Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-08-15

Uttle world on the Gulf Rock
bestirred itself in its damp
misery Mt the news. The fresh watch,
delighted by the prospect of activity,
clattered up and down the iron stairs,
opened all available windows, un-
clamped the door when Brand gave the
order and busted itself exceedingly
with the desultory jobs which offered
to so many willing hands.
1t was now by the nautical almanac
dead low water on the reef, but the
strong southwesterly wind, hurting n
heavy sea completely over the rocks,
showed that the standards of war and
peace differ as greatly in the matter of
tides rs in most other respects.
AS the light increased it lost its first
warm tinge. Steel gray were sky and
water, somber the iron bound land,
while the whereabouts of the sun be-
came scientific abstraction. There
fore the heliograph was useless, and
Brand, helped by some of the sailors,
commenced to flaunt his flag signals to
the watching telescopes on the faroff
promontory of the Lands End. The
Falcon, strong hearted trawler, was
plunging toward the rock when the
first line Of gay bunting swung clear
into the breeze. And what Il message
it was-in Its jerky phrases-its pro-
ton by flag code is slow work, and
Brand left much to an easier system of
talk with the approaching steamer.
Chinook-New York to Southampton
struck reef during hurricane propeller
shaft broken-IS survivors in lighthouse
captain. 201 pnsscngers, officers and crew
lost with ship.
The awful significance Of the words
sank into the hearts of the signalers.
For the first time the disaster from
which, by Gods providence, they had
emerged safely became crystallized in
to. set speech. Seventy-eight living out
Of $50 who might have lived! This was
the curt intelligence which leaped the
waves to fly over the length and
breadth of the land, which sped back
to the States to replace the expected
news Of safe voyage, which thrilled
the civilized world as 1t had not been
thrilled for many n day.
Not soul in the lighthouse gave
thought to this side of the affair." All
were anxious to reassurc their loved
ones, but in their present moribund
condition they could not realize the
electric effect of the incident Oh the
wider world which read and had hearts
to feel.
Even while Stephen Brand was sig
mailing to the Falcon with little white
flags quickly eXtcmporiZed as soon as
she neared the Trinity buoy, news
paper correspondents ashore were busy
at the telegraph office and their asso-
ciates on the trawler We're eagerly
transcrlbing the lighthouse keepers
words whercwith to feed to fever heat
the sensation which the night had pro-
vided for the day.
Brand, foresecing the Importance Of
clearness and brevity, had already
written out Il full draft of his detailed
message
Faithful to his promise, Staplcton
was acting us signaler in chief on
board the Falcon, SO Brand might ma
nipulnte his flags as quickly as lay in
his power. with Chief Officer Emmett
reading the words ut his elbow. There
was no fear that any mistake would be
made by the receiver.
The story. If condensed, was COM
plete. Beginning with IN explanation
Of the liners disnblcment, it dealt with
her desperate but unavallng struggle
to weather the reef, described rync's
gallant and successful effort to get in
touch with the lighthouse, the rescue of
fourth of those on board, the names
of the survivors, and. finally. their pre-
dicament In the matter of food and
water.
All this took long to tell
Within the lantern, Charles A. Pyne,
appointed supernumcrary assistant
keeper, was furnishing brass work as
per Instructions received He little
knew the use which was being made of
his name by the tiny bits Of linen toss.
ing about ON the exterior gallery. In
such wise, helped by compositor and
dignlfed by headlines, does man be.
come n hero In these days of knight
hood conferred by the press.
Constance was sciutinizing the Fal-
con from the trimming stage. Hearing
Ends CHEEKY Good morning" to Pyne
when that young lady raced upward
from the Kitchen to catch glimpse of
the reported vessel, she dropped her
glasses for q moment