The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-01-17

on his headr"
"Yes; the mans wound is really seri-
ous. Pm keeping him in bed. But you
can go up to see him. He's talked a
lot about you, Carolyn May"
The sailor lay in the warm bedroom
over the kitchen.
Carolyn May prattled on gayly and
soon had her "sailor man" telling all
about the sea and ships, and "they
that go down therein"
For, you see," explained Carolyn
May, I'm dreadful curious about the
sea. My papa and mamma were lost
at sea-"
"You don't say so, little miss" ex-
claimed the old fellow. "Aye, aye,
that's too bad"
Miss Amanda had disappeared, busy
about some household matter, and the
little girl and the sailor were alone to-
gethec.
"Yes." Carolyn May proceeded, ut is
dreadful hard to feel that it is So"
Feel that what's so, little miss?"
asked the man in bed.
THAT my papa and mamma are real
ly drownd-ed," said the little girl with
q%uivering lips. "SOme Of the folks on
their boat were saved. The papers
said So"
"Aye, aye!" exclaimed the sailor, his
brows puckered into a frown. AYE,
aye, matey that's allus the way. Why,
l was saved myself from a wreck. l
was in the first officers boat, and we in
that boat was saved. There was an
other boat-the purser's, 1t was-was
driftin' about all night with us. We
come M time near smashin' into each
other and wreckin' both boats. There
was a heavy swell on.
"Yet," pursued the sailor, "come day
light, and the fog splittin', we never
could find the purser's boat. She had
jest as good q chance as us after the
steamship sunk. But there it was! We
got separated from her, and we was
saved, whilst the purser'S boat wasn't
never heard on again"
'"That was dreadful! !" sighed the lit
tie girl.
"Yes, little miss. And the poor pas
sengers! Purser had twenty or more
In his boat. Women mostly. But there
was a sick man, too. Why, I helped
lower his wife and him into the boat
fore 1 was called to go with the first
I officer in his boat. We was the last to
least off. The purser had jest as good
q chance as we did.
81 guess / won't never forgit that
time, little MISS" went on the seaman,
seeing the blue eyes fixed on his face,
round with interest. "No! And I've
seen some tough times, too.
"The ship was riddled. She had to
sink-and 1t vas night.
There a q sick man / told you
about, little miss. He was a wonder,
that Teller! Cheerful-brave- Don't
often see a Teller like him. Jokin' to
the last, he was. He didn't want to 60
in the purser's boat, If there was more
women or children to 60.
"We told him all the women folk had
left the ship. SO, then, he let me lower
Al uoNh III LhC puAotl . DouI dLtCA
his wife. And that boat had as good a
chance as we had. / tell you," repeated
the seaman in quite an excited manner
ooh, dear mel" exclaimed Carolyn
May. "My papa and mamma might
have been just like that" she added.
"Of course, we don't know whether
they got off the steamship at all"
"Aye. aye" the sailor said. "Pretty
tough on you, little miss"
Miss Amanda had come back into
the room, and she stood listening to
the old mans talk. She said:
Carolyn May, l think you had better
go downstairs now. We mustn't let
our patient talk too much. 1t won't be
good for him."
So Carolyn May shook hands with
the old sailor and started downstairs
ahead Of Miss Amanda. The latter
fingered a moment to ask a question.
"What was the name of the steam
ship you were wrecked on 2" she asked.
"The one you were just telling about"
"She was the Dunraven-the Dun
raven, of the Cross and Crescent line,"
replied the mariner. Didn't I tell you
that before, ma'am?"