The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-03-06
CHAPTER XII.
The Dreadnouoht Returns.

CHAPTER XII.
The Dreadnought Returns.
The falling of the heavens would
have created little more corsternation
and excitement In London than the
sight which met the residents eyes
ION the morning following the king
visit to the Hippodrome. The fog
which settled Unexpectedly on that
night Of June dissipated itself as
-sstsalthily a. 1t had come. and tioated
<out with the dawn. leaving in its stead
n clear sky. And then, as IL q rare
discovery had been made simultane-
sously by thousands instead of one, a
swarm Of people, defying the rush of
motors, OF omnibuses and hansoms,
debouched on the Thames embank-
medt by the stately pile Of buildings
ywhers parliament convenes, filed the
roadsteads. jammed each other
against the river wall, and scorned the
.constables. who vainiy strove to main
tain order and uninterrupted traffic.
There. resting serenely on the
bosom Of the river where in times be-
sfors Roman galleys had fioated, was
the pride of the British navy, the
Dreadnought. Neither an oficer of
The watch, sailor. nor a marine be-
strobe her decks. Inert and un-
ftenanted, silent and lifeless, she Law
eclose by the great gray buildings like
the last survivor of defeated army
vwho had crept home TO bring a report
OF disaster and was resting in the
shadow Of the last refuge. Her I'M
masked guns stared wide-eyed and
mournful; from her crippled tunnels
came NO wisp of curling smoke; from
her channels stretched no anchor
chains; and she paid no heed to the
vagarfes of the sluggish current; her
prov which had defiantly parted so
many seas was nosed into the mud In
ihelplessness: but as an only solace
there 1oated from her stern the un-
suiiied banner of the United King
dom, and whipped as she was she had
come back to her people with colors
sstiu flying.
I, Uhe miracle Of her position was
greater than the marvel of her return;
Tor above and below that spot on the
river were bridges impossible for
boat Of half her size, beneath which
tugs and other craft were wont TO
QOwer their jointed stacks. In ALI the
world there was no known strength
or mechanical continuance that could
transport over shadows and bridges
$4,000 tons of steel, and then leave
1t in this prohibited place. Her very
appearance bore mute testimony of |
singular strife. True, she was intact |
40 a point flush with the great steel |
domes which held her menacing and |
browning guns: but her fighting masts, |
her top rig. and the upper bands of |
her funnel were riyen on as il by one
devasting line shot taken full abeam
or square astern. The wreckage of |
shis hamper had been removed, so |
that no debris Uttered her deserted
decks.
For many days of gloom 1t had been
as . fact that nothing but
could account for the dis
appearance Of the squadron which had
sailed away into the mys-
terious west to vanquish a terrible and
aznknown enemy or meet a glorious
death. Little hope had been sustained I
~ the days OF silence went by that
any explanation OF that defeat might
be forthcoming. or that any vessel
might return; and now before Lon
don's gathered populace was a grim
relic which only added to conjecture.
From no source could the secret of !
this mysterious visitation be learned;
and. 30 the crowd watched and waited.
A boat. whose dag distinguished her
As being Of the river patrol, obeyed a
hail from the shore, pulled noisily up
The stream against the outgoing tide,
md cireled round the leyiathan as
though suspecting danger from within.
Her chief oGlcsr. after due caution,
md receiving no response cautiously
directed her along side, and boarded
- preadnought over the ssarbc- n J