The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1913-01-31

BY GERTRUDE MILLETT.

10 10 EScdnaD8 WIN ner ana ray on
"a freight boat. I was delighted. Fay
had been on the trip before and she
reported that she had the time Of
her life.
"The trip to Escanaba was dream.
The captain and sailors could not do
enough for US. 1t was moonlight and
the lake looked beautiful. I felt as
II ] was on a private yacht. 1t was
perfect till we started back.
AT Escanaba they loaded the boat
with tons Of iron ore. The vessel sank
deeper and deeper into the water, un-
til 1t began to look like a submarine.
Then when we started for Chicago we
were towing a barge loaded with
more tons and tons Of ore.
I'VE had been on our way a day,
when / saw that the sky looked like
lead, with ugly yellow streaks across
1t. I said to Mrs. Clark. I think we
shall have a storm
you know how optimistic she is!
With that sky above us, she gayly
remarked, oh, do you think SOL?
1T was not long before the storm
broke. The wind came suddenly and
the rain came down like an overturned
sea. We hurried into the protection
Of the cabin and watched the storm.
1T was awful the way the boat
creaked. l will say nothing about
the way it rocked. The rope which
pulled the barge broke like thread.
In a few minutes it seemed miles
away.
Presently ! saw a sailor make his
way to the lifeboat I watched him
anxiously. He was working at the
ropes.
Il said to Mrs. Clark, He is going
to lower the lifeboat and you must
know what that. means
"She did not answer me, but pushed
the screen door open and rushed up
to the man, pulled his sleeve and
asked, Are you going to lower the
lifeboat? He paid no attention to
her.
"She came back, threw herself into
a seat and sobbed. L shall never see
my husband again
Tables and chairs were sliding
about. In despair dropped upon the
floor. oh, why did ever come!
Tons of iron below me! l could see
the boat go down into the lake like
a cannon ball.
know when I strike the water
/ cried I'll go straight to the bottom
Fay answered, despairingly, We
all will. There'll be no other place
to got
Like flash all the mean things
had ever done rushed through my
mind. l never knew before that crisis
on the lake that there were so many
of them.
Suddenly Fay jumped up. 4 am
going to put on a life preserver,' she
exclaimed.
There was none in sight. We be-
gan to hunt frantically. The boat
pitched US in every direction.
I'VE looked on the ceiling, on the
walls and even tore the cushions from
the chairs. There was no sign Of life
preservers. Where could those men
have put them? At last Mrs. Clark
insect powder. We pulled them out
and each grabbed one.
Fay was wriggling into hers-it
looked like a doughnut. / had on
cork jacket with the back to the front.
Tie it, kept on screaming to them.
Mrs, Clark had one on and was
trying to get into another. We were
all sneezing because Of the insect
powder.
Mrs. Clark ran to the door for
fresh air. oh, girls she called.
There Is the steward bringing us tea.
And the lifeboat is still in its place!'
Fay and l made a dive for the
door. Yes, there was the lifeboat!
could hardly believe 1t.
by this time the steward came up.
Is the boat going to sink?' cried Mrs.
Clark
"'Sink? No, everything is all right
he said.
why, that sailor was lowering the
lifeboat,' shrieked Fay
1.-THE captain came In at that min
ute. He was sent to fasten it more
securely said the captain.
Then why couldn't he say soT
cried Mrs. Clark.
II never could tell you how those
men laughed. We began to pull at
those life preservers. When mine
came off looked as II I had been
rolled in insect powder. 1t was a
comfort to see the other two look as
IL they had just escaped from an in
sane asylum.
my puffs are gone!' cried Fay,
feeling her flattened head. They
we're brand newt
"Tt won't matter said Mrs. Clark.
Brown puffs do not match yellow
hair
Insect powder in my hairY
screamed Fay. It's all that mans
fault!
Ibid you really think you were
going DOWN. asked the captain.
Ibid we think we were going |
DOWN. we cried in chorus.
HE looked at the general disorder
tables, stripped chairs, life
preservers and contents of closets on
the floor and our disheveled appear