Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-15
Peerless of Big Business

there a man had his arm around a
woman's waist, but, taken by and
large, it was every one for himself.
There were no children there. Had
there been any children when the rush
started? Perhaps. The boat, low
cred awkwardly, reached the water in
a perpendicular position. Half the peo-
pie fell out. 1 looked away.
mo more boats could be lowered
from our side because the list had
become too great. saw that we
should soon be in the water, and 1 un-
hooked my skirt, so that it would
come straight off and not impede me.
Presently the American doctor thought
we had better take a jump for it. Use
less to wait till the ship sank under
us and sucked us down.
AT the edge of the deck where the
boat had been there was a gap, no rail.
We moved over 1 felt afraid of the
terrific jump-it was sixty feet, nor
mally, from the boat deck to the sea.
And then I saw that my fear existed
only in my imagination. There was no
drop. Suddenly the water came over
the deck on which we stood. We
were not sixty feet above the sea; we
were already under it.
Enormous Ship Sinks.
Il remember very clearly seeing the
green water about my legs up to the
knees. That all happened in a Sec
ond. Then the enormous ship sank
The next thing I remember is being
deep down under water. 1t was very
dark-nearly black. 1 fought to come
up. I was terrified, but my fear had a
very particular object. I was afraid
of being caught by some part Of the
ship and dragged down The fear of
being pulled down was the worst mo-
ment OF terror-the only acute terror
that I knew.
Look" She turned her wrist. A
dark scar marked the white flesh. She
| smiled That was a rope. My wrist
caught it. 1 must have wrenched and
torn at 1t and fought clear
Then l discovered that something
was hampering my right hand. 1t was
the lifebelt I had been keeping for my
| father. I let it go and struck out, and
SO came to the surface.
There, In front of me, I saw a little
bit OF board, thin strip of board
about two feet long. grasped it.
found myself floating, and 1 congratu-
lated myself on finding this life-saving
board. But it was my life-belt that
was keeping me afloat.
1 became part of an island, a float
ing island composed of people, boats,
hencoopS, chairs, RATS, boards-good-
ness knows what besides-all floating
cheek by jowl
"A man with white face and yell
low mustache came and held on to
the other end of my absurd little
board. I did not quite like it, for I
felt 1t was not large enough for two,
but l did not feel justified in object
ing, But presently he began to try
70 move round to my end of the board.
rms frightened me. / felt he wanted
to try to hold on to me too. I sum-
moned my strength-it was an effort
to speak-and told him to 60 back to
ms own end That way we could keep
the board properly balanced He said
nothing, but meekly floated back.
AND after while I became aware
that he had disappeared I don't
know where he went or what happened
to him. Perhaps he floated off on a
hencoop. l don't know whether he
had on a lifebelt. Somehow I think
not.
Some Pray; Others Call for Aid.
There was a good deal of vague, in
termittent sound. Some of the people
floating In our island were praying in
a curious Unconditional tone. Others
shouted for help slowly, impersonally.
Boat boat = I shouted too,
but the foolishness of expecting re-
spouse struck me, and I saved my
strength.
There was no panic here in the
water Everything happened as things
happen in dreams. One was dazed,
! stupid, vague. The sharp agony of
| 1ear leaves one when death is as close
as t was then. One had the sense
rather OF death being a benignant
power. remember that once I
laughed, looking around at the sun and
pale blue sky and calm sea- felt the
whole thing was a nightmare, from
Wnlch l would presently awake. And
seasick
The swell broke In orr island Tina