The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-08-12

the increasing waves tossing US about
like a cork. yet as the dawn broke.
We succeeded in brOaching to. with
canvas drag holding her. and the very
moment I realized she would ride
safely l fell forward dead asleep.
Either Doris or one of the men coy
cred me with blankets. my icy cloth
ing drying on ry body. But it Rds
Doris who welcomed ne back 10 life
again. as a little glimpse Of wastering
sun grew barely visible through a rift
in the dun clouds. with the mainsail
again spread. and the lOngboat leaping
20 the fOaming SUBMITS. Oh, but it
was worth all suffering Just to read
the confession OF her eyes, and to
feel her bend down over me in sudden
tenderness, ! am not ashamed that
the tears dimmed my eyes so I could
scarcely see her dear face or that my
voice chOked so ! could do no more
than whisper her name. She must
have understood, for her soft hands
touched my cheek, and so We rested
for a long time. scarcely exchanging
a word between US.
1t was later that same day, just at
the edge Of twilight, when Kelly
called, "A sail" pointing eagerly out
over the port quarter. Then, some
upon knees, some standing. We all
saw it. misty, white reflection, show
ing vague against the darkening hori-
zOn. know not what it really was
"a CLEAN of canvas, a speck OF cloud,
or the pinnacle Of an iccberg-but as
We swept toward it, the night
dropped down over The waters blotting
the last faint Vestige from view Yet we
hung on desperately. the man staring
out into the black void. grumbling and
curSing. until the long night wore
away with no reward.
That was about the last | recall
clearly; afterwards all grew indis-
tinct, commingled. confused It was
like = dream rather than reality. I
performed my work as before. the in
stincts Of a canaan leading ne right
IS. and ont Of the mist numerous in
cidenrs arise to memory proving that
! observed and thought. Never can
forget the sight of that narrow boat
tossing about on the crests of great
,eas. or plunging down into the black
hollowS. the green water pouring in
cataracts over the gunwale; the con
slant bailing: the wet sOggy blankets,
the moaning Of wind through the icy
cordage: the Tapping of the sail: the
gray masses Of water curling over us
in continuous threatening; the awful
"XpanSe of ocean revealed by day
light, the black loneliness through
which We swept at uight. We ceased
10 talk. 10 think, even. growing more
aud more suiien moody. dull-eyed,
cramped of limb and benumbed of
brain We sat silently staring into the
smother, forever behOlding the mirages
Of distorted minds. Men would spring
10 their feer, yelling out some discOv-
cry, only to sink back again, with
CHASTITY faces buried in their hands /;
was all illusion; the waves, the clouds
moCking us, even our voices sounding
unnatural, our faces growing unfa-
niliar
Only Doris: Doris did not change
not, at least, to my eyes Ay. she be
came whittier weaker he shadows
growing darker beneath her eyes. yet
She still sat at my knee. looking up
into my face yielding me new courage
out of her heart Of hearts. God knows
believe she saved me, saved me
from going mad, saved me with the
power of her lOve-held me sane, held
me steadtast, when the very soul in
me had given way. | think of those
other faces now with a shudder. II
sens as if all that was human had
gone out of US: we were no Longer
men, only things. We crawled about.
We growled rather than used articu-
late speech, bruised by the constant
buffeting of the sea. sore with the
smart Of salt water. chilled through