The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1901-04-05
THE HAND OF FATE.
st. Louis Post-Dispatch.
By Mai. A. e. Ransom.


Mess call was just sounding as Jack
Harding, lieutenant in the First infantry,
aliyhted from a car at the Preside and
FASTENED to take his place at the table
with his fellow officers. Though joking and
laughing in his usual pleasant. manner,
his thoughts were not in camp. His at
ternOon had neen spent sightseeing, and
one of the incidents had left strange
and lasting impression on his mind. He
had first of all taken a car downtown,
made a few little purchases at one of the
large Market street stores, gazed with
interest at the three immense buildings
at the intersection of Kearney, Market
and Third streets. the homes of largest
daily papers Oh the coast, the Examiner,
Cali and Chronicle, and was then ready
for a trip to the beach. AS he boarded
a car he was attracted oy party OF sew
eral young ladies evidently, like himself,
on pleasure bent.
BY the time the car was climbing the
hills on California street he had caught
enough conversation to know that at
least one of the party was an Eastern
girl.
When the California street station was
reached ami everyone left the car to
transfer to the railway which runs along
the coast to Sutler Heights he was for a
time separated from them, but as the
peanut vendor pa SEQ around the train
for the last time before the conductor
called "All aboard" Jack found himself
a few seats in the rear Of the young la
dies again. Notwithstanding the small
ness of the engine which pulled the train,
compared with some Of the immense
mountain-climbers, a rate of speed was
soon reached which threatened to blind
the eyes of the passengers with the
quantity of cinders which few from its
smokestack. The Italian cemetery was
soon reached and few alighted with
lunch baskets to go down to Baker
beach.
unreliable hieroglyphics on the tomb
stones, he saw the grand beauty of the.
Golden Gate burst on his view as the
train slowly rounded a curve. Off to the
right the fort was plainly discernible,
and at intervals, on the hill, large can
mons were mounted to guard the en-
trance to San Francisco bay. Away be-
yond the fort. across the stretch of wa
ter, the smoky summit of Mt. Tamalpias
train. the water shone brightly as it
splashed on the rocks nearly 100 feet be-
low. Then, without warning. the train
was enveloped in darkness. but the tun>
mel was short and in few moments
there was another stop, and half the
passengers left the train, Jack among
the number.
It is safe to say that the action of the
party of young ladies in alighting caused
him to do likewise. It was long. steep
pathway down to the beach. but the ar
rival there repaid the visitors, Hemmed
in by high hills on three sides, little
cove lay nesting in their shadows, al
ways in sight Of the majestic old Pa
eifc. Several springs furnished excel
lent drinking water, cave for protec-
ton from sudden storms, and plenty of
clean. white sand to take sunbaths on.
The remains Of fires mere and there gave
evidence Of prior occupancy. Perhaps
100 people. young and old, were gath
cred in this cove, whose area was about
three-quarters of an acre.
Various forms of amusement were in
dulged in. Some found pleasure III at
tempting to scale the steep embankment,
others read books under the shade of an
umbrella. while the younger and more
athletic donned bathing suits and pushed
out into the white-capped breakers. An
hour after Jacks arrival on the scene he
help. Turning quickly, he saw large
wave rushing in, and as it struck bevy
of bathers, one threw up her hands and
disappeared beneath the surface. His
training as an athlete in his college days
stood him in good stead now. He sprang
toward sthe place where the receding
wave showed dark mass still under
hat as he ran. There was no time to
lose, for the treacherous undertow from
the next wave would carry the unknown
still farther out. SDFinting had hqpn HE