Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-09-02

ten about. the power of the magma
ton. Certain stories are said to be
great ina ginary works or wonders Of
originality. Then we hear it stated
that truth is stranger than fiction.
Certainly it is, for the imagination is
truths. In other words, imagination
is not a thing of itself, but a blending
of things.
This is as clear as stack Of black
cats seen through an impenetrahle fog.
isn't it? Well. listen 10 the story
have TO tell and possibly you shall see
the cats through the fog. A little light
may at the outset be cast on my prop
osition by the statement that quar-
ter OF century ago there could have
been no such story. No brain couid
have imagined ii. And vet In the be-
ginning Of this twentieth century. aft
er man had existed on the earth many
thousands of years. | have passed
through experiences which II they
NDli'l nave i'tCh N'AiNNiNV'l VI IA Ni''
nineteenth century would have been
considered highly ina ginative.
But to my story. l was wireless op-
orator on the Tartaric, an ocean liner.
We had left strike of seamen in
port and were provided with not more
than half a crew. The consequence
was that before we were long out they
had been worked to condition that
many Of them. yielding to a natural
requirement. were sinking to sleep at
their posts.
The night was fine, the stars blinked
overhead. but thin mist had settled
on the surface Of the water. l was in
my wireless office waiting for another
half hour to pass before Shutting it up
and turning in Suddenly l felt a
shock. Like a fash of the electric cur
rent l handled came realization OF
what had happened. The watch in the
crows nest had gone to sleep and we
! had colided with either an iceberg or
a ship. | Sprang to the door OF my
NubUN hbtts illltN II 'BVh anu So" ~
great black hulk drifting slowly away
from us. I had been right in my dag
nOsis The watch had gone to sleep,
/ the signals of an approaching vessel
| had not been seen, and we had col
/ lided
What became of the ship we struck
we did not know at the time. She had
passed away from us in a sinking con
ditiOn and went to the bottom. Upon
examination of our own vessel an i'm
mense hole was found to have been
made in the side. and there was dan
ger Of the bulkhead separating the
compartment from the next giving
way.
/ How | sat for three hours at my in
strument repeating the letters G = /
! Come quiCk-danger) and giving oul
latitude and longitude, how ships spec
toward us, how they came too late. ha:
! been told in other similar cases. and
will not dwell upon them. One thine
l will mention, and only one. Among
those VINO during those anxious hours
from time to time crowded around my
booth, inquiring by anxious looks Il
| succOr was coming l was struck 10y thu
appearance of a girl who seemed I'm
der far better control than the Jthers
She asked me how long | would SIicl
TO my instrument, and | replied, III
it can no longer be worked" An n
tereSt in me and the responsibility rest
ing upon me seemed to override SENSE
of her own personal danger.
When the ship had gone down. tioat
ing in the water | seized an impro
vised raft that had lost its occupant
l saw by the light Of early dawn The
face of this girl turned toward me
with an appeal for help. My support
was barely enough for one but | coulC
not resist that appeal. | extended 6
hand and pulled her aboard
From the raft we were taken int
n boat in which We're only three Othel
persons alive. and they died during The
long period in which we were exposed
lived, and the girl barely lived Their
came wind that blew in westward
and at last we were overturned IL
breakers. How in my weakened con
ditiOn | managed to drag my compan
ion beyond the waves do not know.
on looking about me. what was my
establishment to see not far away Z
wireless station. IT'S uprights extend
ing far up toward the clouds. No
knowing where we were, | could no
tell what station it was. No one wa
near with whom to leave the girl tina
! might bring succOr. Indeed. did no
know whether ! was on an island o.
the mainland or whether the place VIZ
!. inha bited.
Nevertheless there was but one thin.
for me TO do-leave her and 20 70
help. On approaching the station wa
surprised not TO see any one Glancint
up at one of the posts. ! saw that I
had been shivered. doubtless by light
ming. Entering the operating hut. Their
% lay the dead body Of a man. ! sur
missed that ne had hecn killed by IN
bolt that had struck the post
There were supplies on hand. and
taking what | needed to revive my CON
panion. | returned to her. and afte
getting her into condition TO warraE
a removal. I carried her to the station
She could not walk frum weakness AM
me pain she suffered from fracur
of one Of her arms that she had rpppiy