The herald., 1896-08-31

"wllne," said Jenny once moro in my
ear, 'if you get safe ashore, will you give
my love to father"
Then l found that was lying beneath
the shelter OF the poop deck, protected O
little by that from the seas that wera
breaking over US, and that a life belt was
fastened under my arms. Jenny was
crouched beside me holding my hand.
We grounded upon an outrunning spit,
and instantly the sea made a clean sweep
over us. / had seized Jenny at the mo.
ment Of striking, and we were hurried
away together in hideous trough of cord
age and timber
l lost my senses for awhile, to find my
self jammed in between two fragments Of
rock. Jenny WAS gone.
Time passed, hardly I know how till
the moon rose. The tide was down, but
the surf reached to the very base Of the
cliffs. The flood would como presently,
and l should perish.
Then l heard voices below me and by
the moonlight saw men groping about
among the rocks beneath me.
They were full Of compassion and kind.
ness. They carried me along the base Of
the cliffs by footpath among the debris
till they reached smooth gap in the wall
OF chalk, by which they ascended. I was
presently carried to a house, stripped and
placed in u warm bed. I recullect just
this much and then memory fails me.
AS soon as / could get about I went
down to Hayre to inquire about the Petre1
at our consulate. She was lost, was told,
en- such and such night with all hands
on board The captain had returned home
two months ago
l left my watch with the good farmer
who had taken care of me as some recon.
pense for the trouble and expense to which
he had been put. / landed without any
clothes but these l wore, and with only a
few shillings in my pocket. But there was
money due to me for my pension, and I
took n cab to the paymaster' s Office to get it.
William Thornley," said the clerk, look
ing at his list. "Why, he's dead-struck
off the list two months ago. You're the
man, you say. I'm sorry to say that only
treasury order will bring you to life
again
The personnel of the Office was almost
entirely changed since 1 was last in Eng
land. L went to the old office. One of my
out He looked at me- stared, burst into
laughter. ''What, you're not drowned,
thenY'' he cried.
Drowned? No, but precious near Il
Who stopped my pension pray?"
ooh, some friends of yours came here
a seafaring party and a protty girl in deep
mourning-a deuced pretty girl" said my
friend, pausing.
'Well, they gave me long account Of
you lost on board the Petrol. Why he came
to me was that ne remembered my name
as fellow who knew you, don't you sees
BY Jove, here they are!''
was sitting with my back to the door
and turned my head toward it, A young
woman in black ran forward with q scream
l sprang to my feet and clasped Jenny in
my arms.
Her father, it turned out, had been on
the cliff and had followed the Petrol along
the shore all that eventful night. 1t hap
PLY Glanced that there was a crane used
for raising blocks of chalk from a quarry
half way down, and aided by some dou-
aniers, he had descended by this means
the face of the precipice and had caught
hold of his daughter as she was swept away
from me in the last mad rush of waters.
II wish you'd have stopped drowned, -
said my friend between his teeth. But for
all that he stood best man at my wedding.
New York Press.