Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1900-06-07

,ra-a vnu crrsspz7 coTarls.
$3.50 arr o1d friend. Bill "po you
<orvat tire women and children We "
ave aver muttpresi Tire other: -nal
.bo wansan and children an take tlseH
h.nga with DaVy Jones as Wen ~
90 car There-1ood heavens. Wnat
was thatE
.,-orr hast and timber in her thrill. the
Ocean Queen seemed 10 slAk IN AAe
Trough AZ the sea
ATS the engine that has stopped Eea
faoIsr" gruwled cid BILL laying hIs
/ brawnv hand On the Shoulder OF q AaaA
! VINO would have lied from his pest.
I'VE STINT none the worse for the toss
( ~ 'pr1. II il warn't for MI the pipes
( and b.flprs we have liz our hold we
yynnIdr't be In tins TX now. Never dld
/ halirva In this ere tea-kettle Saillh1.
Give me- 4 stout. Ive-oak bottom. aud
7 vyorIldn't think twice Of a gale Ike
this These iron-pot ships is all a@ln
uatur'. Cheer mp. my feaTIieS. DON'T
knock under 10 a capful Of wind Ike
this.''
Mar the boats came the hoarse
command from the Qnarter-1eck. as
loud shriaks from the storage passen-
gers told that the alarm had reached
there AZ last. Man the boats! Stand
hack. We ~cowardsr' continued the cap
tain. in stentorian tones. as the fireulen
. rushed IN farcely for the first chance
of life. Women and children first.
III blow out the brains Of the nan
rbat xtauS bavnnd the liner
Good heavens, is all hope gomez
exclaimed Herbert to the old sailor be-
side him..
Capt. Knox amt one to give M
easy" was the meaning reply. The
ships a-settIing fast, sir. We amt got
II Uch chance"
Then enSued a. scene Of confusion
terrible TO witnesS-terrible TO renem
Der.
Wild shrieks and cries blended with
the voices Of the tempest, "a the terri
fed passengers thronged up on the
deck. falling over and crushing each
other in their mad rush for safety.
In vain the brave and self-devoted
officers stood manfuIly at their posts,
striving 10 keep order-in vain the bet
ter portion of the sailors exerted them,
selves TO save the helpless and weak.
The panic-Stricken crowd surged to and
fro. crushed by falling spars or washed
off by the pillows that swept up on the
daek Of the l~ifeless. helpless steamer,
new n mere hulk at the mercy OF the
winds and waves.
For a moment it seemed as If the
tenderest tigs of nature were forgotten,
Il a.ayE rnT- 4ha. nnfE,4aRy SrupF.Yar nf GnIf-
preservation reigned supreme. In the
first madness Of terror. brothers de-
serted their sisters. husbands their
wives. Only the mothers. true at this
supreme hour to their hoiiest instinct.
gathered their frightened little ones TO
their breasts. and struggled for them
and with them for life.
The darkness was intense. The red
glare Of the ships lanterns, held by the
officers. only flung a fitful lurid CLEAN
upon The maddened crowd. who were
pressing forward, blindiy and desper-
arely to the bulwarks, where the cap
tain stood. firm and immovable as a
rock. his drawn revolver In his hand
and Herbert Give at his side.
The first boat was filed and lowered.
and went down under the very eyes of
those left behind. the despairing cries
of the drowning mingling with the ago
nizing walls of those still on deck.
The second boat was more success
full. 1t breasted the pillows for a mo-
ment. and then was lost TO sight in the
darkness: but it awoke a faint hope in
the breasts OF those who had yet 10
make the desperate attempt. They
might even vet be saved,
A third. a fourth. a fifth. each with
its wailing trembling, terrified freight.
We're sent off in the midnight darkness.
and then the fierce instincts of the
rougher men. who had hitherto been
controlled by their officers, burst all re
straint.
Life was too dear for them to sacri-
fee ii TO chiyalrous cbimeras,
Rushing forward, they took posses
sion of the remaining boats, regardless
OF the captain. who, pistol in hand,
fought like a lion for the defenseless
ones left in his charge. But all in
vain.
The revolver was wrested from his
hand by a brawny fireman. and he was
flung aside while. with curses and yells
OF triumph. the remaining boats We're
seized by the desperate men, whom
neither macs nor violence could any
longer control.
TIE last boats. filled with struggling,
~shrioEing madmen. pushed off into the
foaming waves. and the Ocean Queen,
with four hundred souls still on board.
was left to her fate.
Herbert had done d mans work man.
fully during these terrible hours. He
had lost sight of self entirely in his eff.
forts TO save the HELPLESS and the weak,
He had stood by the captains side
until hope was gone; but now-now
that the time for action had passed,
and he stood face to face with a dark
and terrible death-life that he had
thought so worthless, grew suddenly
precious II him.
He thought Of his home and Give
Towers seemed to rise before him.
grand and stately. bathed in the glad
sunshine of early spring. Fannie's
sweet face looked ont AT him from her
vine-wreathed windows: his fathers
smile. grave. yet tender, beanied upon
him from the open door; Laurence
Grey's faithful hand was upon his
shoulder. Fentoas merry greeting
echoed in his ear. He was home again
All. tossed upon angry waves. in mid