Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-12-04
coils of her red hair, which glittered

coils of her red hair, which glittered
like FURNISHED copper.
They passed Gallows Hill, where
the English Governor hanged forty
five pirates in row in the good old
Colony times; they skirted the Haunt
ed Beach, where they say Captain
Kidd's spirit walks O. stormy nights,
and they drew up abreast with Point
Goodbye. To the east they saw a
brightly lighted bulk coming up
swiftly.
"The Fall River boat, City of
Gloster, coming up" said Bessie, and
shifted her helm, holding her boat to
the wind to let the steamer pass. The
steamer came up at speed; they could
see the brightly lighted port holes, and
the green side lights, hear the rumb.
ling, pulsing thunder of the engines
and the steady "cur-ur-ur.ur, of the
paddles. 1t was close Mt hand, and
the little boat swung to the surge OF
the steamer. ....-..-,--..-.-
,iUiet, SAID Bessie, suddenly anu
sharply do you two people love each
other?"
"What question said Maui ice,
with an awkward laugh.
"No, but do you?" said Bessie again.
The steamer was so near now that
the deck lights shone on their boat
Then jealousy raised its head in Vio-
let's mind. ''Of course we DO" said
she and gloried in the pang she thought
she inflicted on the other woman's
heart.
"Then," said Bessie, and her voice
rang like bell, kiss each other, for
you are about to die"
She swung the tiller hard over, and
the Fly-by-N Night swung as girl
swings in waltz, the sails filled and
the boat rushed clear into the track
of the oncoming steamer. There was
no time to speak, to rise, to cry out;
it happened in fash, in moment.
For one breathless instant the steam
cr's lights shone on Bessie's face,
marble white, her eyes shining and
her teeth glistening between her part,
ed lips. Then there came one shout
from the steamers lookout man, and
the thirtyfoot stem of the City of
Glo'ster struck the side of the boat q
crashing blow that smashed ii as
paper box crumbles when you step on
it, the mast flew over and whipped the
water ard the iron keel of the steamer
rode Oh, over and through the boat,
while the ''bat-ba -bat-bat" of the
paddle wheels ground it to pieces.
The City of Glo'ster ran on quar-
ter of mile, stopped, reversed and
came back nearly to the spot. With
a few short orders and some stihed
eXclamations some of the deck hands
lowered a boat. an officer took the
helm and said, Give way" and they
rowed out past the circle of the
steamers lights.
A little group of passengers and
deck hands clustered Mt the rail, and
watched the boat as it swept to and
fro over the water: no one spoke, and
an awe-struck silence rested over the
men.
At last the boat returned. was made
fast md hoisted, and the officer IN
charge scrambled mp to the deck.
D1d you find unyune:" usken aqulet
voice from the upper deck.
''No one, sir"
"No one swimming or fioating?'
"NOthing but few boards; their
boat was smashed to toothpicks. They
must have gone clean under lis and
been cut to bits by the paddles.
The same quiet voice said "Go
ahead," q bell jingled in the engine
room, and the City of Glo'ster tore on
its way up the coast, while a few
pieces of wreckage tumbled in the
wake. New York East Side News.