Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-12-03
WRECK OF THE HYACINTH,

flashed, and in response the artillery
Of heaven doomed and rolled, then
crashed, as if the very skies were rent
in twain to deliver one mighty blow.
Streets were transformed into leaping.
rushing rivers by the terrible downpour
of rain, while the breakers on that
lone, dreary New England coast seemed
to defy the challenge of the roaring
storm.
The fleet of small fishermen had sour
RED to a safe anchorage early in the
afternoon.
MAY God help any ship and crew
that gets on a lee shore tonight, lads"
soberly remarked Capt. Josh Hard
ing, of the lifeboat, to a few of his men,
as he stepped to the door and peered out
into the opaque darkness. =
The government at that time had not
erected the neat, cozy life-saving sta
ton with all it's modern appliances to
rescue a crew from a stranded ship
which now adorns the long, barren
stretch of sand, but the crew were menu
beers of the fishing fleet, and always vol
nnteered their services without promise
of reward. A whaleboat served their
purpose then, and many a despairing
sailor had good cause to praise her
| stanchness and the bravery of her IRON
hearted crew.
A flash Of lightning in the early even
ing had revealed a large bark trying to
weather the wreck-bestrewn, fatal
Handkershoal, which caused the bluff,
rugged mariner to utter the foregoing
remarks.
"Where is John Lawrence tonight.
lads? He is generally here a night like
this" he continued, in an anxious tone,
Johns wife amt very well, cap'n; SO
I heered as l cum daown," answered
Reuben Davis, n Of the crew.
"Well, go up, a couple of yen see. [
should hate to man the boat without
John. He's never missed a trip yet"
said Capt. Harding, pacing the small
room which served them as a shelter
tlom the storm and was located on the
beach, with the boat drawn up outside
Just above the reach of the Kissing,
seething waters, which seemed to re-
cede with dispairing means at failing
to drag it into their depths.
By the bedside of his wife, holding
her thin, wasted hand between the
large, horny palms of his own, sat John
Lawrence, one of the bravest of the vol.
unteers.
ooh, if I could but see Tom once more
l could go easy, JOHN she hoarsely
whispered.
"The lads gone, Mary, n we don't
know where. It's bin nigh onter tew
year I heered he'd shipped in the
fo-cas'tle fer the West Indies, m he
hasn't writ a word hum sence."
81 know he was a bad boy, John
But don't you think that you was &
little hard on him?" she continued.
"He was all we had, you know"
The large eyes filled with tears ant
the frail form shook and trembled witt
emotion as the mother pleaded for hel
hayward boy.
81 don't know what's the matter with
your wife, John. It's either a case Of
broken heart or some new disease. Med
icine don't seem to reach it." the doctor
had said, upon leaving, a few hours be
fore.
you'll forgive him when I'm gone
John, won't you? He didn't mean to b
bad!." she said, between her sobs.
At this moment the door softly
opened and the captains messenger
stepped in.
John, there's a bark thst can
weather the Han'kerchi'f, m ther cap
tain sent us arter We" said Davis.
"It's no use, boys. l can't leave he,
ter-night. She wouldn't be here whel
1 got back" said Lawrence, softly, rub