The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-04-19
Story Of the Wreck Of The Titanic as Told
By Girl Who Was One Of the
Survivors.
NOBODY WAS EXCITED At THE START
When Ship Sank 1t Dropped Gradually Into
the Depths With One Great Explosion
AT the Finish

|IWrItten for the United Press by
Miss Caroline Bonnell.
|tcopyright 1912 by the United Press,l
#IIrnited Press Leased Wire Service. 4
NEW YORK, April 1s.-"Well.
hank goodness, Natalie. we are going
| d see our iceberg at last"
That-that single, foolish little sen,
isnce the one thing of all things
that said to my cousin as the great.
beautiful Titanic was shiyering be-
meath her death blow.
And yet it was the most natural re-
mark in the world for me to make that
Sunday night at the very minute when
the hand of death was putting down
its terrible cargo of souls. For,
though the world has not come TO
realize it, that was hidden hand-a
hand so hidden that none of Us susr
uected 1t, for an instant, or how
strong and how cruel 1t ~ras until less
than two hours afterward, it gave a
quick, final jerk and the titan of yes
sells sank beneath the swells.
nv cousin, Nathalie Wick, and
we're lying in our berrns half asleep
shen Ia blow came. II was terrific.
For second the whole boat just stood
stock still in Its swift race and then
il gave a great shiver all through.
After that everything was deathly
quiet for minute
"Oh, she's hit an iceberg" came
ringing through the window in wo
mans shrill voice.
For ten minutes after the blow
Nathalie and / lay III bed and discuss
ed whether or not We would get VI
TO view the berg. Nathalie was prett,
Sleepy, but ! had been UP to fill no
water bottle and was wide awak'
enough for anything. Finally we de
cided to "go up" as we had been wait
Ing to see an iceberg all the way owe
but had been told that it was probabl,
TOO late in the season.
Calm as August Afternoon.
We just slipped on our shoes an
stockings and put on some heavy ou'
. side wraps and went up. When W
got or. on to the deck, everythin
was as calm as an August afternoon
The sea was as smooth as glass
there was not berg nor an ice flo
10 sight and the sky was Just thic
with stars. never saw so many staI
in lbe heavens in my life as theT
were that night The water itse
glimmered blue with their glow.
Ne had just decided to go back
led when an officer came up to us an
another group of people who had go
ten up TO find out what was the ma
ter.
Go below and put on your II
belts" he said. you may need the
iater.
We went down at once and told n
uncle and aunt, Mr.. and Mrs. Geor'
Wick, what we had been told. Unc
George Just laughed at us. "Whe
that's nonsense, girls he said. 9TH
boat Is all right She's going alol
f'nely She just got glancing bio
guess. =
That's the way everyone seemed
think and we went into our stateroo
nut in minute or SO an offic
Knocked at the door and told us to
up on the "A deck. He said the
was really no danger and that 1t W
aust a precautionary measure.
Got a few clothes on and went up.
pieked up my eye glasses and in !
excitement left my watch lying on t
dresser Nathalie hung her wat
around her neck. We both wore t
Or three coats. 1t was SO cold outsit
When We got ON the deck UNI
and aunt were there and / went do
again to another part of the steam
and got my Aunt Elizabeth.
When got back with her, th'
were crowds of people standing
around. Nobody seemed very excit
everyone was talking and it seem
% be the general idea that we wo
soon be ordered back to bed
just then an officer came UP to
aud said we should 80 up to the q