Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1895-01-11

III q tropical SKY. Wnen ab U salc ais
tance the sailors rested their oars.
and we turned to watch the ruin be-
hind us. 1t was grandl Flames were
creeping to the tops OF the masts and.
running through the rigging like fiery
serpents. The smooth water, reflect
ing the flames, looked like q sea Of
molten metal. Suddenly there was an
explosion,
Powder" said the captain.
The mainmast fell with II crash,
sending thousands OF sparks skyward;
theship rolled and dipped, then right
ed herself. Evidently the force OF the
explosion had been expended upward,
and had not torn q hole in the hulk.
At daybreak, having devoured every
thing to the waters edge, the fire sud
denly went out, leaving the charred
hull floating, a black specter on the
shining sea.
With the rising sun came the wind
and black clouds. A few hours later
the storm burst with all the fury OF
the tropics. The boats were sepa-
rated. We could do nothing but drift
before the storm. Suddenly vivid
flash OF 'ightning blazed over the
water. We saw the first mates boat,
just ahead OF us, capsize, but were
powerless to help. Arthur Halls tall
form was outlined for a second as the
boat went over, and as Alices cry,
arthur! Oh, save him!" rose above
the noise OF the tempest the waters
closed over the doomed man and the
driving rain blinded US. Lila had in
voluntarily hidden her face on my
shoulder, and with my arms around
her, we waited for death But swiftly
as they had gathered the clouds dis
persed, the wind fell away to a stiff
breeze, and presently the waves We're
breaking against our boat with the
soft ripping of child's laughter
We headed for o group of islands
known to the captain and sailors.
All that day and the next night we
rowed. Alice, after that one cry had
fallen back senseless in her mothers
arms, and now was lying in the bot
tom OF the boat, delirious with fever.
Mrs. Abbott and Miss Jewett bore the
exposure and fatigue wonderfully.
Late in the afternoon on the same
day we saw a ship away to the west.
We made frantic efforts to attract her
attention, and were successful. A
boat was sent out to meetus, and soon
we were taken on board the American
ship Columbia, homeward bound
Captain Abbott and Captain Leslie
were well acquainted, and tears actr-
ally stood in the latter's eyes when he
found whom he.had rescued. A sharp
lookout was kept for the other boat,
and just before sunset it was sighted,
and we soon had the pleasure Of see
ing it's crew also taken on board.
Alice continued veryill, and ten days
later, despite the utmost care and skill
OF the ships doctor, she died. With
many tears Lila robed the beautiful
girl in White, and one clear Sabbath
morning we gathered on deck to listen
to the sad solemn service of a burial
at sea. Yet we felt, as the blue water
closed over the fair form, that some
time the sea would giveup its dead,
we should meet her and the brave
man she loved SO well.
At last we were nearing home, and
the day came when finally we cast an
Choir in New York Harbor. Lila and
J. WCliO oUiIiSlU I'LL OUSlI W Iiitl'lCi-s
phia, astonishing the relatives beyond
all measure, for, OF course, they had
heard nothing OF our peril
A month later we were married.
The day before the wedding tookmy
bride to be in my arms, and asked:
My darling do you love me now?"
Looking in my eyes, she said:
with all my heart, Glenn. You
were right. True love cannot die.
Captain Abbott never crossed the
ocean again. He and his wife We're
heart-broken because OF the death OF
their only child. Mrs. Abbott shud-
dered at sight of the sea, and he would
not go without her. They settled in
Boston, where Mrs Abbott had rela-
tives, and after a few years the moth
er went away to join her beloved
daughter, and the captain soon fol-
lowed.
Fifteen years ago Lila and Invent to
Australia on q steamer. We have
crossed the ocean many times, but
have never met with another disaster.