Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-05-20
MhRF ttANtl lT0N>S ROMANCE
nx,IoHN STRANGE WINTER.

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"Lor', sir-master' ship-loss of the
Arikhama with 800 souls. That's mas
ter's ship-he's the captainl Oh, my
poor missis, my poor, poor missisP
"Good heavensl Are you sure2'
"See here, sir-oh. it's true enough!
Oh, my poor, poor missisr
"Well, help me to get her off the
floor. In her case it's no more than a
simple faint. Yes. in that chair; undo
her gown-a few drops of brandy.
There, there, my dear lady, you'll be
all right now"
"What has happened9" asked Mary,
struggling up, but sinking back again as
her head began to swim. "Oh, re-
memberl 1t doesn't matter about me,
doctor, but my mother-she is very i'll
The shock was too much for her. Do at
tend to her, please. "
eff you will lie still the maid and l
will attend to Mrs. Hamilton, said the
doctor soothingly. "Little or nothing
to be DONE" he murmured to Mouncey,
as they turned to the bed. "She is not
likely to live the night out. She must
be got to bed, of course. What strength
have your"
"Oh, I'm very strong, sirl" replied
Mouncey, in matter of fact tone.
"No, no; I mean how many of you
are there2'
"Me and cook, sir.
"What is she like7"
GAS strong and sensible young wo-
man as you could wish to see in days
march, sir, replied Mouncey prompt
ly, "and'll do anything in the world for
the missis"
"That's good. If Mrs. Hamilton lin
gers there must be nurse got in. of
course, but for tonight there will be lit
tie or nothing to do, only che must not
be left I'll help you to get her into
bed."
"We can manage, sir.
"It is not so easy as you think. Be-
sides, I'd like to see her safely into bed
before leave.
The desired end was soon accomplish
ed under the skilled hands of the doc
tor and the willing ones of Mouncey.
Then the doctor wrote down few SIM
pie instructions and went, promising to
look in again the last thing.
"Mrs. Conway" he said gently to
Mary, Il must beg of you to try to eat
your dinner. You have had great
double shock, and you will need all
your reserve of strength. have given
your maid all instructions. There is
little, almost nothing, to be done while
your mother continues in this state. "
He went away then, and Mary sat
down again in the big chair. The cook
was busy with the dinner, and Noun
cey, after clearing up some imaginary
litter, disappeared with the tray, prom
Using to come back in few minutes.
So she was left alone with her dying
mother and the knowledge of her own.
widowhood, left alone to face the fact
that she was practically free; that all
the horror and wretchedness which had
but few hours before lain directly
facing her had suddenly been removed.
The tears gushed out from her sad eyes
as she realized how this had come
about; but, although she wept, the
sense of relief was there, involuntary.
yet very, very strong.
It was a wretched night which fol-
lowed Mary honestly tried to eat the
dainty little dinner which Foster served
to her, while Mouncey mounted guard
In the sick chamber. But all the time
the sound of rushing waters was in her
ears and the vision of drowned faces
before her eyes, and she turned loath-
ingly from the lonely meal. which would
have been thoroughly enjoyed by the
poor soul up stairs fast drifting into
eternity.
The pretense of dinner over, she crept
back again to the sickroom, sending
the two maids down to supper and stay
ing alone to keep the watch by the dy-
ing beloved for whom she had worked
so hard and suffered so much, to watch
the outward passage of that frail and
feeble little bark which would leave
her tossing to and fro upon the ocean
of life with none to counsel or guide.
1t was terrible night, and it was
followed by still more terrible day.
Mary received from the owners of the
great ship full confirmation of the news
which the newspaper had taken to
them in the first instance
There was not the smallest doubt
that the large vessel was gone, that she
was many fathoms under water. There
was little or no doubt that Captain
Conway had gone down with her, and,
so far as was known, only five persons
of all her goodly company had lived to
tell the tale of her disastrous end. Two
of these were passengers, two were or.
dinary sailors, the fifth was the ships
purser; all the rest of the 800 souls
who had sailed aboard of her had found
watery grave and would be seen no
more.
All through the long hours of watch
ing and suspense did Mary Conway try
to battle down the overwhelming sense
of relief which had taken possession of
her. She cared not, did not feel the
very smallest grief for the husband who