The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1907-12-26

W. MAN"NA|ANA wv o NMW MWMNN N"ANA I
he tugs whistle blew four booming
blasts IN the dsrkness-"strong ahead"
land i've more that were nfly's fare,
well TO Mary II abe was awake-or
cared. she raw from her bedroom
window the tug steam through the
channel. sparks nyins worldly In the
wind, out 20 the open lake where no
light shone 70 mark the way for the 80
miles OF desperate tussle With ave-
that now at times buried the very
%deckhouse roof. Again the aye short
blasts Rs the starboard light turned
north beyond the pier. then WAS gone.
Here's hopin'." growled Billy as he
whirled the wheel over. lie was hang
Ing on grimly. for at times the TUG
stood about on end. A sea smashed
one OF the pllot-house windows aud
he fixed Il as best he could by the dim
pinnacle light He dashed the wheel
to a course two points east OF north.
In the biackness he could see only the
white rests OF waves. The painting Of
the tugs exhaust told him Kelly was
stoking Ike a hend and that O'Neil was
squeezing the last ounce out OK his big
engine. te square. Ahead was black
ness. the maddened waters and the In
frequent fash Of rockets.
1t was stiIl dark when Billy saw as
the tug topped a great wave, a ships
light ahead twinkle a moment where
the whitecsps marked White Shoals.
AZ dawn he had a line to the derelict
and the greaA seven-inch hRuser wss
going to her oversize; an hour later
they were last by the forward towing
post. II would be easy in such a sea
TO trip on the hauser and turn turtle
or 70 be snatched by a great wave and
have the hauser break. The barge on
the shoal was an ore frelghtsr loaded
TO the waters edge, q heavy tow,
With his hand on the bell cord TO
signal 20 O'Neil. Billy muttered:
Here's for Mary and better
He rang. the engines started. then,
erashi Bnly's Christmas wishes were
cut short; the tow post was gone and
water poured into the hole In torrents.
Il was hours later when they got that
hauser again, when the tugs hOarse
whistle roaTed, "Ail right" and the
below OF the stranded barge replied.
X was dreary work and Billy and the
crew were gaunt with hunger and
WEAKNESS.
Again slowly in the teeth OF the
wind they went ahead. jerked tremen-
dously at intervals when the waves
snatched the low. When they were
getting into deeper water oTNeiPs en-
sines suddenly stopped. and ten min.
utes later the barge had drifted back
to the shoai. The eccentric had slip
ped; the tug was but ~driftwood; bad
business In such a ses,
BILLY Noonan and o'NeIl kept hea
afoat somewRy. and all the time Billy.
stan clutehing the wheel. wal mutter
ing OF Mary and Christmas; he had
strange vagRries. but was stiil SAINT a.
a skipper. When a. last the frantic
hAmmerinE In the engine room ceased.
ear evening Of the ext day, they
were stiil near to the barge that was
pounding on the shoals. The sun
broke through the clouds, a red sun
near 20 setting beyond the tossing wa,
tiers, tAe sunset Of Christmas eve.
II was clear how they got the
slow steel barge 10 move so fast once
they got her on again. But in the
midnight hours when 50. Nick. Kris
/ KrinEel and all the Christmas fairies
were abroad on land. when the last
embers Of the julie logs smouldered
cozily under lRes Of stockings IN
many, many homes. the Alice Riiey'a
deep whistle sounded OF the Charlie
yoix pier. Capt Riley still sat before
his fireplace. waiting hopsfuily-as
was his nature. But for the hundredth
time he looked about the AZ
Mays pitlful efforts al Christmas
decorations. Suddenly he heard, faint
but unmistakable, the bass call Of the
Alice Riley.
Instantly he picked up his erutch
and raped on the door OF Mary's
room. SO quickly did she appear, sus.
piesonsly redeyed but smilihg. she
must have been awake. too.
Listen" no cried, holding up his
hand.
Boo-oooom. bOOoo-oom. boooo-ooml
"Aii right"
Again. deep. full and growing less
faint. the whistle sounded. "All right"
THAT mea a Christmas for all Of
us, Mary. IN spite OF the hshi"
Then there came q succession OF
short sharp tOots and the captain
stared perplexed. With q twinkle he
turned 20 Mary.
"Do ycH know what that means,
MaryT" he asked.
She flushed crimson, but before she
put her arms about her father with
a hug that be understood she flashed
her answer from the bow window with
a lamp. The captain, smiling for 4
long time sat looking At a picture ovoi
the mantel. the picture Of her mother
Merry Christmas" be said 70 the pie
ture. yery softly. 4 knew Il would
come"
Billy brought ii-and Billy had II
an u~nforEetabie Christmns-Nith the
Riley's. When At last he rolled in
81 49, LH