The age-herald., 1899-03-12
%. WITH ALL SAIL SET. %.
BY FRANCES sCHNEIDEF.


 Mermaid an was well down near them hospital islands, wen I seen flaw O wind a-eomin', a-dancin' an a-swoopin' acrost the water, an I'd jist time to put Ter head to It, wen it struck us. She'd a keeled over, sure, ef she'd a-tuk it broadsde on. An Miss Eleanor, she made shift some'ow to get In the jib, an put a reef in the main- sail, me a-keepin' Ter head to, fur we knoWd WOt that flaw meant An sure enough the storm was on us, afore ye could say Jack Robnson;' an the wind roared past us and druv the spray in our faces, an the sky was overcast with clouds come up from nowhere, like; an in that mint, all sail set, leanin' on CT side an ploughin' Ter nose in the breakers, while that thar Cronin sat at the wheel with the same face on him he had afore.
 He's sailin like a crazy man. says Miss Eleanor, excited like. Hell capsize sure. eap'n. Call to him to bring her head to, for heavens sake I yelled till I was black In the face, but he didn't heed, least wise, he kept right on an, all we could hear was the rushin' O the winds an the swashin O the big waves as tumbled half over us; an presently, Cronin gave yell, that was kind of laugh, an we seen the Mermaid keel clean over
 "Jfst fer mint, I seen the gal cover her face with her hands, an wen she tuck em down, she says: Put about, Cap'n Martin we must save that manv It war Jist wot I war a-goin' to do, though how war a-goin' to save Mir. Cronn, an me a. most helpless cripple, didn't know As We come about bouncin an tumblin like cork, we could see the Mermaid lyin over on CT side, CT sails fiappin' in the water an er beautiful body a-liftin' up an hoppin' down, with the motion of the waves, an MT. Cronin a-clingin' to Ter hull bare-headed an drippin' We run the Duckling up as clost as we dared an lay to; but we warn't near enough to throw I'm rope, an the dingy was full O water to the gunwhale an a-lump or lead.
 He kin only swim a few strokes, says Miss Eleanor low an quiet like. W'iles she war speakin' MT. Cronin either made up his min to try how far them strokes would kerry him. or else he couldn't hold on no longer, fer we seen i'm slip off'n the yachts hull an flop in the water; an next mint, Miss Eleanor was haulin off her skirt an shoes, an afore knowed 1t, she war a-standin' on the gunwhale in them thar bloomer things, an no shoes Miss Eleanor. fer the Lords sake, wot be ye goin' ter do,' says T. but she didn't heed an afore I could git to Ter with my lame leg on that heavin boat, she'd jumped overheard an was swimmin' with them strong strokes O hers awards the founder in drownin' man. He warnt moren fifty feet away, but the sea was runnin' high, an twarnt no cinch ter git to i'm, but she done 1t. l sposed at the time he war too played out to know wot he war a-doin'. for no man in his senses, least of all MT. Cronin, would catch hoP O the person comes ter save him. like he done ter Miss Eleanor. I seen him clutch her arm des- perately like-my God! I'll never forgit the sight s long as I live-an me helpless thar on the yacht!
 Wall, sir, she struggled with him, an I could hear er speakin sharp an stern; Ia haCan her with him. Then somehow, with mighty effort, she give him an herself suddint jerk out O the water, an 1 seen Ter raise Ger fist an bring 1t down with all her strength square atween his eyes. She done 1t twict afore he kept quiet, an then she swan in, a-haulin' him along It didn't take more'n @ few minits, but it seemed a year to me, thinkin' she'd give out an go to the bottom with him. But she was a strong swimmer an she kep him up til they was near enough fer me to heave Ter rope, which done, first a-tyin' loop in it, so she could slip 1t roun' his body It war a difcult piece O engineerin' a-gittin' him aboard the Duckling an a-keepn' Ter stiddy w'iles we done it. Miss Eleanor left him a-hangin' by the rope wiles she climbed aboard with my help; an then we rigged a pulley on the mast But Lord! I war glad wen I seen Mr. Cronin safe over the Ducklngs gunwhale, tho he might a-ben a log fer all the signs O life was in him. An we laid him In the cockpit an she poured brandy down him, wiles l sat holdin' the tiller. An I seen Ter push his hair away from his temples, an lean his head agin her breast, an stoop an kiss the mark her fist had made atween his brows, mindin' me no more'n eff I'd ben a sand flea. He come to wanderin in his min an talk in to hisself, jist lot O gibberish. By goshi Wot with him as deler' ous as loon, an wot with the wind an the sea, we had a rough time gittn' home.
 'Howsumever we done 1t at last, an MT. Cronin was carried up ter the Beemiss house; an then 1t come out that he'd ben sick fer a week with a kinder low fever, but able ter be about; an on the day O the storm he'd gone down by hisself, an tux the Mermaid out his lone, the foolhardiest thing fer a well man ter do, leave alone sick one. But MT. Cronin never was no sailor an that day his head was gone wrong!
 .ift was six weeks afore he got over that spell O illness, an Miss Eleanor, she help ed nuss i'm; but it allus a kinder puzzled me ter make out just how matters stud atWeen 'em afore she saved his life. lean ter the belief that they was engaged or as good as an had quar'l What dye think" and the captain looked with wfstful inquiry into my face.
 1T think 1t very likely" I said. But what of the Mermaid?'
 "Oh they picked Ter up. She's In com mission this summer; but MT. Cronin most ginerally prefers sailin' on the Ugly Duck ling nowadays. Miss Eleanors a-gon fer marry i'm, yer know. Min the boom, sirt Min the boomi We're goin' about"