Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1899-11-01
A LITTLE HEROINE.


saved from death by men from Mil.
ilonaire John I'll. Hanan's steam Yacht
Sagamore. The rescue was effected
about 70 miles north of the Bermu-
das' where the Sycamore had made
the last stop of an eight weeks pleas
ure cruise among the West Indies.
The party had left Bermuda on
Friday, April Il, without waiting for
pilot, and the yacht had taken it's
course fol this port About / o'clock
IN the afternoon Second Mate Swan
son, on the bridge with Captain Ed
ward Sherlock, sighted sail about
eight miles away on the starboard
bow. 1t was mere speck in the no
rizon, but Captain Sherlock took the
glasses and made out tattered Brit
lsh ensign floating upside down.
immediately the news of ship in
distress spread among the party of
pleasure seekers, and they crowded to
the rail as the Sycamore, under full
steam, headed for the torn flag. As
they drew nearer it was seen that the
ensign waved from a short pole stuck
In the dismantled hull of small
brig. The deck was strewn with
wreckage, and on the helpless vessel
men ran to and fro waving their
arms and crying for help. 1t was
not until nearly alongside that among
the shipwrecked were seen woman
and "a little child.
1t was this child, the 4.year old
daughter Of William Gordon. captain
of the wrecked brig, who became the
idol of those on board the million
aires yacht just as IN the nine da, 5
they had drifted helpless on the high
seas she had become the SAINT and
heroine of the shipwrecked crew.
When the Sagamore's boat. with
First Mate Cardscn. Boatswain Nil.
Ter aud three seamen made fast to the
hulk and had taken Mrs. Gordon
from the wreck the men called TO the
little girl to follow, but she shook
her head and cried:
''No, take my papa first. And
Boatswain Miller, who is big and
strong, and weather beaten. blubber.
ed outright. And there were tears
In every eye on the Sycamore when
the child, who, through long davs
and nights. had heard her mother 5
agonized prayers, stepped ON board
the yacht, and running fearlesslv to
Captain Sherlock, asked, with won
der in her big drow eyes:
Mamma, is this God:"
The rescued men were the crew of
the British brigantlne Caspian. of
which Captain Gordon is half owner.
She was of 800 tons burden. and
hailed from Charlottetown, Prince
Edwards Island. Nine DAYS they
had drifted at the mercy of the winds
and tides, aud all hope of rescue had
left them.
The Caspian had been out Of Hal
flax II week, and was on her way TO
jacksonville for lumber to Gauda
lOupe, when hurricane struck her.
The ship tossed and the seas rolled
over her. SO fierce was the wind that
The masts were snapped and carried
overheard, leaving great holes where
they had been torn from the deck.
'The noise Of il was more like
thunder than wind" said Mrs. Cor
don. 81 have had 20 years experience
with sea, but never have seen or
heard anything like that. 1t struck
the boats skies as a shot might have
done, and then | heard the crash
above, and knew that the masts had
fallen. The water rushed into the
cabin. 1t swept through, and caught
my little girl and prepared" Mrs.
Gordon broke down and cried con
vulsively at the memory of the child e
peril.
The wind went down as suddenly
as 1t had risen, and the sea was cal al.
Had it not been the dismssted, bat
tered ship must have gone to the bot
tom. They drifted helplessly. The
next night steamer passed so close
that those on the brigantine saw both
the port and starboard lights Torches
were burned, and they shouted across