The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1913-02-07
ALL The MANS FAULT
BY GERTRUDE MILLETT.

NV, Seilu DSAAd, II AOI 81 Win
you on a lake boat this year. I have
too vivid a recollection of my last
lake trip Mrs. Clark invited me to
go to Escanaba with her and Fay on
a freight boat. 1 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 a dream.
The captain and sailors could not do
enough for US. 1t was moonlight and
the lake looked beautiful. 1 felt as
If was on private yacht. It 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, I'M
til it began to look like submarine.
Then when we started for Chicago We
were towing q barge loaded with
more tons and tons of ore.
Eve had been on our way a day,
when l saw that the sky looked like
lead, with ugly yellow streaks across
It. l 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 so?'
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 a thread.
In a few minutes 1t seemed miles
away.
Presently 1 saw a sailor make his
way to the lifeboat. 1 watched him
apxiously. 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
seat and sobbed. I shall never see
my husband again
Tables and chairs were sliding
about. In despair l dropped upon the
floor. Oh, why did l ever comet
Tons of iron below me! I could -
the boat go down into the lake like
cannon ball.
81 know when l strike the water
| cried I'll go straight to the bottom
Fay answered, despairingly, We
all will. Therell be no other place
to go!'
Like a flash all the mean things
1 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. I am
going to put on a life preserver,' she
exclaimed.
There was none in sight We be.
gan to hunt frartically. 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
found them in a closet, covered with
insect powder. We pulled them out
and each grabbed one.
Fay was wriggling into hers-it
looked like a doughnut. l had on a
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 it's place!
Fay and l made dive for the
door. Yes, there was the lifeboat! ]
could hardly believe it.
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.
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 so?
cried Mrs. Clark.
Il never could tell you how those
men laughed. We began to pull al
those life preservers. When mine
came off looked as If l had been
rolled in insect powder. 1t was q
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 f1attened head. They
were brand newt
1T won't matter said Mrs. Clark
| Brown puffs do not match yellow
hair
Insect powder in my hair?
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
-upturned tables, stripped chairs. life
preservers and contents Of closets Oh
the floor and our disheveled appear