The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1901-02-23
.wn :, We've got boats!' responded 4

while We've got boa 81, resno ni,ad !.
4 sullen chorus. S ,' 80 : 3
vast vas there, you cussed coward ],
n sroWIe 9, our old friend, Bill 81 .yo1
Il got aboard o. e111s1A e W ''F ] J
Aye, aver muttered the other: abu1
4 tne Women ts and children can take Their
4 enances with Davy Jones as well as
5 we can q. !. Ihere---good heavens! what
For. with sudden jar, that made
n every every boat and timber in her thrill the
y 1891 queen seemed to sink in the
trough Of the sea. ~ = Es.'' 3
e ;, the engine that has stopped. Won
IDOLS: groWled old Bill. laying his
SDraWny hand on the shoulder of 4 mar
Iz 1e.lI would have fed from his post.
4 we am none the worse for the loss
OF EN-. II it warn't for all the pipes
ana llers we have in our hold we
Mo.llunt ne III this fix now. Never did
p p. in this ere tea-kettle sailing.
GlVe me stout, live-oak bottom, and
wouldn't think twice of a gale like
LIS. Ipese lron-pot ships is all .agin
ilatui Cneer up, my Eearties. Don't
y OFF l.
/ thisr ~ ~ -, "'''' i tiiNo :
Man the boatsr' came the hoarse
command from the quarterback. as
lVuu Snrleks from the Storage passen-
gers told that the alarm had reached
s,nele at last. MAN the boats! Stand
PACK We cowards!' continued the cap
I'LL IN stentor1an tones, as the firemen
rushed up fiercely for the first chance
OF LIE. Women and children first!
~ dow out the brains of the man
that steps beyond the liner
W.T. GOOD heavens! is all hope gone ~,
exclaimed Herbert to the old sailor be-
side him. '1'O' y
"Capt. Knox amt one to give ND
easy was the meaning reply. ."Ehe
T shlps a-settling fast, sir. We amt got
n UGH chance :
linen ensued a, scene of confusion
terrible to Witness-terrible to remem-
Der.
Wild shrieks and cries blended with
the voices of the tempest, as the terri.
ned passengers thronged up on the
geek, falling over and crushing each
other IN their mad rush for safety. r.'
IN vain the brave and self-devoted
ofhcers stood manfully at their posts,
striving to 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 TIE pillows that swept up on the
deck Of the lifeless, helpless steamer,
now a mere hulk at the mercy of the
winds and waves.
For a moment it seemed as if the
tenderest ties Of nature were forgotten.
and only the animal instinct of self
preservation reigned supreme. In the
hrst madness of terror. brothers de-
serted their sisters, husbands their
wives. only the mothers, true at this
supreme hour to their hottest 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 4 fitful lurid CLEAN
upon the maddened crowd, who were
pressing forward, blindly9 and desper-
ately to the bulWarks, where the cap
tain stood. firm and immoyable as a
rock. his drawn revolver in his hand
and Herbert Give at his side. s..
- The first boat was filled apd 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. It 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 to
make the desperate attempt. They
might even yet be saved!
A third. a fourth, fifth. each with
it's wailing trembling, terrified freight,
were 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.E
Life was too dear for them to sacri-
fee it to chivalrous chimeras!
Rushing forward, they took posses
sion of the remaining boats, regardless
Of the captain. who, pistol in hand,
fought like lion for the defenseless
ones left in his charge. But all in
vain.
The revolver was WreSted from his
hand by brawny fireman, and he was
flung aside while, with curses and yells
of triumph. the remaining boats were
seized by the desperate men, whom
neither menaces nor violence could any
longer control.
The last boats, filled with struggling,
shrieking madmen, pushed off into the
foaning waves, and the Ocean Queen,
with four hundred souls still on board.
was left to her fate. 5rs ;.
Herbert had done a 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 to him. go r-.E. st It'll b.
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
sW eet face looked out at him from her
vine athed windows; his fathers
smile, grave, yet tender, beamed upon
him from the open door; Laurence
Grey's faithful hand was upon his
shoulder. Fenton's merry greeting
echoed in his ear. He was home again.