The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1904-10-08

OF the finest men on earth, and VINO
has been paying me attentions for two
years, would not presume to hint OF
such thing. think will marry DR..
Gibson, after all He has such good.
kind eyes. They never make me feel
uncomfortable. wonder why l am
SO attracted to him-this sailor man?
Even before we had spoken to one
another, before the vessel left port.
when he was experimenting the stow
ing Of the hold, was drawn to watch
him and listen to his masterful voice.
never saw a man work like king
before. How the men under him
obeyed his orders. His strength was
greater than any of theirs. / don't
believe they could have hoisted those
lighters without his aid. Then he
moved with such freedom and fear
lessness. scorning the gang plank and
passing from steamer to dock and bach
again SO quickly and carelessly. How
alert he was to catch and pass the
captains commands, and what . re.
sponsibility he bears. Last night, as !
lay awake. I thought of him keeping
his watch above with all our lives. as II
were, in his hands. Then, when the
second mate came to take his place, !
heard him pass my stateroom window
whistling cheerily, even amidst the
storm and darkness. What life his Il
ever contending with perils and
hardships! Whilst Dr. Gibson is warm
and safely housed, my sailor keeps his
watch, with gales bowling and waves
seeking to devour. Great courage and
iron will must undoubtedly be his.
Yes! He lives a mans life. He is u
man. But as to love! Oh, that is alb
suro."
1t was about half-past three In the
afternoon. The sea was rolling high;
but Miss Nolan, rocked by wind and
wave, slept the sleep of the sea sleep
er, and ii was not until a great shout
went up from some men on deck that
she became conscious of peril. What
was that cry she heard? There it was
again: Haywood is overheard"
She started to her feet, but fell al
most Immediately. She crawled to the
stateroom door and tried to push il
open. AS she did so, a sea mightier
than had been felt before struck the
ship and capsized her. The girl rea-
liked that something terrible had hap
pened, that death was waiting near;
yet, in this awful situation, closed in
alone under the deck of the steamer,
no sign of human life around her, only
the warning elements in her ears, the
only clear thought in her mind was
that the man she loved had gone to
his death. She realized now that she
loved him, else why this pain at her
heart-this indifference to her own.
fate?
The sound of sharp blows on the
planking above her head aroused her
from the stupor into which she had
fallen. A face she knew looked down
upon her.
II have come for you," said Mark
Haywood.
Then Edna Nolan lost consciousness.
The steamer had capsized with that
side Of her deck up under which was
Miss Nolan's berth. The capsizing was
an unexpected happening, for, al
though the sea had been rolling for
hours, yet before the catastrophe the
storm had apparently abated, and even
the captain had retired with confidence
for little rest, he and the mate hav-
ing been up nearly all the previous
night.
The second officer had been swept
overheard just before the coming ii
the mighty comber which had de-
the vessel; but Mark Heywooj,
the first officer. with whirlwind around
him and whirlpool beneath, kept his
clutch on life. How he did it was a.
miracle. Every man on deck, includ-
ing the three male passengers, was
swept away. Even the two lifeboats
had been wrenched from their fasten-
ings and smashed to atoms as thej
went over the bulwarks
The storm subsidized almost as quick.
ly as it had arisen; but the ship was
slowly sinking, and Heywood's only
chance lay in swimming to shore.
which his experience told him was
about mile on He would take the
chance If some one else would take /.
with him. The opening to the aft
way was near him. He
forced himself down, and there, under
two feet of water, found Ratchet,
with which he crawled to the deck and
set to work with desperate energy.
When Miss Nolan opened her eyes
Haywood was tying a rope which
bound them together
Then 1t was not your" she cried.
In great Joy. forgetting present peril.
mo that was a mistake the men
made. 1t was poor Brown" he re-
piled. Then, looking straight into her
eyes, he saiS:
There's TO be desperate struggle
Tell me that you love me-
Il love you," she answered him. Il
love you so well that am glad to die
with YOU"
The endurance and courage of the
man was put to the severest test, but
the shore was reached in safety.
In the fisherman's home they stood
side by side, clothed and warmed AMI
fed This Y,n{nictor had ;,,ct a1ft