HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times, 1890-5-15, Page 6IOSS OF THE MAMMA.
A Thrilling Tale of the Sea.
DIED AT 13.IS root
I was now thoughly alarmed. INThere was
the negro who ordinarily waited at table?
What could the cook be doixeg? And why
hail not the cheery captain cent° down in
accordance with his wont?
Although I had the honor of serving '3' - at heart and eonvineed tlllLt some
miller the Confederate flag duringthe thing far more terrible than I had up to that.greater part of what it is still the fashion to time Imagined Inust have occurred, I once
call "the late unpleasantness' in Auieriea, I more moluded the companion stairose. I
ant an Englishman, and have never ceased knocked loudly at the door which led ont on
tolaea British subject. It is perhaps for deck, but there was no response. I hammer -
this reason that in the autumn of 1804, when ed at it with fists and heels, but ID vain. The
the cause of seeession had already begun to dead lights at the top had not been removed,
look very black, I was selected liv the Con- although there was no farther need for their
federate goverument to carry to Paris some protection. Returning again, I fettled a meat
very important secret despatches. Theaxe in the pantra.a and with this, after ten
Southern ports were effectrally blockaded ' unieutes, work, 1 forced out one of the panels
by the federal squadrons, and, upots my ite- of the companion door, which I then opened
eeptiag the dangeronee vet withal attraetive• ity taming the key :ruse the outaide•
171ission, it was deeitled`that, instead of at- , Lashed W the stump of the mainntast was
'tempting to sail direct. I should make my the frozen, body of the captain, covered from
tray overland as best I could to New York, , bead to foot with glistening ice. Ile had
and thence take passage on board a British, died at his post.
steamer bound for Liverpool. , It was a pitiable sight; yet worse remain -
During my stay in New York I was in- to be seen.
trodueed by some English acquaintances WI 1 noticed that the ship was very much
an American family of the name of Vanhoof. !down by thehead, and, upon Walking forward
Always afraid of exciting suspieion, I felt !I discovered thatthe for castle companion
hound to agree to a proposition which wasidoor hail beess wrenched from its hingea alai
'made to me by Mr. and Mrs, Vaulted. :that thehow compartment as full of water
Their daughter Celia was going to join laer'Even, while I gazed into the black gulf.
sister in Eagiand, autil itutittled to sail in ,
beneath me, I saw floating in it the bodies
the Olympia, aecompanied only by !!l!.0&1. of several seamen, and then the hideous
Would 1, 1 was asked, net as the youngltruth broke in on me anti I knew that I and
lady's escort ? I assented, simply lecause the tWO women were the only living souls
.,
1 did not know on what atrounds to refuse. onboard the Olympia.
•And so, one wet ami seneereble morning. we;
IN TUE 11ANDS OF two.
vent 911 TKiarti the hiat steamer und Were
I No wonder that I felt as if
harball my strength
towed out of or.
had ebbed from tile, when once more I
AT TIM ST..1Treei MERCY. found my way into the saloon. Where I
The weather during the tiret three days 0f,was I knew not. For many hours the -es -
the yoyage was wet, but not
otherwise mi. sel hail drifted with the storm; my know.
'
pleasant, but on the fenirth 41ay /he oiympia ledge of navigation was not suffiaieut to en -
was overtaken by a viehmt atom from the ,able me to take art observation and so to
westward. We were, I should explain, the , arrive at ifly position. I could. do nothing.
only passengers, for wollioassieat,Wrs between . I oweltanittally imw
sereed the deedlights
an
Europe ti Anseriea was 1744 tlIell SO eaSy :that tilvered the 5110011. 1:70TtS 111111,1111,11 tried
end 1011111147a ad it iS 111711, itIllt neither the to put the room III order,
potent raw the tituatiles 4e1 stifitita amiss the t''''ha entered while I was engage(' and
A
looked at me us wonderment. t:untie enwearaawl people to trav4:1 0551- looked
hat is the matter?" she said.
ward for pie:testae'.
The ship seemed to be doomed. to daster. 44W1y don't you leave that to the steward.?
