnel The rain came down In sianuhg
nd the sailors were
shouting TO each other and warning the
passengers who had delayed getting below,
/ lost one OF my rugs. and how l saved
NV life I can hardly tell. My deck-chalT
| left strapped TO it's moorings, ana loon
refuge I'm the snoke-rooms. with half "A
dozen other white-faced fellows.
with the greatest difficulty we got 10
orr staterooms. and | clambered INTO my
berth. simply shedding my top coat on
the floor. and kicking Off my soppins
shoes. / lay on my back, with my elbows
welgod against the side Of the bunk to
urevcnt myself being pitched out by the
violent rolling OF the ship, and listened
IN the smashing of glass anu crockery,
and the crash OF hat boxes, bags, ana
other unsecured trifes. which were lying
about Ike pips in a dice-box, ana to me
sbuttoring whirl Of the screw, as 'he
water dropped away from our stern anu
lart the great fanges TO beat the ar
Tho steward came and put the lights out,
a red-fap- proceeding which added 10 the
av,Cnlncss Of things in general. Then
/ neyan 10 get insunerably warm. II was
summer time, and with port holes closed
tb. atpnoeuhcre below decks was almost
eturfv. hui never before had / ret such
an oppression I concluded that we hau
gone into the gulf stream. or something
OF that sort. and they had closed all the
ycntllators for the sake OF Keeping the
ship wateriight
/ had TO lie there in bath OF persplra-
ton. for ] could not get relief by taxing
of my clothes. 70 unwedge myself III
order to make the attempt would nave re-
suited in my rolling out on 10 the moor,
where my shoes and "A water-bottle and
a careless companions razor-case were
having a perfect frolic together.
/ crew parched with thirst. Every mo-
mont the air became more unbreathable.
Ten minutes more and ] gasped aloud
81 must get out of this or die" flung
myself down. taking my chance OF the
razors and groped out OF the door. a
sitting fog hung in the saloon. The am
Light OF a swinging lantern showed 1t to
mo Peering about ne with almost blind
"a eyes. I perceived that from every state
room abutting on the saloon one or more
Messengers had crept out like myself,
and we're standing at each opening like
suecters. holding on desperately 10 any
hing. xThe saloon seemed to be doing its
hest TO subvert Itself At times. the floor
was almost perpendicular. Now j was
living fat upon the outer wall of my
cabin: the next instant L was hanging
from the rail that ran around II, as II
were Il trape2c-pcrformer All ABOUT
there was a pandemonium OF tumDlinR
tbings The sea Numbered against the
vessel fearfuily, and again ana again
tborn WAS that horrible shudder of the
screw.
Near me chung an old gentleman in
might attire "a nice thing. this!" be bel
lowed in my ear. TO save discussion. I
agreed with him that it was very nice,
indeed.
Across the saloon was the cabin dedi-
Gated TO Miss Bradley. | detected a
shostlv figure there and made my way
over. holding fast to the chairs and the
fable. Yes, il was she white as the
dressing gown that swathed her graceful
figure. She grasped my hand. lier dark
ewes gazed into my face with a terrible
expression.
Thank God. you have come TO me -
she cried. with passionate earnestness.
We had grown very good friends during
those few blisSful days OF her conVaies
cenoe but only by maintaining ilgic
barrier of the most respectful ceremony
How blessed the accommodating tenpes
which made her now speak TO me Ike
that
/ kent her hand in mine and brought
my face close to hers-l had to do this t'
make my consolation ineligible, there
zee all right
shouted. only gale of wind. Bit of
sea on. You're quite right TO turn GU
if YOU feel nervous"
She shook her head. 'Oh, the storm
is nothing" she replied.
Nothing at all " ] assented seemingly
as if I had been used To high seas an
bowling winds" from infancy. But II
my heart l did not agree with her. Sh
must surely be TESTING making hght
il in panic-strioken bravaio, else why wa
she SO unmistakably oVermastered D.
fear2 Her face was set like marble, he
ewes glared to right and left; her beau
,lfuny chiseled nostrils shifted the dow
draught from the engine-room.
As We stood there in the darkness
clincing TO the side Of the cabin and tC
each other. she asked: Are you SURE
there is nothing wrong with the ship
nothing
Her lone was so changed that j stared
at her for a moment through the smother
before asking the counter question: wv a
should there be?'
"What is this smoke" she whispered
hoarsely. in my ear Before l could an
swer there was conclusion above as 4
the very heaven had fallen upon the ship
and we were both dashed off our feet
| fen with my hand upon some meta
work. which the carpet did not cover
II WAS so hot il almost biistered me.
quickly scrambled up, and, iitting th'
almost fainting girl in both arms, stag
gered with her TO a cushioned nook clos
by. As / aid SO there came rush O
water into the saloon. sweeping over th'
floor In waves az the oscillation of th'
vessel flung II from one side TO the other
and AS the food receded to mass itsel
| In another quarter. a cloud of steam aros'
adding to the denseness of the prevailing
gloom.
The last shock had evoked wall o
alarm from the surrounding cabins. an'
me saloon became crowded with people
rushing out Of their doors. But whei
they found the floor surging with waite
and that white vapor floating upward
there was perfect shrek OF dismay
THE boilers have burst. The boilers.
4aTasr