Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1915-07-15

freedom in my life, not since was
little girl, playing with my dolls.
"At school was smothered with at
tentions. At home was suffocated
with nurses, companions hated,
chosen for their wealth and rank.
Later l was decked out, sent to a
finishing school, all my nature
cramped and hardened by luxury and
convention. And | always longed for
my emancipation.
do you know what we women have
to look forward to? Marriage. That
Is all. And we are not free to choose.
My father is not unkind to me. but
he understands nothing. 1t is not he
who traded me, but convention again.
1t is the pressure of circumstances,
of environment, more terrible than
physical force So ! am traded for the
coronet of a viscount. That is why
am going to England-to marry him.
And if could be man and free rs
you are free, then only could l begin
to live Goodby."
She turned away hurriedly and he
saw the tears streaming down her
cheeks. He made no effort to follow
her, but stood watching her, like
man in dream.
He dreamed of her during the long
night, when the cattle ship pitched
and tossed heavily in the trough Of
the channel, and the binding fog came
down The timbers of the old ship
groaned as the waves buffeted her.
At his post the captain strained to
catch sight Of the Foreland lights.
Suddenly, with a crash that sent
stopped, shivered and keeled over.
The shock sent the cattlemen flying
from their hunks. They rushed out
into the open space between the pens.
From the upper deck came cries and
the sound Of seamen running. Wom-
en- began to scream. Through the
haze loomed up the squat form of
collier.
There was no possibility Of mistak-
ing what had happened The liner,
rushing at full speed through the
fog, had struck the collier, not with
her bow, but amidships. a gancing
blow which had ripped her outer
sheath nearly halfway from the bow.
She was keeling lower-she would
go under within a few minutes. There
were no water-tight partitions on the
old ship, and, If there had been, they
would have been of little aid in such
q situation.
After the first confusion the cattle
men gathered between decks and
waited. Outcasts as these men were,
they had the discipline of the sea-
They did not know that Mayne was
lying unconscious upon the focstle
floor, where he had been flung by the
shock They waited quietly enough,
listening to the racket overhead. The
seamen were trying to lower the
boats. But those on the port side
were near the water. those on the
starboard unable to be launched ow.
ing to the angle of the vessel
The passengers had been assem-
bed The stewards were running
hither and thither with lifebelts. The
grimy faces of the stokers appeared
above the ladder The fires had al.
ready been flooded
Fortunately the cattle ship carried
few passengers. Even the port boats
sufficed to contain them The collier
had backed away and megaphoned
through the fog. Order was restored
out of chaos Even the cattlemen
were remembered.
Only before all could be taken
away, the ship keeled over and dis
appeared in the swirling waters.
AS she went down the fitting deck
slid Mayne into the water. The shock
Of the immersion revived him; he
found himself gasping and battling for
life in a whirlpool of believing cat
tie and floating planks from the pens.
He managed to catch one and sup
ported himself Over the invisible
water came cries and screams, which
gradually grew fainter.
He was awake now. He knew what
had occurred. 1t was strange that at
that moment he thought, not of his
past love SO dishonored, but of the
girl he had seen.
And, as he pictured her. he saw her
face painted upon the drifting haze.
Another, instant and he was staring
into her eyes.
She was clinging to the keel of an
upturned boat, which had been swept
down into the rapids, carrying its in.
mates to destruction in the swamp
of the liner. How she had lived
never knew; she thought afterward
It was because Mayne was so near,
because there was life for both Of
them, to be lived together
He saw her upturned face and
swan toward her. A moment later
he was clinging to the boat beside
her, supporting her. He climbed
upon the keel and pulled her up after
him. She sank back into his arms
Day broke and the fog drifted away
Upon the horizon appeared the white
sails of fishing schooner. She was
bearing down upon them. The girl
lifted her haggard face
"All my past, all have, my family.
my friends were on the ship--in the
boat that went down." she said
And my past" he began.
"Listen!" he cried fercely Il want
to live again, new life, untroubled
by any thoughts of the past | have
money in my clothes-enough to help
me to begin that life And / want to
help you to begin yours
ours" she said gravely-for one