Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1908-06-11
When the
Ship Went Down
(Copyright.)
By Owen Oliver

hidden rock, pointing scornfully up
wards till they were bent with their
own weight and sagged downward
again.
Beyond the oasis of calm, heavy
sea swept shorewards in towering
green waves, until 1t reached comb
Of Jagged rocks, and poured through
the openings in sheets of foam to
long, sandy beach. Three tossing
boats were approaching the rocks as
slowly as the current would suffer,
looking for a passage through. The
fourth-the last remaining-was just
leaving the ship. The men who had
lowered it, with no appliances but
bare ropes, rubbed their chafed hands
On their trousers and mopped their
foreheads, and gathered together 81
lently-except tall gentleman of
about 40. He left the rest and went
toward lady, who stood back a little,
watching them. The rest of the wom-
en-, and all the children, were in the
boats.
She turned when he reached her,
and they walked forward together.
He patted her shoulder approvingly,
and she smiled at him. She was about
6ve-andthirty; could scarcely be
called good-looking, but very likable
when she smiled.
That's why she wouldn't go in the
boat!" one of the gathering observed.
"Aye!" said an old sailor. She's
the right sort"
Then they were lent again.
The M and he woman were
silent, 90. When they reached the
end of the saloon promenade, beside
the wrecked music saloon, they
stopped and rested their arms on the
rail and gazed at the shore a mile
away; not as if they wished to look
at the shore, but as if they feared to
To- at each other. The chief officer
&c swiftly down the narrow ladder
frC the navigation deck, with two
life olts on his arm.
st put them on" he advised;
don't think they'll be much
He ,odded toward the break
She'll go in ten minutes"
he man laid one belt on the deck,
While he put the other round the
woman She held up her arms and
smiled at him all the time. When he
finished his task, and picked up the
other belt, she took it from him.
LET me do it for you," she offered.
y should like to if l may"
His grave face lit up for moment
Il shall like you to-" he told her
you are a brave woman"
Drawer than TIC light" she as
scented. Il used to :, ink that / was
just-crdinary; that all We're. Now
think it was life e It was ordinary
not we. What shall we do with the
rest of 1.-THE ten minutes?"
Let us open our hearts, the man
proposed I'VE may venture now
Dear lady, have admired you and
liked you ali the voyage. We shall &c
as friends together, | thinl1?'
81 wish no better company" she
told him.
is there no one who has better
right?" he asked.
mo one. And your
mo one
and that" she said, lis why we
thought life ordinary, l suppose"
He nodded and they rested theil
arms on the rail again and gazed a
the boats approaching the shore.
Yes" he said I'VE are brave
than we thought. You, dear lady, arr
the bravest and the best. You gave
up your life when you gave up you
place in the boat. Why?"
81 stayed for friend" she ex
planned.
"Me?' He looked at her quickly
You. | wonder-it doesn't matte
what we say now, does it'll wonde
if we really soeed for each other"
"Ah." SAT- the man. Il wondered
too, but 1 thought women Away
knew"
She shook her head.
81 liz you, certainly, but hav
liked other men. | never liked any c
them enough You see | am not
marrying woman. have-I ha
aims in life. Marriage meant sacr
ficing so much. And for what? To b
a toy and plaything for a year. Pc
haps not a year-don't call it selfisl
ness. I'd have given up everything
had thought that love would last
My dear friend, it doesn't last. 70
and | are not children. We have see
life. We know! But the woman
lasts longest | was afraid of that"
II know" The man nodded.
liked you, toe; liked you more tina
was comfortable! | thought it OF
many a time. 1t was more than iii
ing. Marian.
% was very tempted sometimes
ask you to give me yourself; but
you see, I also have liked others; an
not enough |, too, was not sure if
liked you enough; but liked you MOI
than any of the rest-much more.
used to fancy that some night whe
the moon shone-some night whe
the end of the voyage and the par
ing from you were nearer than
yal or