The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-07-18

That's excitement, suppose; ex-
citement pure and understandable. Not
being man of stone, can't help be-
Ing thrilled with the majesty OF the
moment, the sublime vagueness OF my
knowledge OF what will, happen when a
current flashes through these wires
I'm not coward. People who write
about other mems feelings when death
Is beginning to paw them on the should
er, write mostly from the imagination,
and 80 far as I've seen, they all do
1t wrong. I've been there, I've felt that
bony touch more than once and so !
know. A man isn't Of necessity terri
fed. Phantasms OF his past deeds do
not invariably flash before him, nor
does he always lose his nerve and move
as a wayward automaton. can't speak
for others, but what personally have
felt has been dull carelessness for
what is going to happen and cur
iosity about what will come afterward.
1t seems to me that a thinking man
with the ambition of a mouse, should
never fear death, because, once dead.
he becomes wiser than all the living
remnant OF the human race.
There are men know whom ply
sical danger turns into a helpless mass
Of palpitating nerves. Shelf, for in
stance, Is one OF those. BY jovep--he
smiled grimly-'by Joye, I'd give a
finger to have Theodore Shelf In my
shoes just now and force him to couple
these wires and spring the mine with
his own fat, white fingers. l believe
yes, I verify believe-the experience
would turn him honest. Ah, there goes
one bell Times up."
Through lull in the wind the tenor
clang of the ships bell came down
to him, and on its heels, more dimly,
the lookout's dissyllabic assurance in
the dismal minor key that he was
awake and had nothing to report.
Then Patrick Cambel made connec-
tion and sent through the green, silk
covered wires a current direct from the
steamers dynamo, and on that moment
was thrown against the iron roof Of
the stateroom as though the internal
machine had exploded beneath his very
feet. .
The campstool was kicked into the
air, the wet canvas dodgers shed water
In streams. and Captain Owen Kettle
fell spread eagled on the planking Of
the bridge. From the hatch in the fore
deck before him had sprung a volcano
Of ruddy flame, spouting through vast
biliows OF smoke. The iron plating
round 1t buckled and split, and the
whole steamer gave trembling,
frightened leap. Presently from the
black, windy night above there fell an
avalanche Of debris which smote the
steamer and the water round like can
lister shot from a distant cannonade.
Then came a humping jar from the
engine room, repeated twice over, and
then the engines stopped my God!"
thought Kettle. Hes overshot the
mark. 1t she's broken down, we're done
for" But for all that he did not lose
for an instant his presence of mind or
instinct Of command, but picking him
self UP clapped stumpy leaden whistle
between his lips and blew shrilly.
AT first no one answered his sum-
mons. From the forecastle, from the
stokehold, from aft, came the ships
company, making by instinct for the
high land of the bridge deck, and from
his eminence the little captain scowled
down upon them and swore. 1t is not
wholesome sight to see grown men
screaming through sheer terror, and
the sooner they are dissociated either
by words or blows from this frame Of
mind the more they will be able subse-
quently to respect themselves. BY dint
or q vinegar tongue and suggestive
movements toward pair of imple-
ments which bulged his jacket pockets,
Kettle drove a gang of five to set the
mizzen trysail to keep the steamer head
to sea- She was rapidly losing her
way, and IL she broached to beam on,
with that heavy sea running, the lower
decks would be filled with green water
continuously, and that with such a
gaping rent where the hatch had been
meant simply rapid swamping.
Then the captain looked around him
seemingly for a messenger Phe mate
OF the watch hung on to the handle Of
the engine room telegraph, which still
pointed to full speed ahead" looking
dazed and helpless. The quartermas-
ter's hands were mechanically saving
at the spokes OF the wheel, but It was
equally evident that he also did not
know what he was doing. Just then
Cambel raced up the bridge ladder
three steps at a time.
"Ah," cried Kettle, now, you are a
man who can keep his head in a bit Of
fiuster, and. by James, you're the
only one on board. Just tumble for
ward, will you, and get down into that
hold and see what's wrong"
Cambel nodded and turned to go
without word. From two or three Of
the men thin cheer rose as he passed
them, and before he had gained the
bottom of the ladder on to the iron
lower deck half dozen were on the
top rungs after him. Sailors will sell
dom refuse to follow when a superior
shows the way, and besides these fell
lows were getting over their first panic
and were beginning to be ashamed of
themselves for giving way to it.
The mizzen trysail was not then set
and because the steamers way had left
her she was falling off into the trough
and rolling bulwarks under to every
sea. She was shipping water fast. The
creaming, solid masses sluicing across
the deckplates smote the men breech
high with the weight OF rams, and he
who, when the waters were upon him
left his hold would have been swept
like cork to leeward. But by the
hatch coamings, the winches and odd
wet streamers OF rope they clawed their
way forward and covered round the
great holde made by the explosion,
holding there by the edge of the twist
ed riven plates. The seas creamed over
their heads, falling In noisy cascades
into the blackness below, and from
out Of that darkness, above all the bel
lowing of wind and the changing of
iron and the other din, came sodden
whistling OF water which seemed to
confirm the worst fears.
"Poh," said some one, trying to be
CHEEKY, that's only the small sup she's
shipped since the matches were blown
of. The bilge pumps'll soon kick that
drop overheard"
Guess you lie," said another, with a