Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-12-13
THE CHRISTMAS STORM.

One stormy day in December, n few
years ago, as | was trudging along the
beach-a favorite pastime with me, if
only, as in the present instance, hurri-
cane were blowing saw two figures
some distance ahead of me, gazing fixedly
out to sea, the man of commanding form,
and his companion young girl about Is,
equally striking in her way. She was
richly clad and stood on his left side, her
hands clasped around his Blended arm,
and her head resting against his shout
der. They stood motionless, statuesque
gazing off into the distance. The pair
would have arrested attention anywhere;
but here on this lonely beach they were a
mystery. / gazed curiously It them
slackening my pace more and more until
| came to rude standstill, when n quick
magnetic glance from the man brought
me to my senses and my manners.
That night, in the smoking room of the
hotel, | was introduced to one of the
mysterious pair of the afterno on-Judga
Wharton. Stories of storm and wreck
were the order of the evening, and old
Eph Ludlam, the retired captain of the
life-saving station. held an easy lead.
But said he, II never see sech q
gales we had down here twelve years
ago come Christmas Day"
You mean the one in which the shiT
Albatross was nearly beachcd, don't
your" asked Judge Wharton
"Naas, that's the name,' said Eph, tax
ing long look into the dignified face OF
the Judge; but say, shipmate, pears t.
me I've seen you afore."
Perhaps you have" smiled Judge
Wharton, rising and grasping the hanC
of Eph. do You remember the mate o
| the Albatross?"
Blast me, if you're not the man him
self" cried Eph, with a look of surpris.
and pleasure.
"A Judge and n sailor" broke in on,
of the party in surprise
No sailor and Il Judge, in the orde
of time" smiled the Judge. But, Eph
tell them about il.
Not me" laughed Eph, you tell then
yourself ledge"
Well" said the Judge, Il will tell vo,
That story the story of my one Christ
| 't4t'N tAt N'A a Alllit NilllQ = HIuIliH q
Santa Claus against the background O
the darkness and anxiety of leakin
ship off lee shore
And this is the way the child got int
the story; | was at Lcghorn on my las
voyage, as had determined it should b,
hen learned, to my surprise that tn
United States consul OF neighborin
city was no other than former tutor G
mine at Harvard, for whom had a grea
affection and Judge Of my further SUI
/ prise and grief 10 learn on going to Sc
him few days later that he was ser
ously i'll of typhoid. lie had me brougl
to his bedside, and besought NE, in II
event ct his death. to take care of h
p little mothcrless child. Ten DAYS lat,
he died
d Il assumed the burden of the lit
g child, Nellie, very reluctantly. eve
though 1t We're for the sake of old frien,
ship, and assigned her to the care OF on
colored stewardcsS; but So far from b.
! ing burden. the child became the III
and the JOY of the ship.
We were well on our way homcwa,
when an accident to our chronomct,
/ compelled us to depend for our positi,
> upon what Is known as dead reckoning
a method of finding the position at ;,
ny means of the courses we ran and Il
. dl>tancc-the latter being obtain,
! roughly by means of the log. But Il
, method being subject to many errors. v
. were very glad to sight a ship in the Iii
{ tancc, and signal for our latitude N
{ longitude. The answer came shortly
Latitude 40 degrees 80 minutes nartl
longitude 63 degrees 80 minutes west.
The answer dumbfouuded us Accor
ing to our own calculations. our positi,
was IS degrees 80 minutes north. and
, degrees 10 minutes west We were Or
i pared to receive an answer that won
differ materially from our own calcul
tons, but we were not prepared for