Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-07-03

klll WIG netl Ntcibn A0NASA SAANAA
leave her father to die alone.
Reaching the place where the small
boats were lowering near as possible,
he tied a rope securely around the cap
tain'S waist; then, calling TO the men 10
catch him, he swung him clear OF the
flames letting ham drop into the wa
terS below none too soon. 1t was hard
lines for a man with broken leg TO be
thus dealt with, but it was that or
roasting alive, and the captain was
man enough to feel nothing but the gra-
tiJude 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 fearful
leap. barely escaping the scorching
flames. which seemed like angry demons
cheated of their prey. Down, down in
to the dark waters they sank, closely
claSped in each others arms.
The sailors and the hah-crazed faith
er were afraid they had only escaped
the cruel flames TO find a grave in the
angry sea, for it seemed long time be-
fore they arose to the surface after that
terrible leap for life.
AT last they were seen by the eager
watchers, who lost no time in getting
them into the boat and rowing rapidly
TO the ship where ready hands helped
TO care for the sufferers. 1t 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 COM
T2nder's arms, but she was unhurt, and
| was given a state room, 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 replenish her wardrobe until
/ she was willing to don masculine at
tire.
Until he had seen his charge well
cared for Ried did not speak of his own
| sufferings. which must have been almost
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 Of 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,
burning deep into the flesh
We were all full OF curiosity about
| the maiden, of whom we had only
slight glance before the matter-of-fact
doctor spirited her away. That one
/ glance was enough to show that she was
a beauty, and We all felt envious OF Ried,
| who We declared would never half APP
preciate the advantage he had as the
man who had saved her life and that OF
her crippled father,
Our curiosity was not gratified until
the next morning. when she burst upon
our vision like a bright star, without a
| 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 a moment too soon by the
man who had became her hero from
that hour As she entered the cabin,
gracefully at ease i'm spite of the fact
that several pairs of eyes were glancing
| admiring 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 most glorious
/ pair OF eyes to his face she faltered:
You saved my fathers life and mine
I thank you, OH l do thank you more
than l can ever tell YOU, you brave, good
man. I can never forget that We owe
our lives TO you; death seemed so terri
BILE when we thought we must die, and
be had given up all hope with a shud-
der at the recollection when you came
! 10 save us
She and her father stayed 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 a jolly
| little tyrant. assure you. We were all
/ her most obedient slaves. but our efforts
! to cut Ried out were fruitlesS. and she
! considered us CGiy secondary considera-
TONS
Il never saw a fellow change as Com
mander 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 brilliant
| repartee for which he became noted
I The captain told us he had always been
like that until the three years past,
when, without giving any reason for It,
he had become the distant, Cynical fell
low we had found him.
The Princess used to insist upon
| helping the surgeon dress his burned
hands every day. ard she was his de-
/ voted nurse until he was nearly well,
then she tOrmented the lie nearly out Of
| him by flirting with the rest of US. l
| confess TO having bsen one of the vic
tins myself, and had quite a sharp
wound from that quarter but the little
/ rascal only laughed at me when | told
! her 50. Ried used to look savage when
| she made eyes at any of US. and think
/ she dearly loved TO torment him. al
though they invariably made up after
| the fashion Of al lovers
| Where is he nOw?" asked Mrs. Tray
nor in a voice unlike her own.- Bob
! turned quickly 10 look at her, as the
/ freight flashed brightly for an in
| slant. showing the pale set face, with
| eyes so full of jealous pain, they be-
/ trayed the secret sac had so bravely
and successfully hidden that no one had
ever thought the life she was leading
was not the fullest happiness she had
known. He remembered then the faint
whisper of how she had been madly in
love with a young officer, whom she had
afterward Tilted. because he was not
rich enough 20 keep her in the luXurieS
she felt she could not live without, and
how. at the last moment, she had given
him up when the wealthy captain sought
very happy as his wife the gossips made
her in marriage, and as she had seemed
- .hni- minds hat She bad not cared