Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1914-01-08

I state Of uncertainty. She had decided
/ at last in .avor IF my rival and had
/ n0 more cause - complain than he
would have had he lost her.
! During the next two or three years
| | shipped from other ports than my
| home. ! couldn't bear to 90 there to
| find Jennie possessed by another. The
| bridal voyage was II short one. after
| which letters from my mother inform
ed Inc that Jennie had settled down
ashore. Mother knew Of my disap-
| pontmcnt and seldom wrote me let
! ter without mentioning my lost love.
| She has said since that she had feel
! ing that Jennie would vet some day
| be mine.
| became master of Il vessel and
was sailing between Japan and san
! Francisco. On one Of my return voy-
ages when out on the Pacific ocean
one morning. seeing a dark object ON
the horizon, | raised my glass and dis
cerncd ship rising and falling with
the waves. ! could discern no masts;
neither could | see smokestack Con
scqucntly | was unable to make out
whether she was Il Sailer or q steamer.
We were heading a few points south
Of her, and when we had come nearer
and / was still puzzled as to what she
was | directed that the ship be pointed
directly toward her.
shes derelict sir" said the sec
ond officer, who was also watching
her.
~ believe she is" | replied It's
lucky we met her by daylight and SO
near on her course We must sink
her"
AS we drew near the vessel we saw
that she was Il sailcr, or, rather, had
been, for every mast was gone. With
nothing to steady her, she was rolling
about, sometimes on her beam ends,
yet sometimes riding over wavc-in
deed, helpless. We saw no one on
deck ana had no idea that there was
any one on her. We approached her
from her stern, and ] kept my glass
fixed upon her so that as soon as we
came near enough | might read her
name. Before | made out the letters
place from which she hailed, ports
mouth, New Hampshire"
Get II boat ready, Mr.. Marks" |
said to the second officer.
The order was obeyed, | intending tC
send him to the wreck to sink her.
But when we came near enough for
the purpose | changed my mind and
ItA ami,
quite high, but, approaching from the
lee side, we managed to get safely
aboard the vessel. She had evidently
met with prolonged foul weather, for
her mastS had been cut away. The
remnants of jib were still fiuttering
in the wind. Some of the boats were
gone, others were swinging from their
davits, while one, loose at the bow,
was pounding on the deck.
The fore part of the ship had been
washed by the waves, but was now
dry. The stern was high out of wa
ter. Descending the companionway, we
came upon several corpses of men or,
rather, skeletons, for they had evident
ly starved. one of them | had seen
in life, but | did not know that l had.
for he was so changed that | did not
recognize him. Leaving my men amid
ships, | went aft, for if there was any
living creature aboard | would find it
there.
| said at the beginning of this re-
cital 1t is too serious to call yarn
that | would test the credulity of the
nearer. But after all, what | am go
ing to relate was but n coincidence
There is nothing improbable in one
meeting Il former friend in Patagonia,
or in going into Il morgue and seeing
stretched on slab brother one has
not met for years. These things are
happening frequently, and why should
not L
But am going too fast. | made my
way to the stern companionway and
descended into the cabin. The door of
n room stood open; it was hooked, and
l looked in.
Would that there were some medium
capable of giving my quick mental
transitions rs | stood there gazing on
the object before me. There is no such
medium; only words, and they are not
adequate. a living woman lay in
berth, looked ut her and wondered
where was, what | was doing, whcth
er some mental stroke had not hcfallcu
me- Within Il few seconds the with
cred features resolved themselves into
those of my lost love. My Jennie was
there. starving
There was not the same look of as
constituent on her face there was ON
mine. Her senses were too hunted. |
went to her, knclt by her berth and put
my arms around her. Then, realizing
that food was of the first Importance
ran out and called to the men. Think
ing it possible that some living person
might he found on the derelict, bot
tie of broth had been brought. This
called for and began to feed it in mi
| mute doses.
| NV warn has been spun. What re