The news boy., 1896-05-16
WRECK OF THE HyACINTH.

II WIS wild night. Tho ljpbtn;rr
Mashed, and in response the artillerS
OF heaven doomed and rolled, then
crashed, as If the very skies were rent
In twain to deliver one mighty blow
streets were transformed into leap;nr
rushing rivers by the terrible downpo,;r
OF rain, while the breakers on that
lone, dreary New England coast seemed
To defy the challenge of the roaring
storm.
The fleet of small fishermen had sour.
fied to safe anchorage early in the
afternoon.
May God help any ship and crew
that gets on lee shore to-nigf t, lads"
soberly remarked Capt. Josh" Hard
ing, OF the lifeboat, to few of his men.
as he stepped to the door and pecred out
Into the opaque darkness.
The government at that time had not
erected the neat, cozy life-saving sta.
tion with all its modern appliances to
rescue crew from a stranded shin
which now adorns the long, barren
stretch of sand, but the crew were menu
bers of the fishing fleet, and always vol
unteered their services without promise
of reward. A whaleboat served their
purpose then, and many despairing
sailor had good cause to praise her
stanchness and the bravery of her IRON
hearted crew.
A flash of lightning in the early even
Ing had revealed large bark trying to
weather the wreck-bestrewn, fatal
Handkershoal, which caused the bluff
rugged mariner to utter the foregoing
remarks.
Where is John Lawrence tonight.
lads? He is generally here night like
this" he continued. in an anxious ton,
Johns wife amt very well, cnp'n; So
heered as l cum daown," answered
Reuben Davis, one of the crew.
well, go up, couple of yen see.
should hate to mann the boat withou.
John. He's never missed a trip vet
eaid Capt. Harding, pacing the small
/. room which served them as n shelter
from the storm and was located on the
beach, with the boat drawn up outside
Just above the reach of the Kissing
seething waters, which seemed to re
cede with dispairing means at falling
to drag it into their depths.
BY the bedside of his wife, holding
her thin, wasted hand between th,
large, horny palms Of his own, sat Johr
Lawrence, one of the bravest of the vol
unteers.
"Oh, IL 1 could but see Tom once NOR,
could go easy, john" she hoarsel,
whispered.
"The lads gone, Mary, n we dom
know where. It's bin nigh onter tev
year sence 1 heered he'd shipped in tn
fo-cas'tle fer the West Indies, n h,
hasn't writ a word hum sence."
Il know he was bad boy, John
But don't you think that you was
little hard on him?' she continued
"He was all we had. you know"
The large eyes filled with tears an,
the fraii form shook and trembled will
emotion as the mother pleaded for he
wayward boy.
Il don't know what's the matter will
your wife, John. It's either a case O
broken heart or some new disease. Med
icine don't seem to reach it," the docto
had said, upon leaving, few hours be
fore.
You'll forgive him when I'm gone
John, won't you? He didn't mean to b.
bad!" she said, between her sobs.
At this moment the door softl,
opened and the captains messenge
stepped in.
John, there's bark that can
weather the Han'kerchi'f, n ther cap
tain sent us arter ye," said Davis.
ITS no use, boys. l can't leave he,
ter-night. She wouldn't be here whel
got back" said Lawrence, softly, rub