The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1917-08-31
Overheard
A Labor Day
Story
By John Twining

every luxury, were millionaires and
multimillionaires some OF whom had
been prominent in the London social
season. and not few brought with
them Jewels, fortune in themselves,
that had blazed in many ballroom in
fEngland's capital. There was one man
aboard occupying suit Of apartments
the price OF which for a four days
trip would give nottingham com
Portable home for a lifetime. These
people. seemingly regardless OF being
suspended between the heavens above
and the bottom Of an ocean several
miles beneath them. wore their fine
clothes at dinner. and In the evening
ate choice viands, drank the best wines,
listened to music, firted. even danced,
whils the hours glided happily away to
the swish OF the waves against the
lsviathan's side-a gayly careless lot,
seemingly oblivious TO the cares and
sorrows Of this world
How different the underworld. which
ON shipboard Is as far beneath the up
U6E WITH h8 III Ill tic utCCA u00
was many a family packed In their
narrow quarters. eating the homeliest
fare, and many, though accustomed to
the ordinary wine OF their country.
were drinking only water. and that out
Of tin cups
Among these steerage passengers was
one Adolph Stair. a Swede, young
man twenty-five years old, with his
bride, Amelia. six years his junior.
They had left their native country,
their simple peasant life, to seek a
home In the new world Adolph was a
mason by trade. and Amelia had work
ed In a factory In her native land. be-
coming expert at weaving. They had
heard that In America the price Of
labor had, by the united effort OF the
laborers, been raised to what seemed
to them very high figure. Accus-
toned as they had been to living on n
pittance, they believed that. receiving
these wages, they could save money
enough within few years 10 build
them a home in which they might live
comfortably for the rest of their days.
And SO. putting together all the mon
ey they had with something that their
parents gave them. they set out on
their long journey for what was to
themfa land of promise. Taking ship
for England. they there re-embarked
for America.
Half their journey across the Attain
tic had been accomplished when one
afternoon fog settled down over the
waters. Fogs on the sea are dreaded
by mariners, and. although the dress
ing In fine clothes. the feasting. the
wine drinking, the music, went on
among the passengers in the main part
Of the ship many heard the constant,
deep toned toot-toot. OF the fog whistle
warning vessels that might be near.
But at last all aboard the great ship
except those whose duty 1t was to sail
her were In their berths
Suddenly there was a crash forward,
the sleepers were awakened, all Jared,
some thrown out of their berths. There
was mad rush to the deck. many go
ing up in their nightclothes, where
they found confusion and saw the
lights OF ship drifting away from
them. Fading into the fog they soon
passed out OF sight. The captain stood
on the bridge .coolly giving his orders,
but few Of them were ob4yed Above
the babel was the wild cry for help
from the wireless machine From the
first the crew realized that the liner
had been hard hit, and the worst was
feared Those who were sent to e1-
anime the damage came rnnningtbsck
to report that the foremost bulkhead
was rapidly fBhrg and that others
astern of ii were In danger Of giving
way.
An. hour later when 1t was known
that the ship was sinking the boats
were lowered and the women and chfI-
dren putfinto them. The men Of NH
lions for the first time In their lives
came toia position where the wife and |
child of an enlgrant were permitted
TO step into llfeboat while they them
selves must remain TO 60 down with |
the ship
One porting among those who were |
to go aud those,who were to(remdin |
It Is the province of this story'to men
lion. Amelia Stair chung 10 her hus-
band and refused to- leave him. Tah-
ing her I'm his arms, he carried her TO |
one OF the boats, put her In and b.
fore she Could get out the boat was
owered and pulled away from the ship. |
The gTay Of the morning revealed
he leviathan a few miles distant, half
;unken, resting on the water like
lying sea monster. Slowly she settled,
watched by those in the boats, nearly |
III Of whom knew that some loved one
vas soons to go down to death with
Ter. Then raising her huge stern she
plunged downward, and the place
where she had been was but a part Of
he boundless ocean.
Safety came for those In the boats
n the appearance of steamer that
lad heard tho wireless cry for succor.
The boats were relieved of their bur
len, and those who had left the sunk
N ship were carried into an American
,ort-
Amella Stair on reaching the land
With her fellow sufferers received ev-
nv attention. But for this the case