The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-04-22
MOTHER SLIPS INTO SEA
WITH BABY IN HER ARMS

4 Z. "a sail, a aail" HE sennnii cried. and.
With the bloody foam spontlng from his
\ cracked backcncd lips, fell 10 the bottom
Il Ills flve comrades, among whom was q
woman, and her sckllns babe, looked list
lcssly about them, and III the dim, far
distance observed "a small white speck
that wavcrcd for MI instant aud disap-
l,cared. ono Of the men rose to Ills feet,
looked around The horizon for some sign
or slecor, and with a low moan attempted
4 to stagEcr buck to dis scat, lie stumbled
heavily against The fallen man, the boat
listed to port With his weight. and the
man pitched head foremost into the CLASSY
stii.- a black IN appeared for tic mo-
incnt on tile surface, and the water was
soon dyed With a., faint red that showed
the shark was feeding on the human vic
4 tim. + lS
The Seaman who had first seen The sail
still lay In the bottom of the boat appa-
lently dead Some one kicked him
roughly, for there Is no cruelty Ike thnl
Of the human kind reduced to brutal say
agcry. Wrecked In q sudden sypl,oon o.
the Southern seas, they had hardly had
time 10 lower The boat ana escape from,
the ship before, with Il sound that went
out upon the gen like the Sigh Of some
1.rviatlian, she sank, with twenty Souls
aboard. 'rhc escaping members Of thc
crew Will, the captains wife and her
small babe. had been without water or
food for four days and nights, ana thcy
lad now reached the verge Of starvation
ma despair, where all vestIgc OF h,i-
mainly and thy are lost
The stricken seaman. somewhat Denc-
H,cd ~ the relaxation OF Ills coma raised
himself aud rcsnined Ills seat with not
Il word, all hands lent Themselves to the
oars and pulled IN silence. The bsn kept
his weather eye open for any signs OF
sail juntil lie almost fell with the cx-
ha,Istion of watching.
a''Perlaps Il will rain before morning,
he ,nuttercd. and glanced hopefully UP
ut the sky. There were few faint
gccks overhead, bit It was small hope
that they held out 10 the slipwrecked
crew. Night came on. and the stars ap-
11cnred one BIZ ono until the armament
was filled with that gorgeous galaxy
known only in Southern skies. Almost
directly overhead CLEANED the Southern
Cross, It's white light beaming gently
down upon the smooth waters. No breath
or air stirred and the sail the men had
erected on n Hiakeshift mast hung listless
md still.
In tho forward end OF the boat sat the
captains wife. holding the almost sring
babe In her arms. She looked down al
4 II with q ritifu, sob: and the little one
lay quiet. save for the short. quick breaths
I that escaped from Its bleeding lips Lean
Ing down the mother put out her tongue,
attempting 10 lnoslen with i the closed
mouth Of hcr child. Opening It's eyes for
Il moment. the baby looked up ut lis
parent Wit, a strange, questioning stare,
Eus II seeking to- know why now the FAM
ishcd little lips could draw no sustcnance.
Srbc salt tears rained down on the sunken
cheeks aud mother and child sobbed and
tEnspcd together t5s5g
ooh 5for n little water" she muttercd
hoarscy to the stars and the men turned
foli5her wlthsa plying gaze, though none
spoke "a word. Words were useless.
Thick only used UP breath, and every
cxertion meant an increase Of the fever
isll thirst.
y The rowers grew more feeble In their
efforts and at last the men dropped oars
in sheer exhaustion. 1t was humanity
Impossible TO do more. They could only
wait in the hope of some passing snip
that would give them help and free them
from the dread bondage OF the cruei
sea. The boat was still. save for the
long ocean swell: and the men drew IN
their oars Some dropped In a short.
fitfu sleep. dreaming OF green trees ana