Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1902-09-10

lie very good. I don't know
whether be win send this part; he
has looked after me very careful
.ly. He says he knew you long
before I did, but I said I knew
you better than be did. He
laughed. At the present rate you
will get to Boston sooner than /
shall. We don't know where we
are; Just feeling our way along in
a regular blizzard. Mr.. Hunt will
make a few funny dots and DASH
es here that means a kiss
from me to you. Ever,
"Ethel."
Hill was puzzled. The cap
tain's message told all too plainly
Of this danger; yet Ethers message
was light hearted, almost frivol-
GUS. he wondered il she knew.
Trembling like a drunken man, a
full minute passed before he could
put his hand resOlutely upon the
transmitter.
HDear Ethel:-YOu don't know
what a fool ! feel l am for asking
you to return to Boston in such
weather. Can you ever forgive
met Do you know you are in
dangers Have Hunt tell you ev-
erything. / hope it is not as bad
as 1 fear. OF course you will pull
through. After we meet in BOs-
ton nothing will ever separate us
again. Forgive me for advising
this trip. AnxiOusly,
"ARTHUR."
Hill added a postscript for
Hunt.
"Hunt, tell me the true state Of
affairs. 1 would give everything
only to be on the Ethan Allen"
Again came the weary period Of
waiting. This wait, however was
more terrifying than the other, for
it was longer. When the sounder
took up it's burden again Hill list
ened attentively TO the story. he
did not trust to remembering it,
but as the message came iOtted it
down letter by letter. Each sem
tence he weighed carefully, hoping
to construe it into words of sssur-
ance and comfort. But in vain.
"Captain's message tells all.
Nothing new. Don't see how boat
can live. Miss Wade knows the
truth; is calm, preparing message
to you. New leak reported. All
pumps going. When taking this
assignment l prepared for this,
yet for Gods sake do what you
can to comfort my wife. 1 shall
do my best when the time comes"
1t ceased, but soon Hill was
busy again; this time in receiving
message after message from pas
sengers and officers. Hunt must
have warned them to be brief, as
time was precious. Each message
was short, but each word was a
volume; the last words to loved
ones, voices from the tomb. Hill
mechanically recorded them, but
his own grief YES too narrowing
to permit him to sympathize as
yet with the sorrow Of others. He
began to wonder how long he
could endure the strain. The
wind, as it sang its victorious
song, nearly diverted his attention
from the steady stream Of dots and
dashes. But the time came when
the words came regularly no long.
er; long intervals occurred between
sentences, and after that between
words. He accounted for the de-
lay by imagining in a vague fash.
ion that the telegraph mast on the
Ethan Allen probably had been
damaged by the storm.
Fully realizing the impOtency
Of his position the operator paced
his Office like q Gagged tiger. It
was ell he could do. Taking the
heavy iron poker from under the
stove he played with it absent
mindedly like 9 walking stick.
Without, the remOrseless wind
was flashing the waves with a fury
driving them booming upon the
rocky shore. The sOunder began
its feeble record, q rambling dis
connected tale, but all the more
terrible for its incOherency.
"Leak in boiler rOOm-fres out.
Boats being launched-can't pos.
sibly live-secOnd mates boat
smashed, ell lost. Ship can't live
quarter hour. Captain will not
leave. Ethel and / In captain's-"
1t was ended. The little sound
or came TO q stop with a malicious
snap, and refused to give up fur
Their secrets from the dead. Hill
- 81