Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1920-12-16

and to walk briskly along the deck until sh
reached the fOrecastle. She could not have ex
planned to herself what impulse took her there
1t was something outside herself some strang
power working detached, yet compelling her t
obey its behests
She crouched up in the bows, watching thu
sparkle of water spring gurgng from the fore
foot watching the frothng bubbles stream ava!
on either side the black bluff bow.
Vainly she shook herself and assured her owr
heart of its foolishness. Vainly she tried to drag
herself away from her sef-appointed post The
air was chill with the beginnings of the dawn
wind; she shivered repeatedly and remained
seas far rim Her gaze returned, only to be
lifted again; suddenly she stiffened where she
Stood and her strained
IA She sprang upon the rail and stood there erect,
i her eyes peering intenty. Was it fancy could
she actually see something?
There in the middle distance-a veritable
speck In the waste of waters-was it a shadow,
IVES it he fin of a lurking shark, or was twas
: Coca, ~ serunrsas25l ALL, then she aft
tht>l had patching her In wonder.
"Hirani-0ut there-what is It, what is iti
Hiram, heard cry!'
She was clutching at him Historically and
pointing with trembling finger To humor her he
fetched his binoculars and focused Them Mad
deningly slow, she thought him. He searched
idly for a moment then his figure became rigid
Back the mainyard" he roared in mighty
voice From the forepeak whittier he had de-
scended the mate came aft at run; the men
following fast.
"Theres raft out there-some it,"
said Hapshott slowly, his voice almost drowned
by the CHATTER of the swinging yards,
It was Captain Hapshott himself who sprang
into the boat that hastily lowered; 1t was he
who urged the rowers onward. Mrs. Hapshott,
now that the thing was DONE was possessed by
a curious calmness, that yet held expectancy
something strange was happening out there be-
yond the range of her vision but all was work
ing together for good She tried to focus the
binoculars on the boat and on the fragment that
foated ahead but she was all unused to the task
and could make out nothing but blur.
The boat turned-hung mOtlOness those
aboard were busy at some task Then the oars
shot out like the limbs of a gigantic spider; Mrs
Hapshott's heart beat faster and faster-so fast
that only with difficulty could she draw her
breath
"Shall we haul you up sir?" hailed the mate,
reaching far cupboard, and from Captain Hap
shott's lips came hoarse, unreal cry that Jones
took affirmative
The boat shot alongside; still the captains wife
did not move from her position by the mizzen-
mast The tackles were hooked on, men swarmed
up them and added their weight to the falls; the
boat leaped upward, was swung nboard.
I "Bear hand here" she heard her husband
Say, and then the mists vanished from her eyes |
and she clearly. Captain Hapshott was COM
ing aft, talking earnestly TO the mate. And In
his arms he carried little child
Mrs. Hapshott acted exactly as If she had been
expecting this gift from the sea. She held out
q q. arms and took the waillng mite, hushing 1t
- against that broad maternal bosom of hers,
- It, smiling down into Its crumped face.
~ tered nothing to her how the babe had
or AAt was there; It's tiny fingers around her
n "; its little head nestled against her heart
IA dead woman and a living child-no signs of
The words came to her fitfully,
forcing themselves through the strange, hallowed
10y that filed her being mo telling what's hap
pened-must be wife of skpper-sole sur
vlvors-w knows? The woman's dead poor
thng-but the child seems strong enough-wilI
be later"
"If we'd been sailing yesterday we'd have
passed 1t In the dark likely" said the mate;
we'd never have seen 1t, God! look at Mrs
Hapshott she's grown younger"
The skipper walked across TO his wife.
SVEN have to advertise" he said, shakily |.
Dying with the little grasping hands. 'But like
y no one will claim tits as much ours as any
tell the steward to make some milk
eady-"
"'Unto us child is glven.'" said Mrs. Hap
hott solemny. "Hlram, this Is Gods Christmas
present to you and me-"