The Savannah morning news., 1900-07-30
The DEATH OF A COWARD.

/ rails watching the lights as they came
I'D one by one On the coast. The plunging
/ of the slip still made his head reel. am
he was ", ak from want of food. H seem
! ed altoge Their apart from the stir and life
/ that 300 emigrants on board created. His
whole soul was filed with a dumb AMI
/ impotent protest against his fate. ard the
/ life before him. Old Capt. Malcolm had
! shown little wi dom when he ssnt his
only son TO sea to have some pluck
| knocked into him.
The shi5's doctor came cut Of the sa
loon in the poop to go his evening round
/ below. With him was his wife. 81 ght,
gir1sh figure. wrapped in a heavy coax
She turned at the ladder which led to the
lower d ok, and was about to 90 back
when her eyes fel on the boy. She had
noticed him once or twice before and his
white face and lonely air reused the wo-
manly sympa ny in her. She touched him
lightly on the shoulder and aid: You are
! lea1irg home, like me-
Yes. ma am, he replied.
You must feel lonely" she said but
| you will soon be back, and then every one
! will think as mucn of you"
! Her voice had something caressiug and
! inviting about it; and 50 his confidence,
| overcoming his shyness and reserve,
broke bounds He TOLD her everything
how he would hate this life how all ii led
| him with fear and disgust, the cold and
darkness, the chan and horsepay of mis-
! fellow-a ppre ntices, the Indifference of
everyone around him. He told how impos-
sble it was to come up 10 his fathers
! stan6ar d how he felt he was born
coward and that he would always be one,
| shrinking instincdvely from the danger
and excitement that holder natures took
| pleasure in.
| She listened sympathetically. Her hand
had patted him once or twice, and encour-
aged him to go on. When he ended, she
said: You must nor be too hard On your
| self. 1t is not always those who fear the
| least that are bravest in the end. When
| the time comes l am sure you will do
your duty
In a few minutes the second mate pass
ed along the deck and told the boy TO go
| below. Then all was quiet.
A few hours later the Pride of Asia was
| steaming at SLOW. " with her whistle 90
| ing every few minutes. The channel fog
| girt The ship like a shroud. No tempest
! or rock bound shore gives the anxiety that
| a fog in this waterway of the nation does.
| Danger is imminent everywhere and the
most careful seamanship is no guarantee
| of safety. So il is now. A hoarse shout
| came from the man on the lookout. The
| captain sprang to the telegraph, and as
! 'full speed astern" rang out, large sail
ing ship took form in the fog, and in
| few seconds crashed into the steamer in
| front of the bridge.
| The Pride of Asia shook from stem 10
! stern, heeled over 20 the starboard, and
| then began to forge ahead while the other
went pounding along her side, wrenching
the port boats from her davits and stav-
| ing them in with her boWsprit. Then she
| passed away a ghost in the fog.
| The Pride of Asia had met her death
wound. At once all was noise and confu-
| sion. The emigrants came pouring up on
deck, screaming and shouting with terror
Some of the sailors rushed TO clear the
boats, but sharp order from the captain
stopped them.
In a few seconds the captain had de-
cided on his course. The remaining boats
would not carry $50 people There were
more than twice that number on board
| On the other hand, the land was about
three miles off, and sandy and projected
| beach meant safety. But could it be
| done with that hole in her side? He would
| try. He changed his course, rang Full
speed ahead" and shouted to the mate:
Go down and shut the for-ard bukhead,
| Mr.. Jones'"
The mate ran forward, and with the help
of the carpenter tore off part of the hatch
| covering and sprang to the ladder. AS
| he climbed down young Malcolm peered
aimlessly over the hatch.
Bring down a lantern" cried the mate,
and Malcolm, galvanized into activity by
fear, seized a lantern from the alleyways
and clambered down into the hold
The mate ran toward the iron door in
the bulkhead. which had been left open,
and pushed it to-
| THE light here-quicku'
And the boy brought it
BLAST them!-oh. blast them" roared
the mate. They've put the bolts on the
wrong side. In five minutes wen all be
in kingdom come"
He stumbled for the ladder, and Nal
colin followed, wild with terror. Yes,
every one would be drowned. and he, too
with the cruel cold water sucking him
down. He dropped the lantern and be-
gan to pull himself up the ladder.
Suddenly he stopped. An idea had been
born in his brain; a hideous, unthinka BILE
thought-the door could be closed from
the other side. He hung Imply on the
ladder, and in his mind ragged tornado
of conflict.
Oh. to be out of this awful ship, safe
once again at home! But the mate had
said that all were LOSE That meant him
too. And if only that door were shut
all could be saved, Great beads or sweat
broke out on his forehead. He groaned
and writhed about like one on the rack
Then he began 10 descend slowly. He
| stopped again on the last rung. He
chung to the ladder like drowning man
90 rope. He could never let 60 Why
was he not going up the ladder? There
were boats left He had seen that. He
could fight for place and be saved He
was so young. not old, like the mate ant
captain. They must give him place
All at once he loosened his hold and rar
blindy for the door. On the way he trip
ped and fell heavily on his hands and face
cutting and bruising them. He lay hal
stunned for a minute, moaning from th'
pain, then raised himself and crawled tht
rest of the way. He passed through thu
door and with feverish haste shot th'
great iron bolts. The boy was alone ii
his tomb He leaned against the bulk
head, sick, sick TO death. Why had HI
done this? He did not know. They woulC
. be saved now, but he-Oi Cod no more
light or life for him His poor dry lips
moved convulsively, and his hands bea
aimlessly on the iron wall. lie would g
back. Hope returned with a rush, HI
would die in the opeu-with others arount
him II must be good to die thus, not II
his hell of darkness and dcsolateness. He
upshot one bolt and fumbled for the other
Then, with a low moan. he cast himself
from it. driving his teeth into his lips II
his agony