The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-05-17

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through the gunwale. and at the same
time a ball from a Mauser rifle had
brought down Karl.
The naval cadet was moaning with
pain and bleeding terribly from his
wound. One of the men pulling at
stroke was dead, and his thwart mate
badly wounded. fortunately the boat
was not severely damaged. After a mo-
ment Of confusion the calm voice Of
Cockswain Welch brought the cutter
back on its course, and the graphing
for the cable went on.
On the battleship the accident to the
cutter was witnessed and the firing was
redoubled, but the rain of lead and
steel from the shore continued, and the
cutters crew no longer laughed as they
tugged at their oars. The men at the
graphing lines were leaning over the
side Of the boat, and, encouraged by the
GOODNESS of the cockswain, whose face
betrayed not the slightest anxiety OF
fear, their work.went steadily on.
We've got itl'' shouted both the
seamen in almost one voice as the iron
hooks dragging along the bottom caught
the big cable.
Welch waved the wigwag flag for the
launch, which quickly headed toward
the cutter and came gallantly down to
them at full speed, amid veritable
hell Of shot and shell. All hands on the
graphing line, and the big cable was
hauled up over the side Of the boat, and
just as Lieutenant De Koven came
alongside with the launch, Welch
brought the ak down upon the Shiny
cable and, after two or three strokes,
severed it, the two ends sinking to the
bottom, one of them moored by water
breaker attached to the graphing line
By this time several other men were
down in the bottom of the cutter, while
the sides and floor gratings were splash.
ed with blood Quickly taking the cut
ter in tow, the launch headed out to-
ward tho feet and out of range.
Cockswain Welch and the cutter 8
crew were the heroes of the hour. Down
in the sick bay several badly wounded
sailors and Cadet Karl were being ten
derly cared for by the medical men OF
the ship, while two dead bodies were
prepared for the sacred service Of the
morrow.
When Karl was invalided home on
4the disnatch boat, Cockswain Welch
took him out to her on the third cutter.
AS the boat was speeding along Welch
bent over the young officer and said:
Here is the letter you left to be read
by the officers in the steerage. / got it
from your desk, and you see the seal
hasn't been broken. And, if you will.
sir, continued Welch, as he drew from
: his blouse another envelope, addressed
in a characteristic hand, 81 wish you
would give this letter to your sister for
me.
..God bless you, Welch, murmured
Karl, ssyou are hero if ever there was
one. Your letter shall be delivered if ]
reach home alive. y
The officers on the dispatch boat
marveled much as they helped Karl
over the side to see him stop at the
gangway and warmly shake the tall
cockswain's s hand, while the tears rolled
down the cadets pale cheeks.
A few weeks later Cockswain Welch
received an official document contain
ing his discharge from the navy and
inclosed in another envelope, addressed
to ..B. D. Welch, o. s. s. NJ, was a
commission Of acting ensign, United
States navy, signed by Secretary Long,
and addressed to Mr.. Andrew s. Car
ter. But letter in lady's handwrit-
ing received by B. D. Welch was far
more interesting to it's recipient than
either of those.-H. NJ. Biglow in Short
Stories