The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-18
G1NxY's CHRISTMAS JOURNEY.
She Was n Factory Girl and Made n
PcriIOus Trip.

Virginia Liscomb, or Ginny, as she was
called for shortness, a girl Of IA, performed
one of those achievements last year
which. had she been OF higher station
would have filed pages in the newspapers
Ginny belonged 10 Lynn. Mass, ana hei
parents lived in that city. but for reasons
of domestic economy she had been sent
esrlv in the summer to reside for a season
with her aunt in Charlottetown, Prince
F6wsrd Island. She was quite comfort
able with her aunt but as Christmas
Grew near she pinned for home ana sight
OF her mother and father, her brother ana
SISTER.
on Dec 10 Ginny received letter from
her mother of which this Is an extract:
"Of course. darling, we would ike TO
have YOU with us for Christmas, but that
Is impossible Papa is out of work, Eddie
is only doing cod jobs and Carrie is sick,
ani-but God bless you, my love ana we
all wish you a merry Christmas ana
happy New Year
When Ginny had finished reading her
mothers letter she cried little and then
went straight TO her aunt with the ire OF
resolution in her eye.
"Auntv." she said. I'm going home.
Carrie Is sick, and I'm going to help them
in the factory
But how on earth are you TO get there,
child?" asked the aunt in astonishment,
''can you fly across the straits2'
''I'H sail on the Stanley to Pictou."
yes. but the Stanley is frozen up out
side of Georgetown.
We'll. then I'll go by the iceboats from
Cape rmentine."
you're craz, child. you could never
make the trip, and, besides, they wouldn
take you"
TN going. aunty," persisted Ginny,
land they'l have to take me-"
In order 10 realize the nature Of Ginny
Liscomb's achievement, it is necessary 10
know that Prince Edward Island lies
across the Gulf of St. Lawrence near its
mouth, and the ice coming down from
Labrador surrounds it completely during
the winter and frequently prevents navi-
CATION A dominion government steamer
built for the purpose sometimes succeeds
in breaking a way through this ice but is
often unsuccessful and is frozen up with
It's passengers for many days. If not for
weeks, at a time Then recourse IS had
10 the iceboats, which run from Cape Tor
mentine, P. E. I. to Capt Traverse in Nova
Scotia, a distance Of fifteen miles. Those
boats are made either to sail over the
stretches Of ice alternately, and the jour
ney IS difficult, if not dangerous. With
rare exceptions men only. and strong men
at that, make the trip. When, therefore,
Ginny L4iscombs aunt declared the girl
crazy, she was not so lar wrong.
Nevertheless, Ginny, after overcoming
minor obstacles, found herself at Cape
Tornentine the day after the short dia
logue recorded, well wrapped up and with
two frozen turkeys in a parcel
Where are you going, little one?" in
quired the captain commanding the small
Of a (1inUN Efanua6 into
the one of them most convenient, as non
chalantly as If she were a Cape Breton
seaman
ITO. Cape Traverse, sir" replied Ginny.
20, come" said the captain, you're
crazy, my good child; that is nonsense"
Here's my fare" said Ginny, flashing a
S. bill before the captains eyes"
The girls appearance (she was small for
her age) and the subsequent alteration
attracted the attention of the passengers
But" said the captain, I've never
heard the like"
That's because no ones sister is sick
a. home and no one wants 20 see her and
her mother" said poor Ginny, rather in
coherently, and she burst into tears
Read that" said Ginny, putting her
mothers letter in the hand of her nearest
neighbor big grizzled man. You see
! must cross
Lei AAti NbAlANg "a pLeaAAlH SeiAu tAtC ACAEsAA-
Dor, who happened to be a dominion sem
ator; "I'Il take care of her"
"Faithl' said Capt O'Bren, otis my
opinion she can take care of herself. All
aboard, gentlemen. Come, boys, take hold
Of your oars"
The passengers took their places and
the senator fixed a leathern belt round
Ginnys waist. The belt was connected
with a ring bolt by a rope so that the
4 ,.-sf~r ~ ~
fortunes of the ice craft. The first five
miles of the distance, all clear water, was
soon covered, and then, meeting a field of
ice. all hands, excepting Ginny and the
boatmen, jumped ashore and pulled the
boat swiftly along, singing as they ran,
for the exercise is peculiarly exhilarat-
ing.
Look out, boys?' cried the captain. sud-
denly. "Loly."
Loly, it may be stated, Is neither solid
fee nor flowing water; 1t is a combination
of both, and is as dangerous as 1t is deep
tive. After fall Of snow or when the
atmosphere is not clear it may be mistak-
en- for board ice as 1t was just then. the
consequence being that the first boat,
with It's occupants, went right down, but
was rescued without delay by the two
others which had kept behind. To a hard
hearted, interested spectator the spectacle
presented Dy the saturated ones was q
comical one, and when affairs were right
ed and the boatmen began a difficult sail
ing spell through the loly the passengers
shook themselves and laughed. Many of
them had been there before" Ginny,
who was in the third boat, was really
scared, and chung TO the senator, but
they soon got into clear water, and the
trip ended without further incident When
Ginny was put on board the cars at Trav-
Co.
passengers as the train moved out. When
her form darkened her fathers door IN
Lynn it was a revelation, and she was
Rugged almost to death.
my darling" cried Mrs. Liscomb
"how did you get here?"
''Ill tell you all about 1t by and by
mamma" said Ginny, sobbing and laugh
ing, but first let me go up and wish Car
RE Merry Christmas and a Happy New
Year"
Noel.