Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-07-22
" OF PUCK as well as the captain.


Before the man had finished talking,
Commander Ried had drawn his cap oven
his ears and thurdered an order to take
him alongside tbs fated boat.
You can't get to them now, the
rest Of us said.
4 shall do it or perish in the at
tempt. shall save those people at all
hazards, replied Ried curtly.
"'I am afraid your own life will pay
the forfeit, my boy, the captain said,
but he did not interfere with his lieu.
tenant commanders orders.
I should not regret that, captain,
for it is not a life worth living at best
"The sailors dared not disobey and
pulled quickly as near the burning YES
sci as possible.
Putting on a heavy pair Of leather
gloves to protect his hands from the
heat, Ried sprang like cat from the
bow OF the boat, catching at the only
place on the side of the vessel that was
not enveloped in flames where he could
hold on to climb to the upper deck,
which was not yet a prey to the fiery
elements. Seizing the old captain,
whose strength was nearly gone, ous
brave hero half carried, half dragged
him to the only spot now left them for
escape.
Follow me, he said to the plucky
girl who had faced death rather than
leave her father to die alone
Tho ,,1ooo x,,l,o,,o A., 49,, II
boats were lowering near as possible,
he tied rope securely around the cap
tain's waist. Then, calling to the men
to catch him, he swung him clear of
the flames, letting him drop into the
waters below none too socn.- It was
hard lines for man with broken leg
to be thus roughly dealt with, but it
was that or roasting alive, and the cap
tain was man enough to feel nothing
but the gratitude due his rescuer.
shall surely save your child,
Ried said to the poor father when he
insisted upon his daughter being saved
first, even if he had to be left to his
fate. Taking the slender young form in
his arms, the lieutenant made a fearful
leap, barely escaping the scorching
flames, which seemed like angry de-
mons cheated of their prey. Down,
down, into the dark waters they sank,
closely clasped in each others arms.
''The sailors and the half crazed IA
ther were afraid they had cnly escaped
the cruel flames to find a grave in the
angry sea, for it seemed long time
before they arose to the surface after
that terrible leap for life.
Sat last they were, seen Ly the eager
watchers, who lest no time in getting
them into the boat and rowing rapidly
to the ship, where ready hands helped
to care for the sufferers. It was not
long before the surgeon had done his
part. The old captains leg was set, and
he was sleeping from exhaustion. The
daughter had been unconscious when
they took her from the commander s
arms, but she was unhurt and was Civ
en- stateroom, where she was ordered
by the doctor to get into bed while her
wet clothing was dried and pressed, as
there was no possible chance to replen-
ish her wardrobe until we landed, un-
less, like a new woman, she was willing
to don masculine attire.
''Until he had seen his charges we'll
cared for, Ried did not speak Of his own
sufferings, which must have been al
most unbearable, as his hands and arms
were so badly burned the scars will
never leave them entirely. He had been
obliged to cling TO the side CT the vessel
while on his errand of mercy and did
not dare to let go, even when the iron
bands took the skin off his hands, burn
ing deep into the flesh.
t'We were all full of curiosity about
the maiden, OF whom we had only a
slight glance before the matter Of fact
doctor spirited her away. That one
glance was enough to show US that she
was beauty, and we all felt envious Of
Ried, who, we declared, would never
half appreciate the advantage he had as
the man who had saved her life and
that of her crippled father.
''Our curiosity was not gratified un-
til the next morning, when she burst
upon OR vision like bright star, with
out sign of the danger through which
she had passed in the fight for life with
fire and water, from which she had been
rescued not moment too soon by the
brave man who became her hero from
that hour. As she entered the cabin,
gracefully at ease in spite Of the fact
that several pairs of eyes were glancing
admiringly at her, we all arose to greet
her; but, passing us by until she reached
Commander Ried, she took both OF his
poor, bandaged hands in her soft, white
palms, and, raising the mcst glorious
pair of eyes to his face, she faltered:
you saved my fathers life and mine.
thank you. Oh, do thank you, more
than 1 can ever tell you, you brave,
good man! can never forget that we
owe our lives to you. Death seemed so
terrible when we thought we must die,
and we had given up all hope'-with a
shudder at the recollection-'when you
came to save us.
ssShe and her father staid with us
until he was perfectly well, and it was
a sad day when we had to part from
our little princess, who had been
jolly little tyrant, I assure you. We
were all her most obedient slaves, but
our efforts to cut Ried out We're fruit
less, as she considered us only secondary
considerations.
ssI never saw a fellow change as
Commander Ried did in that short time.
He was full of fun and the very essence
of gallantry, outlying us in everything,
from tender sentiment to the llllant
repartee for which he became noted
The captain told us that he had always
been like that until the three years past
when, without giving any reason for IT,
he had become the distant, cynical Iel-
low we had found him.
"The princess used to insist upon
helping the surgeon dress his burned
hands every day, and she was his oe-
voted nurse until he was nearly We'll
Then she tormented the life nearly out
of him by flirting outrageously with the
rest of us. confess to having been one
Of the victims myself and had quite a
sharp wound from that quarter, but the
little rascal only laughed at me when l
told her SO. Ried used to look savage
when she made eyes at any OF us, ana l
think she dearly loved to torment him.
altbouph they invariably made up, after