The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-04-29
THE PURSER'S NERVE
SHAVED TO KEEP HIS WITS WHILE
THE SHIP WAS SINKING.

He Told the story to the Gsiiias Ship |
wrecked Passengers--In the Matter OF
Nerve He Went the Amateur Photog-
rapher One Better.
Il was a coy room, with antique
hanpings and furniture and walls hung
with handsome works of art which
could be only indistinctly seen by the
light of the Pickering fire ON the hearth.
The little party agreed with the beau
tiful hostess that the room was just
dark enough for ghost story. II don't
know ghost story, said one of the
men. "but the dramatic rescue of the
Veendam's passengers by the st. Louis
reminds me of my experience on board
the old Gallia when she was caught in
hurricane in midwinter about 700
miles from Queenstown. The waves
broke in our decks and flooded the cab.
ins. and nobody thought for little
while that any one on board the vessel
would ever see land again. There was
no panic, no shouting, no weeping, and
it seemed that all were perfectly pre-
nared to 90, though they looked far from
happy fioundering about in the water
dressed in such garments as they could
grasp when they were aroused from
their sleep by the crash which sent
tons of water into the ship. 1t was
about O'Clock in the morning. The
stewards had begun to set the table for
breakfast, and. as recall the picture,
can see men and women, most OF them
with heavy wraps over their night
dresses, standing ON the table and dane
ing forced minuet between the guard
rails and the dishes
eat one end of the cabin, while others
were silently praying. stood young fell
low with nothing on but suit OF blue
and white pyjamas, holding snap
camera in front of him. If you folks II
hold still minute, he said, well
have picture Of this il we ever get out
of it, And for moment people forgot
the terrible situation, and have always
believed that one of the women adjusted
her water soaked gown so that she
might look we'll in the picture taken
under the shadow of the destroying an
gel.
"Well, we got through it all right,
although we came to Liverpool in sad
ly battered condition, and when they
hoisted the trunks from the hold the
water ran out of them as though each
piece was sieve. We had service Oh
board the ship the Sunday following
our disaster, and, although two days
had passed since we thought we were
gone, we seemed only then 60 appreciate
fully what had happened. Men and wo
men who had shown no sign of fear now
moped in corners with trembling lips
unable to speak because of the lump IL
their throats, and the service OF sons
was fiat failure, because no one coul'
sing any more than the young woman
at the organ could get note out OF tina
water soaked, dripping piece OF furni
ture.
1--WE reached Liverpool too late
night to leave the ship, and the men
who had become better acquainted tina
they would have been on a less tenn
pestuous voyage, gathered in the saloo
and for the hundredth time exchange
congratulations.
".This was nothing, said our purser
to the experience 1 once had, and nc
so long ago. To go down with all hand
must be hard enough, but to be the oni
one of a whole shipful to go and to Sc
all the rest saved-that's pretty hare
That came near being my case ana
don't want another similar experience
al was an officer on the Ohio VINE
she knocked hole in her bottom, an
helped transfer the passengers an
save what we could. When all had bee
sent to the ship which came to our r.
lief, we made ready for the last boa
load, of which ! was to be one W
had a lot of money and valuables In Il
ships safe, and went below, TOOK
tablecloth from the cabin table, an
into this dumped the contents OF u
various compartments OF the sare'
made a bag of it, carried it on deol
and when / came to where the Dol
should have been / found that 1t ia
gone. and l, with the treasure, was ie
in the rapidly sinking ship can tnin
of any number of situations whloh
would have preferred to mine just the'
The wind being against me, could M
make myself heard. / put mp signai
ana no OQ6 WOulu CNoA .
then. wanted to keep my WIS apo'
me and block all chances for nerVou
ness, SO l did what requires a man
full attention-began to shave' anu
doubt whether ever did cleaner OF
better job.
".Bv the time I had finished n
companions must have missed me- -.
oould see them returning, and wn'
they came alongside there were :,
many inches to step down from ~, y
sinking big boat to the little .nins y"
took us away. / tell you this story
show how necessary 1t Is TO nave no'
on board ship"
"And did he tell it for true story
asked the hostess.
"He swore to every detail. ;, ~,
'sThen he did have nerve. I've
m.