Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-09-19

|
You don't know tic cap'n, sir. He'll
too-now he has IL line aboard'
| Then the cX-sailor, chosen with Ben
trim among dozens of volunteers ow-
Ing to his close acquaintance with the
reef. bethought him.
You're trcatin' Ben an me magnif-
icent sir" he said, "but the chief credit
is due to Mr.. Stanhopc. We on'y obey
cd orders"
/, The millionaire laughed like boy.
II have not forgotten Mr. Stanhope,"
lie said. Il am sure your confidence in
MIR. Brand will be justified You watch
me smile when ante up your share"
On board the tug and on the gallery
Of the lighthouse there was no time for
talk. Tho vessel, with the most skillful
handling, might remain where she was
for about four hours. She was already
more than Il hundred fathoms within
the dangerous area marked by the
| buoy, and there was much to be done
! In the time
The strongest rope, the best wire
hawser, has its well defined limit of
strain, and the greater the length the
greater the tension. From the buoy
itself naught save a chain cable would
hold in such sea- The tug must oper-
ate from the nearer base. She was
| pitching and tossing in manner cal
culatcd to daunt any one but a sailor,
and the slightest mistake made by the
skipper, the burly oilskinned man bal
ancing himself on the bridge with his
hand on the engine room telegraph,
would snap any line ever twisted.
So. briefly, this was the procedure
adopted. stout rope was bent on to
that carried to the rock by Stanhope.
With this was sent whip, thus estab-
fishing to and fro communication.
The rope itself, when it had reached
the rock, was attached to buoy and
anchored. Thus it could be picked up
easily II the thin wire hawser next dis
patched should happen to break.
A few words may cover vast
amount of eXertion. Before the sec
ond line, with its running gear, was
safely stayed around the body of the
lantern = even the iron railing might
give way-a precious hour had elapsed,
and Stanhope was impaticntly stamp
ing about the bridge OF the tender,
though none knew better than he that
not an unnecessary moment was being
lost.
AT last signalcr stationed ON the
tug was able to ask:
What shall we send first?"
And the answer came back:
Water, milk, bread"
All night tinsmiths had labored to in
close food and clothing in water tight
cylinders ready for transport, and the
shining packages now began their voy-
aging from the tugs trawl beam to the
lofty gallery, threefourths of the jour-
ney being through the sea. When the
first consignment reached the rock an
other lusty cheer doomed from the
watching vessels.
StanhopG at least could picture the
scene in progress behind the grim gran.
lite walls-CoEstance and Enid, with
others whom he did not know, serving
out generous drafts to thirsty and fam
ished women and men, helping them.
selves last, and hardly able to empty
the eight gallon supply OF fresh water
before they We're called on to distrib.
ute similar quantity of milk.
And then the bread, the cooked meat
all cut in slices, the timed soups and
meat extracts. the wines ii for Trail
had taken charge of the catering, and
hiss arrangements were lavish--what a
feast for people almost on the verge of
starvation!
The hours flew until the tug signaled
that she must cast loose and back
away from the reef The tide was
running westward now. Soon the dan.
ger would be active, and in any case
the Gulf Rock was saved from the
possibility of famine during the next
forty-eight hours. So the hawser in its
turn was buoycd. and Brands parting
instruction was not to attempt to re-
open communication during the dark
hours of the morning tide
The wisdom of his advice was mani
fest. With farewell trumpetings the
vessels scurred Off to Penzancc. and
the telegraph Office was kept open all
night transmitting the word pictures
of newspaper correspondents to thrill
the world with full descriptions of the
way in which the Gulf Rocks fam
ished deniZcns had been relieved
The last two packages fcrrled to the
lighthouse contained not only wan
WOODEN wraps for the women and chill
drcn. but IL big bundle OF letters and
kilograms
lyne was the postman. There were
Mt least twenty notes addressed to the
girls and several to Brand from friends
ashore
Mr.. Trail, of course wrote to his
nephew and Mrs. Vansittart Natural
ly Pyne carried his own missive to the
kitchen. where he found that Con-
stance and Enid had managed to wash
in distilled water.
They were cutting sandwiches and
endeavoring to read their letters at
the same Instant. He bowed with sar-
castle politencss.
~ see you are ready for the party"
he said
Certainly he offered n deplorable con-
trast to them. His face was incrusted
With salt and blackencd with dirt and
perspiration. His hands were like
those of n sweep. but smeared with oil,
which shone on his coat sleeves up to
both elbows. His clothes were torn
and soiled. his linen collar and cuffs
limp rs rags and his waistcoat was
ripped open, having remained In that
condition since it caught In n block
as he descended the mast.
ooh, you poor felloww cried Con-
stance. "How you must envy us!
Here is a kettleful of hot water. I
can't say much for the towel but the
soap is excellent"
Refreshed, Pyne opened his uncles
letter. The girls We're keeping up a
running commentary of gossip.
"Mousie (Airs. ShcpparD says she
hasn't slept for three nights"
Edith TaylorSmi!; says size envies
us"
THAT letter you are reading now Is
I,