The captain Liens.eif, an old ealt who hied I suppose that he has overslept himself,
vaned the Atiantie for forty years, hail never poor fellota llut there is so) greet hurry for
Wore experieneed sueli weather, and the breakfast, is therer
bands, always rather prone to superstition,: I turned my lave from her, not liking to
aleelared with conxi,Aion that "summat was trust thYself to tell her the truth.
wrong soniewlieres." They had no respite, "NN elli she continued. "since it la suelz a '
-peer fellows. The donkey engine, whielt lovely morning I shall g? on deek."
(night w have worked the steam pumps. was „ "Poe God's sake. no!' I ejaenlated, rush -
smashed, owl the pumps, which it wasneces. mg to place myself between Miss N anima
rary to keep geing continually, had to be and the door. "I mast tell you. I suppose.
worked by hand. h:verv seam= Immo A most awful thing has happened. I do not
haw fearfully lithos ef that kind tells on a know what, 1)14 I thltlk it must bare been a
ar„ wheo there ia a heavy sca on. and when vi.-aterspout that frightened us so last night.
the men, in addition to tieing always wet 1 ou must not go on deok. There are things
alwough, are hal:frozen. The hurricane be. there wrileli ru must not see. Indeed you
'came, if possibe, snore and more savage, it lutist net go.
literally blew great guns, and °nate evening, Celia SW by my manner that I was very
a the math day the wiptain, fevIlug that lus mach in earnest. TO me," she said, losing
crew were rapollygrow mg too week to strug. so 00 100, has any one been killed. Ifas
gle any long", maw ,uswn into the saloon any one been hurt! Oh let sue go and help
and b tie us prepare for the worst He was 'them
"Sit down," I said solemnly, "you Can do
still talking to us, when a shock, different
fr
audiling. We three are in the hands of tied, om any 1 11111. We had 'already experienced,
shook the vwsel, azol 0 moment later it was , In all this ship we and amtir maid are the
reporteil that 114'T shaft 11 4ei broken and that mil living ereatttres."
her maims were, therefore, useless. "What 410 you umant" she eried, becalm
It
ing still paler. wits midnight. The storm was more
terrili"., !him ever. A partieulariy heavy " Last night in that fearful commotion,
a a away toe foremast, snapping we heard shrieks even above the roaring of
1e,01, ".1!4 a Sliation erash about six feet the wind and the dashingof the waves. They
thee* . % , ,teuk. The word was given, 44All eame from the crew. Heaven alone knows
hoe ,., ou deck to lear awa.y wreckage io ,how it all happened but / lettve been on deek,
and the ehivering crew swarmed up the Om- allil I have seen the work of the storm.'
Pardon. and with axes and capstan bars set
to work to throw the shattered utast and
gear overboard. Cold, stiff and weary, the
men made but slow progress= the slippery,
ice bound deck. More than one of them,
indeed,had been washed away in thestruggle,
when suddenly and without warriutg the must save me. I cannot die. It is cruel ! And
'wind dropped. I 'mewl quick , shrieks, of we are all alone, in mid -ocean !"
terror, and the voice of the captain shouting 'gently freed myself from the hand win&
to the men to close the companion. Theu she had placed upon my shoulder. "I must
till the sounds on deck were drowned to a go," I said, "if we 500 10 escape with our
"wild, unearthly roar that now rose high lives. We must do our best to attract the at.
tention of passing. vessels. If we have any
more rough weather it may sink the ship al-
together.' And I went on deck.
1Vith the axe I reverently cut down the
captain's body, and then, rolling it in a cloth
which I obtained from below, 1 weighted it
and lowered it overboard. I also committed
the steward's body to the wave, and with
the few facilities that were at my command
battened down the forward companion, for
while that remained open I dared uot allow
the women to come up on deck. When I had
fastened it handerkerchiet to the stump of
one mast and a piece sailcloth to that of
another, and had assured myself that no
vessel was in sight, I returned to Celia, whom
I found bending over her maid and trying to
restore animation, for the girl had fainted.
ABOVE A WATERY GRAVE.
I procured some coals from the bunkers,
rearranged and lighted the stove in the
saloon and a second stove, by means of which
cooking operations could he carried on in
the pantry, and in the chart room came upon
an excellent glass, which I lost no time in
carrying up to Celia. By midday I had. a
large flag flying five -and -twenty feet above
the deck., and had the satisfaction of feeling
that no ship could come within a radius of
eight or ten miles without seeing it.
