The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-01-23
A COAST ROMANCE.


othy Mosher, young woman of 10 years;
Alix Whit, farmer, and John Christie
pher, young FISHERMAN. Dorothy was
the belle of tLS town, and there was a
strong rivalry for her favors between Whit
and Christopher. The girl enjoyed the
contest and refused to encourage one more
than she did the other.
The young men kept up the siege sew
eral months and finally lost their temper.
The FISHERMAN Christopher went one day
and said: "Alix, I'm getting tired of this
fight between US for Dorothy. I'm willing
to go into ring with you and see who's
the best man. If you are, I'll get out of
the way, and if I'm the better man than
you, then you must leave Dorothy to me-
Whit agreed to the proposition, and in
the presence of large number Of their
friends the young men stripped one night
in f1shhouse on the beach and fought
like tigers for the girl they loved. They
were pretty evenly matched, and it was
a long time before the contest ended. 1t
finally came to a close with the knocking
out of Christopher.
Christopher took his defeat deeply to
heart, and he left the town. He had saved
money and invested in a schooner that
was engaged in the coasting business. He
sailed few weeks as mate of the vessel
and then became her captain. Meantime
WIN WOOeQ OOrOLDy 1uOr0 hEU6uIly budA
ever, but he got but little satisfaction
from the girl, who blamed him for driving
Christopher away. He believed that he
would win her for his wife sooner or later
and persisted in giving her attention. He
was not little surprised one morning to
find that the night before Dorothy had
disappeared from town. Her friends went
in search of her and found that she had
been secretly married to Christopher, who
he <o1- lii &-N1
The discovery that the girl loved his
rival best was a severe blow to Whit, who
found it impossible to content himself on
the farm. He finally found his surround
ings uncongenial, and disposing of the
farm joined the life saving station at
Hereford inlet. In the excitement of this
wild life he did his best to forget Dorothy.
He was considered the bravest of the crew.
There was no wind or weather in which he
was afraid to put out in the lifeboat, and
he seemed happiest when in the midst CT
a storm on the sea. Some thought that
his mind was unbalanced, and the advis-
ability of discharging him from the service
had been considered, but the faithfulness
with which he always performed his duties
argued strongly in his favor.
Last Thursday was stormy day on the
Jersey coast. The wind blew fearfulIy in
land. and tiss wreckers kept sharp look.
rain came down, but at shutdown the
clouds broke and fed, but the wind in
creased its strength, and the surf of Here
ford inlet ran higher by many feet than
the roof of the life saving station. About
midnight the patrol of the beach saw a
rocket curve through the darkness. Ee
was quickly followed by a second and
third. A vessel of some sort was in dis
tress in the vicinity of North bar. The
crew was aroused, and the lifeboat got in
readiness, but it was impossible to launch
it, so terrible was the surf. Answering
signals were given to encourage the unfor-
Inmates on the foundered vessel. When
day broke, the wind began to die out, and
by sunrise the surf had lessened in force.
Nearly mile from the shore the masts
and rigging of a schooner were visible
above the tumbl1ng waters, and at the
head of the mainmast was seen dark OBJ
ject. The vessel was completely SUBJ
merged, and the masts were swaying like
reeds. Evidently one of the crew had been
dashed to the mast. After several vain at
te1npts the lifeboat was finally launched
and the sturdy crew sent it across the
waves as rapidly as it was possible for
them to do. They finally came near
enough to the wreck to see that the object
at the masthead was woman. She was
alive and encouraged the crew in the life
came nearer it was found that it would be
. extremely dangerous to attempt to take
the woman off until the waves had subsid-
ed, for parts of the shattered hull project
ed above the water, and to be dashed upon
them meant quick destruction. While the
crew was debating what it was best to do,
Whit caught up 1ieldglass and turned
it on the woman. An instant later the
other members of the crew were surprised
held the glass to his eyes for few seconds,
as if to make sure that he was right then
tossed it into the cuddy, and snatching up
life preserver fastened it under his arms,
and tying rope around his waist ordered
the men to pull the boat as close to the
wreck as they dared to. The captain re-
monstrated with the man, but he calmly
told him that if the boat WASH t put nearer
he would jump in there and try to swim
to the woman's rescue.
The captain saw it was useless to pro-
test, and he told the crew to do as Whit
desired. Whit fastened one end of the
rope that was around his waist to cleat
! in the boat and waited for a favorable
moment to leap into the sea. At last, when
! the boat was on the crest of a wave that
was sweeping toward the wreck, he jumped
/ overheard and the next instant was bat
! Ting with the strength of three men with
/ the foaming water.
/ The wave ran like a race horse and
| dashed Whit against the rigging. He
grasped the ropes, climbed to where the
/ woman was dashed to the mast, and in a
/ few seconds had fastened the life preserver
/ around her. Tying the rope around her
waist, he signaIed the men in the boat to
| haul her aboard. 1t was a terrible trip to
make, but Dorothy arrived safe and sound.
| The problem now was how to rescue the
man.
The life preserver was fastened to a rope
| and thrown overheard, in the hope that it
| would float within Wint's reach, but it
didn't reach the mark. Again and again it
! was hauled in and cast overheard with
out striking the rigging. At every wave
the masts showed that they were growing
weaker, and it was expected by the men in
the ifeboat that they would go by the
board before the life preserver could be got