Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1907-02-04
rather than hours.

BUSINESS OF Ilp lItSh ~ |
Constance and Enid.
To cook and supply food for eighty
one persons with utensils intended for
the use of three. to give each separate
Individual an utterly inadequate por-
ton. so skillfully distributed that none
should have cause TO grumble at his or
her neighbours better fortune-here
were culinary problems at once COM
pick and exhaustive.
BY adopting fantastic devices, bring
ing into service empty jam pots and
sardine tins. they found it was possible
to feed twenty at time. This meant
the preparation of four distinct meals
each requiring an hours work. Long
before the last batch, which included
themselves. was lamenting the absurd
discrepancy between appetite and an
tidote in the shape of anything to eat,
the first was ravenous again.
The women complained the least. In
the occupants of the two bedrooms the
girls encountered a passive fortitude
which was admirable. 1t was an ex-
traordinary scene which met their eyes
when they entered either of these
stuffy apartments. Many of the res
cued ladies had not given thought to
changing the demitolet of evening
wear on board ship for more service
able clothing when the hurricane over
took the vessel. They all. it is true,
| possessed clQaks or wraps of some sort,
but these garments We're still sodden
| with salt water and therefore unwear-
| able. even if the oppressive warmth in
| each room rendered such a thing pos
! sible Their elegant costumes of mus
| lin. cotton, silk or satin were utterly
ruined. Lucky were the few whose
| blouses or bodices had not been rent
| into tatters.
Some of the worst sufferers in this
respect were now the best provided.
Blankets and sheets had been ruthless
" torn up and roughly stitched into
articles of clothing. Mrs. Vansittart,
for instance, who first suggested this
via media. wore an exquisite Paris
gown and a loose dressing jacket ar
rangement of yellow blanket, the com
ponent parts of which she persuaded
two other women to sew together on
the model provided by her own elegant
figure.
A few quick witted ones who fol
lowed her example exhausted the avail
able stock, and pillOwcases and rugs
would have undergone metamorphosis
in the same way had not Constance
come to the rescue by impoundine
them declaring that they must be re
served for the use of those sufferers
who needed warmth and rest.
The men passed their time in smok
ing, singing, EARNING and specializing
on the chance of the weather clearing
Ultimately, when the banging of thu
waves again made the column feel I'm
, safe, small section began to plal
petty attempts to pilfer the provisions
, , 1t is the queer mixture of philOSOphe
and beast in the average human bein
that makes it possible for the sam
J man in one mood to risk his life quit
voluntarily to save others and in ar
other to organize selfish theft.
l After an ingenious seaman had bee
! detected in an attempt to pick til
storeroom lock, and when tray {
: cold ham was deliberately upset viii
football scrimmage took place for tt
: pieces, Mr.. Emmett stopped theE
:, ebullitions by arming the watch wit
Il assorted weapons from the worksht
e and issuing stern orders as to their u
in case of need.
- Here again the warning elemen
v which form the human clay were a
mirably displayed. On duty, under Il
~ bonds of discipline the coarse grain'
II foremost hand who had gobbled up
. surreptitious lump of fat pig duril
the first successful scuff1e would bra
the daring rascal who tried to bett
40 his condition by a similar trick 81
ond time. Discipline sometimes &C
~ verts a skulker into hero.
=. When the state of the tide permitte
~ storm shutters were opened and fl
on draft of air allowed to enter throu
ON the door. Then all hands eyed the S
anxiously. The wind was strong a
10 piercing. and the reef maintained
90 ceaseless roaring Whenever wind
opened toward the land there was
in small crowd waiting to peep throu
mt it. At last the sense of orderlin'
gradually permeating the inmates
slx the lighthouse actually resulted in
IS formation of queues, with stated
inf tervals for moving on. There was
in momentary relief in looking at
q, land The cliffs, the solitary WI
90, houses. the little ham1ets half hide
\ in coy hooks, seemed to be so
ere surdly near 1t was ridiculous to i'm
Mt inc that help could be long defer
ISL The seward passing Of a steamer,
saw rying flowers from the Scilly isles
rne Penzance for Covent Garden, cause
ak futter but the sight of Penza
his fishing smack scudding under Jib
he. close reefed foresail between the
nks and Guthenbras point created int
excitement Noah. gazing across
art flood for the return of the dove
and the olive branch, could not be n
.ep- pleased than these castaways in t
,;no orroni+a ark when the brown Sa