The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-12-08
THE ADVERTISERS DAILY SHORT STORY


 When the most terrible hurricane of the nineteenth century swept over Galveston in the first hours of Sunday morning, the sth of September. 1900, seven thousand lives and thirty million dollars worth Of property were destroyed, and the world stood appalled, at the extent of the calamity. Then before the week was over, amid the rushing of the relief trains and the noble responses from town. city ana State, the stories of the tragedy be- gan to spread in all their marvellous de- tails. and fact outdld fiction in its wild est flights. for in the meroiless swirl of those waves of death miracles occurred. Now the city has risen again upon it's graves and the brief memory Of man. which in modern times is little more than ticker that registers dehbly the cleo trio impulses of the indomitable present. has long forgotten the stories of hero ism and unaccountable escape. But some of the instances will remain because there are living testimonies
 Such Is the case of the Garbane boy now entering his fourth year. His father was Paul Garbane. whose parents and two sisters lived in Galveston. Paul married the step-daugh.er of Mrs. Per- law, Miss Clara Perlaw, d beautiful girl. who made him a charming wife. Clara was the daughter of the first wife. and the second Mrs. Perlaw was only few years older than her stepdaughter, whom she liked. MT. Perlaw died in 1896, and the following year Clara Per- law was married to Paul Garbane after brief but earnest wooing He had business interests in the little city of Norkla, where the Perlaws lived, and there they settled in a cottage Mrs. Perlaw. after a few months of lonei- tiess went to live with them. Then with in d year the young Paul Garbane-he was named after his father-came to fill the home with gladness, and life was sweet and good.
 In the beginning of September the Gar banes-husband, wife and child-went to Galveston to visit his parents, Mrs: Per law remaining in charge of the house. They were caught in the hurricane ana all the Garbanes perished--parents ana sisters, son and wife--all except one. Rescuers searching for those in whom life remained, heard small voice issuing from a pile of wreckage, and hastily removing the brush, they found stur- dy little fellow as snugly ensconced in his surroundings as was Moses when the daughter of Pharaoh pushed aside the bull-ruShes.
 Mrs. Perlaw read the story Of the find ing of the child and recognized nm from the initials upon the clothing and from the descriptions; so she hurried to the stricken city and traced him step by step until she reached the hospital tent in which he was comfortably rest ing. She gave the name to the commit. tee and the next morning the papers or the whoie country told the thrilling story of 'In a household of six adults and one infant. only the child escaped" and the comiug of Mrs, Perlaw and the fact that she would take the boy to Norkia at once were correctly reported m the dispatches. The great public read the account, shuddered a second and then forgot all about the six victims Of the hurricane and the little life left In the world without single blood reiauNe to guide it's growth to manhood -
 But Mrs. Perlaw did we'll, for she dld the best she could. and as generously as her modest circumstances would allow Still it was a hard ordeal: Inree oHys after they arrived in Norkla, Paui went down with severe cold and weakness then fever set in and there were pains that made him cry. Dr. Barnes, whose life was rich with thirty years or usetul- ness in his profession was called, ana ne soon saw that pneumonia had set Tn.
 Mrs. Perlaw," he said, 'in this there Is a limit to medicine; the case depends more upon nursing, and you must nave some one to help vou.' xou
 Neighbors gave thedr assistance TOT several nights, but the burden fell chleI- ly upon Mrs. Perlaw and she was bend- ing under it. One afternoon a stranger a lady of evident reinement. dFsssed so. berly. came to the door and said that she had heard experienced nursing was needed .iJa 4-the case Of a. little patient. and lsha had come to offer her serYicess Before she fully explained. pr. Barnes arrived He questioned her politely but a bit closely, with the result that she more than answered each of his require ments and fully allayed any possible suspIcions he may nave had. Finally he went with Mrs. Perlaw into the next
 Gods providence has sent her here"
 How much will she charger asked Mrs PerIaw You know. doctor, there is very little left either for him or Tor
 ..Tl sec" he said and he went back to the stranger and asked her terms:
 "Jt happens, Miss Cottason-I think that is the name"-to which she bowed assent-"it happens that this small rem nant of family has little leIt 10 It from the disaster. and l hope you can n make your charges as easy as PossIoi5,
 s'XVe shall not quarrel about that, she renIied "I appreciate the circumstances and | shall be satisfied with any sum that can be given, especially as l have come here for q visit and am not Tn need of money at present.
 She went with him to the sick chamoer and from that moment there was a change. The doctor pretendeG 10 pc looking at the patient but he was watch ing the nurse with increasing oelSht dI her every movement. ,..
 He came back the next morning apout e M'Clock You have had no sleep he exclaimed. ,,, .. o, it." a4,,
 Al the afternoon call he found her still an guard, and as he was leaving the house, he told Mrs. PerlaW that the
 Tuesdays story. "FLlTTING OF THE BAl