Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1909-12-08
The Directors
Report


officer compared anxious notes; for
ward the men discharged profanity
and tobacco juice with equal fluency,
and kept on the qui vive. They knew
they were not a hundred miles from
the celebrated "Barnacles cruoh'
reef, cemetery of many stout ship
The engine room was aware of the
fact also, sand babe no more rejoice.
In the saloons, however, all went
merry as the marriage bell. The first
class gentlemen passengers had got to
the coffee and cigars stage Of an ex-
cellent dinner, and conversed with
themselves with the fine, full-blooded
confidence of men who had done them
selves WELL
Mr.. Septimus @. Browbetter, mil
lionaire, shipowner, and director Of
the Green Anchor Line sprawlng
in a big leather chair, chewed the end
of his Havana contentedly. The world
went very well with him. He was
strong and ford and healthy, with
pulse as "reglar as quarter day, sir,
and digestion like a sausage-ma-
chine"
A little, quiet man had just asked
Mr.. Browbetter what was the secret
of his success in life. Here was a
theme which the millionaire loved. 1t
lent itself to post-prandial eloquence.
He settled the bulk of his double chin
in his capacious collar, took a long
puff at his cigar and a sip at his green
Chartreuse, and replied, in loud mas
terful voice:
Resolution, sir-iron will and res
olution. That's the recipe A deter
mination never to let things stand in
my way. | always settled the line
would take, and / always settled any
body who impeded my progress
They'd got to go, sir, every time.
MISUNDERSTANDING sir. Shoulder
'em out of the way. That's my advice
to young man starting in life. Make
up your mind go for the goal and
stamp on opposition. There's your
chart for success in nuts shell, sirl
J At that moment Mr.. Browbetter and
the rest of the people on the SirOccO
felt terrific shock. There was
series of nerve-racking thud and
bumps, a horrible crackli1g grating
noise, a splintering and crashing and
loud cry of The ships struck"
The Sirocco was on the dreaded
"Barnacles."
Stewards ran about warning passen-
gers to get on deck with all speed
The well-trained, disciplined crew
were mustered and took their allotted
stations The boats were got ready
and lowered, and coolly and calmly
the captain shouted his orders to his
lieutenants, who as coolly and calmly
saw them carried out.
The ships officers busted them
selves forming the passengers into
SQUADS. The women and children,
gathered in one pale, huddled group,
Gained by the steady, calm demeanor
of the stewardess. The men, however,
were more difficult to handle, and only
the stern determination of the OIL
GERS prevented a number of them
from rushing the boats.
Mr.. Septimus O. Browbetter was
one of the ringleaders. His ruaay
face had grown CHASTITY with terror.
/. and In his panic he was gesticulating
and dashing along the deck like
mailman.
} Suddenly the vessels bows parted
1 and went down, and a shower Oh
} spume and spIay broke over the com
pany gathered in the waist and stern
1t was more than Mr.. Browbetter
Y Do Yf1Ch toward
the boats, but was immediately
: brought up an checked.
do you kI:c who / ann" 80 Del
! lowed. I'm director of the Gree
I Anchor line, AID. by Gravy, Tn not
! going to be dro ned like rat i'm a
trap for all the captains that ever
) sported gold braid"
Mr.. Browbetter," replied the can
tain, steadily, you may be a director
on shore, but In director here. I've
l00 lives to save-yours among them
and l can save all There are boats
enough. But you can't go yet. Wom-
en- and children first. Go back to
your squad, sir. or by the living God
I'll shoot youl"
Inc VesSeI began rapidly to SETTLE
Masts and tunnels went by the board.
The effect on the millionaire was cleo
trical
D you'll" he shrieked. "Stand
aside. l will get into boat. To h.
with your order and discipline!"
He made bull-like rush forward.
The captains pistol cracked and the
man of wealth fell fainting to the
deck with a groan. His right arm
was shattered.
What was that?" called the ships
surgeon, rushing forward from theI
spot where he had been attending al
couple of seamen wounded by the fall
ing spars.
That" quoth the captain, was thel
directors report, / guess Let thisI
wounded skunk be dumped into theI
next boat with the first mems batch.
He's a dirty coward, and doesn't de-
serve to be saved, but / reckon wei
can't leave him. Hurry up, my lads:
we're cutting it fine: but we SHALL
just do the trick"