Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-05-07

d.
mind inc of some wild animal hunting
its prey, creeping up with silent stealth
and then springing.'
II have never before heard a fog
horn sounded so continuously" said
the missionarys wife, a Mrs. Somer-
vile. Don't you think they are
whisting for assistanceT
assistance? What sort of assist
ance can anybody give us here? I'm
less the ship rights herself very som
we don't know what may happen"
1sobel seemed to have a prcmonitlon
Of evil, and she paid no heed to the
effect her words might have on the
others Although the salon was
warln--almost uncomfortably hot ow-
ing to the closing Of the main air
passagcs-sh shivercd.
Mr.. Somervillc drew book from
his pocket. III that be So" he said
gently, may I suggest that we seek
aid from one who is all powerful? We
are few and Of different religions. but
In this hour we can surely worship at
Il common altar"
Fright" said the taciturn English
man, varying his adjective for once.
The missionary offered up a short but
heartfelt prayer and, finding that he
carried his congregation with him, read
the opening verse of hymn No. 80,
FOR Those at Sea-
The stewards. most of whom under.
stood n few words of English, readily
grasped the fact that the padre was
asking for help in situation which
they well knew to be desperate. They
drew near rcverently and even Joined
In the simple lines:
Oh. hear us whom we Cry to thee
For those in peril on the sea.
During the brief silence which fol.
lowed the singing of the hymn it did
indeed seem to their strained senses
that the fierce violence of the gale had
somewhat ahated. 1t was not SO in
reality. A steady fall in the baron
cter foretold even worse weather to
come. Courtenay, assured now that
the main engines were absolutely use
less, thought it advisable to get steer.
| ing way on the ship by rigging the
| foresal, double reefed and trapped
( The result was quickly perceptible
The Kansas might not he popped
again. but she would travel more rap
idly into the unknown.
Yet this afforded only another in
stance of the way men reason when
they seek to explain cause from effect
The hosting Of that strip of stout can.
vas was one of the time factors in the
story OF an eventful night. for it was
with gray faced despair that the cap
tain gave the requisite order when
the second engineer reported that his
senior was dead. the crown Of tive
furnaces destroyed and the engine.
cloggcd II not irretrievably damaged
by fallen debris. None realized better
than the young commander what dis
astrom fate awaited his ship in It'll,
gloom of the flying scud ahead. There
was faint chance of encountering an
other steamship which would respond
to his signals. Then he would risl
all by laying the Kansas broadside or
in the effort to take Il tow rope aboard
Meanwhile it was best to bring her un
der some sort of control, the stear
steering gear. driven by the uninjuret
donkey engine. being yet available.
In the salon Elsie had shielded he
face in her hands to hide the tear!
which the entreaty of the hymn ha'
brought to her eyes. Some one whis
pered to her:
won't you sing something, Mis-
MAXWELL?
1t was the American. He judged
that the sweet voice which uncon
sciously led the singing of the hymn
must be skilled in other music.
She looked up at him, her eyes shin
ing.
sing. Do you think it possible p
she asked.
"IcS. You can do brave thing.
guess, and that would be brave"
IL will try she said and she walk
ed to the piano. which was screwed
athwart the deck in front Of the pol
ished mahogany sheath of the stee
mainmast. 1t was in her mind to pla.
some lively excerpts from the light or
eras then in vogue, but the secret int1u
| 'lNco VI 'AC iiOui NCiS StiOhSNA ''''%i
her studied intent, and when her fin
gers touched the keys they wandered
almost without volitOn into the subtl
harmonies of Gounod's Ave Maria.
She played the air first; then, gainin
confidence. she sang the words. usin
Spanish version which had caugh
her fancy. 1t was good to see tn
flashing eyes and impassioncd gesture
of the Chilean stewards when the
found that she was singing IN thei
own language. These men, owing t
their acquaintance with the sea an,
know ledge of the coast, were now in
state of panic. They would have burs
the bonds Of discipline on the leas
preteXt. So, as it Glanced, the voic
of the English scnOrita reached then
as the message of an angel, and tn
spell she cast over them did not los
It's potency during some hours Of dan
gcrous toll.
Excited applause rewarded the song
Fired by example. the dapper Frenc
count approached the piano and aske
Elsie to play Berangers "Roi dYve
tot"
The Frenchman took the merry mon
arch seriously but the lifting melOd