The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1900-05-17
CHAPTER XIV.

II was tragic episode, but had seen 80
much tragedy crowded into my life for the
past few days ths, this quick and probably
painless passing of a human soul made in my
state but little impression. ] looked for the
doctor, bat pau the doors Of the fortcastlc
fast closed, and aftsrwsrd found that the
force al the water had slammed ,heIn on
him, knocking him from the ladder 20 the
deck below. A pity Il was that there and
then Il had not been he instead oi my
plucky enemy who had first planted foot to
rome aft. Better for my s,ihsegnent happi.
ness would Il have hcen v. instead of the
sAilor, that rcd-iaced druukard had choked
IN the element he 20 despised.
The hesvins iaio the wind and the drown.
ing Of the seaman were the only events
which reused my blood to a heat which make
the details stand cut in memory ] might
tell Of the suiisrings Of Ames and Gertrude
King, and Of their utter indifference and
total abandonment to what appeared Ger.
tain destruction. but il would be useless.
The greatest agony oi either sprang from
scasiekness and its attendingmiseriss. There
was not one Of ua who thought Of food,
which waB probably fortunate, as our stock
brought on board was brine soaked snd m
inrd. Even ms toughened self and the
tougher sailors Lost heart and stomach in
the dcadening nausea that gradually seiyed
us and kept It's hold. The doctor, nnprls.
oncd forward by the seas, aud too cowardiy
to show his head after his one attempt 10
come aft, might have been IN another world
for all we heard or paw Of him. The last
drop oftlirnulaut had gone, and with Il hsd
gone the last Of even fictitious spirits. An
unshakable apathy clu,chcd our company,
and, save that one lurrh Of the vessel was
Of greater violence than another. nothing
marked the events 0i hours Fear had
passed anxiety vas dead, day and night
were meaningless terms. Ncwcrc only wait
ing the final stroke, wrench, an open seam,
and then the blessed end.
Mechanically | placed rain soaked cloths
on the wounded ribs Of my friend and on
the gashcd head Of hIs sister. and offered 90
them rain water squeezed from 6 square
cloth Of eanvaa IL vac not because my in
terest Ia either ran high. friendship for one
and love for the other had fallen with ms
nerve force into latent state and bare
ly responded to their needs to my own
responded not at all. Mechanically went
to the deck, only to meet tho same lead
overhead and the same towering majesty
Of water, neither Of which impressed me
flor / was far past being imaressedl more
than have since been by fiat calm. The
pitiless rain in my face and eyes would
rouse in me a dull sense n discomfort, ju' /
as a sleeping child uncohsciously rescnta Dis
turbance hut that was ALL ! would go be
low, meeting the lack4uster eyes Of the sail
ors. who had also sought shelter IN the
cabin, and the dCathlike forms Of the two
on the floor. and feel that we were all sink
ing into the languor Of starvation and pro
longed strain.
BY the end Of the third day the Phsn
tom was practically floating wreck, thougl
for all could see not line had parted, not
a spar, other than the topmast, been dis
placed but there was no longer a buoyani
lifl to her bows, and the seas ran danger
ously near the level Of the dsck--a fact that
plainly spoke Of water in the hold, il has
ing drained from above or leaked bctwcct
her strained planks. There had been no s.
tempt at pumping. for no man could have
stood at the brakes in the deluge that came
aboard, and now ve were settling. helped
nightly By the nature Of our cargo. hut
the knowledge Of il gave me no trouble, not
was there a comment made on the fact,
though to three Of us at least the eondl
tons we're clearly apparent.
fro M CosTISuRDl