The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1897-11-25

ROYAL aAsasa POWDER CO.. NEs Work
and drift wood were piled upon th,
fire, the sparks and flames rushed il
a stream landward, and blazed n,
afresh upon the wild scene, On near
ing the bolt / saw Fred earnestly
talking to the men, and in reply t.
my inquiring look an old man shout
ed in my ear that half the crew were
not fit to go from 1.-The drink" and
they wanted volunteers
| All at once light form with stream
ing hair rushed up to Wilson anG
clung wildly to his arm, and, as
stood by his side, Amy Ellis exclaim
ed: "But you will not go, Freds Oh
tell me you will not be so mad! Oh
stop himw she appealed to those
standing by, ''do not let HIM gop
Then turning again to Fred, she con-
tinued, almost shrieking, for the wind
swept away her words, ''Oh, Fred
stay, stay; for my sake, stayw
But bitterness was in the heart o1
Fred Wilson, and with cold gesture
he locsened her hands from his arm
and turning to me, made sign that
l should remove her. half led, half
carried her away, and turning my
head, saw Fred Wilson climb into the
boat, shouting: "Now, my lads, who
dares?"
Amy was sobbing and wringing her
hands, and begged pathetically that
would go back and stop him, strug-
Cling to free berself from me.
Two or three of the neigh bors re-
lieved me of my half-fainting burden
and turned back toward the life
boat
To be awakened at any time from q
sound sleep to some scene of excite
ment always produces an indescrib-
able feeling of there being a want OF
reality in what passes, but never did
feel this more strongly than on that
fearful night. The deafening roar of
the waves and the howl of the mighty
wind had bewildering effect with
which it was hard to combat, and |
felt as if in some wild fevered dream
from which was anxious to awake
and be freed. The boat was only
three parts manned, for the men,
brave though they were, dared not
face the night. Old weather beaten
fishermen shook their heads at it and
shouted to one another that "she
must bide, for they'll never launch
her." and l, knowing the peril of
those on board, gnawed at my lips
lips at my own impotence and want
of energy
All this had occurred in very few
minutes, and even in that short space
the gale seemed to have increased in
fury. At times it was almost inpos-
sible to stand against 1t, and with
clothes drenched with spray, it seem
ed to numb and paralyze the mind as
we'll as the body. Another blue light
from the vessel showed where she lay,
and We heard, or fancied we heard,
the shouts of those on board, for they
were only five or six hundred yards
distant. Every one present was In
state of the greatest excitement. and
although fresh arrivals were constant
ly appearing, all shrank from q COM
bat with the fearful sea now running
l appealed to stout fellow by me
and pointed to the boat, but he shook
his head as knot collected round,
and he but acted as the mouth piece
of the group when he said: "It,s no
use, master. 1t 'ud be 'ony gettin'
shut of ones life. She must go to
pieces directly; an as to Master Fred
there, he couldn't find a gamer way
to the church-p than tryin' to
launch that boat.
found l had only to look at man
after this for him to turn away, and
sick at heart. felt that the venture
must be desperate when these men.
born and life-spent upon this spot,
dared not make the attempt.
On looking round / found old Viii
son by my side, fine old gray haired
farmer, with a coil of rope on his
| shoulder. On seeing me he spoke,
and I could see the old man was all of
| a tremble as in broken voice he said
There's my boy trying to get out the
boat, and can't go and stop him. /
can't stand here and know some of
| Gods creatures are being choked
with the sea water and hold my lad
back from going; but Lord knows,
Sir, l shall be ready to down on my
knees if they can't launch ner.
If l were asked, and gave frank
reply, l should say that l was decid
edly and constltutionally a coward.
As boy at school I dreaded fighting,
and it was only after repeated blows
and i'll usage Of various kinds that
the pugilistic spirit was reused with
in NV breast which proved q terror
to my enemies, and drove away Jack
Brown, our bully who would fight,
crying. With the bridge of his nose
seriously damaged. And on this
memorable night, surrounded by the
excited crowd, and with Fred Wilson
appealing for volunteers, 1 felt my
heart futter within my breast, and q
nervous trembling about my knees
all the symptoms of cowardice. Love
OF self, thoughts OF home and friends
whom | might see no more, the dan
ger OF the enterprise, the boiling surf
and the mighty pillows chasing each
other madly shoreward, all tended te
increase the feeling; and then came q
reaction; another gun made the blood
tingle through my veins, and by the
flash OF another rocket / fancied