The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1906-11-16

her eyes to follow it, but it was lost
in the gloom. 1t fell short, and at
the second trial the wind beat it back
like feather; but Captain Trail set
his teeth and waited for momentary
lull. Then there were few seconds
of aching suspense. followed by a
lusty cheer from the shore as the
Tightening OF Che line showed that
eager hands were fastening it to the
mast. A little more of the good work
and the first sailor would be making
that wonderful journey toward land.
jeans heart was pounding with
excitement, but as she moved nearer
she heard the words, 'Perishing cold,
poor souls!" ierked out grimly by
her father as he worked, and sud-
den idea came which nearly took her
of a mile away the light in their
kitchen window shone like friendly
beacon. The sailors would be
dragged to shore drenched, numbed,
exhausted. The limited hospitality
of the life-saving station was two
miles away on one side, and the vii
lage mile and half on the other.
Her own home was the nearest, and
she-she was hostess while her
mother was away.
Holding her lips tight for fear the
good determination would somehow
escape, Jean turned and ran for
home, not daring to look back again
at the buoy, now bobbing out bravely
over the crashing waves. 1t was still
fairly dark, and bushes and shadows
took on terrifying shapes, but there
was no time to be frightened. Into
the kitchen she darted like an i'm
petuous young cyclone, threw her
wet coat on a chair and commenced
to work theoretically at the fire.
1t seemed hours before the fire
would burn properly, and whole ages
before the kettle finally began to sing,
but all the time she was rushing bus
lily round, starting up the fire in the
chilled sitting rooms opening the
spare room, bringing out extra
blankets, and doing everything which
could minister to the comfort of half
frozen guests. Once she paused, be-
tween sob and a laugh, and wiped
her eyes.
"I know 1 am too greedy and
selfish to live, but did so want to see
them bring the crew ashore. I'll
never get another chance, never!"
When she hurried out again, the
gray of wintry dawn showed the
.dismantled hulk of a vessel offshore,
pounded by huge racing waves which
seemed about to engulf her. The
little group on the shore was now
much larger, REINFORCED by people
who had hurried down from the viii
lage, and they all were gathered
about drenched, storm-exhausted
group of seamen. One of them lay
fiat on the sand, with several people
working over him.
A fem moments later her father
and Captain Trail, standing side by
side, looked down in amazement at
slender, breathless girl, swaying
under the weight of kettle which
gave out the most enticing odor of
hot coffee. Over her left arm she
carried several cups, strung by their
handles over bit of string.
''You can bring them-all up-to
our housed" she painted. "It's warm
and beds ready-and here's some
hot coffee for them-for all of you.
o Captain Trail, have they all come
in?"
She laughed next day as she re-
called the desperate emphasis she laid
on the word "all," but Captain Trail
had had girls of his own, and he un-
derstood in a minute. Her father
patted her shoulder comfortingly,
and smiled over her head at the cap
tain as he took the kettle away from
her.
why, no, sissy, not quite" said
Captain Trail, cheerfully. You're in
time to see the last and best man of
all. We've just sent out for the cap
tain. Stand right here. Your pail
look after the coffee
A few moments later it was I'll
over, and she had seen it. The waves
were bounding high over the schooner
Beresford, but her captain, dragged
out of the very teeth of the surf,
stood in the midst of his crew, and
offered grateful hand to Captain
Trail.
"You are brave men, sir. You have
saved every soul of us, and I did not
think there was man alive could do
it."
Before them all Captain Trail
reached out his big. rough hand and
drew Jean toward him.
We only did our part, sir, only our
part. Cap'n, let me introduce my
first mate. She's here to keep you
alive, now that you've landed. Try
some of her coffee. It's first-rate."
Half year later, when Jean, a
rather young but very ambitious
teacher, had taken her first school in
a nearby town, she received pack
age with foreign postmark. On