But when all the needful supplies had been
found there was little for me to do save to
watch. Celia's maid cooked the meals; and
while Celia and she were below eating their
share I remained on deck, going down when :
they relieved me, and hastily swallowing my'
portion. The weather grew considerably'
warmer, and even the women could keep '
watch during the day time without much
personal discomfort; but at night the work
could only be done by me. At dusk I light..
ed all the lanterns that I could lay my hands
upon, and fastened thein th my improvised ,
flagstaff and to the stumps of the masts. At
ten I sent the women to bed, and with my
thickest great coat buttoned up ander my
chin and a rough pilot jacket beneath it
went on deck to remain there for eight
hours. ,
It was a moonlight night and there was
almost a dead calm— a strange contrast to
the riot and turrnoil of the previous evenin g
The sea resembled a slightly ruffled sheet of
molten silver, and the light swell that is
seldom or never wholly absent on the Atlan-
tic was not sufficient to cause any percep-
tible motion to the disma,sted vesseL
Although I am, I hope, no coward, I kept
aft There was something horrible in tramp-
ing the deck above the watery grave of these
unknown and unnumbered dead in the fore-
castle, and, besides'the stern of the vessel
was higher than the water-logged bows, 1
and from it I could see further than from
any other part of the ship, when, as hap-
pened scores of times during my watch, I
swept the dim horizon with my glass each
time seeing nothing, and .each time turning
away with an ever =teasing load of depres-
sion on my heert. That night, however, I
watched in vain, and at six o'clock I awoke
the women and as soon as they relieved • me
turned in to get a couple of hours' sleep be-'
fore breakfast, leaving word that I was to he
called if any sail were sighted. •
I
i
SINKING. wonder whether, after all, her cargo would
i
When I awoke again it was nearly
y her not keep her afloat, when, at about ten
Celia had let me sleep, and had nine.
o'cloch, her stern, suddenly canted up into,
owie hands prepared my breakfast, while her the air, and she sank- head foremost, leaving
maid,who had now recovered froili the first 110perceptible trace of herself upou the
, shoot of the calamity, remained, alone ott bosom of the sea. We looked in solemn
deck silence toward the spot which had so nearly
1 And so another long day slowly passed, been cnitir commou_ grave. I was sad, and
aud at its clo.ee help seemed to be no nearer tears g steiled in Miss N'enhoof's eyes, but,
than in the morning. For forty-eight hours she brushed them indignantly away.
!
,. we had, been drifting so wahaag at the mercy of the I
i winds and currents, and We had been long "I ain afraid," I said at last, " that our
, enough at sea to have Almost reached Queens- prospects are rather black. We have now
i town, and yet we were still probably with. only our,provisions aud this wretched raft
in a couple or three hundred miles of the to depend upon. The least rough weather
hamerion coast. That night I again. kept may deprive us of one, or even both of them,
watch, but ia, was drearier work than it hahl aud so we must make up our minds for the
been before. Hope was dying "131` at .WOrst. Yet we must slot be altogether down.
tharteason of the year it WAS not likely that hearted. There are at this momexit 1i1111-
1
Nnutny noire hours would elapse without areas of ships iti the orth Atlantic, and
bringiug rough weather, and I knew only it is quite likely that we may drift across
tceo well what frightful risks the disabled the track of one °intent,
ship would run directly the sea should rise, " Good Heavens !" interrupted MISS Vaal-
' again. My anxieties were further increased hoof, who had just then begets* to take stock
,
by tht hnowledge—obtained surreptitiouely of the provisions and stem, ''We have no
during the day—that the Olympia was slow-
water."
• ly but steadily settling down. The forward'' No water 1" I exclaimed with constern-
bulkheads were not aboaluteiy watertight, kation and incredulity, " Impossible ! I fill -
hut it was not the leakage from the fore- ea two kegs last, night, and pot them ready
castle that I feared. That would, only help on deek. They must, he here:"
. to put the ship once more upon =MR keeL i But they were not to be found. " Surely,"
i There were other leakages AS well. On the said Miss Vanhoof to her maid, " you did
. night of the fearful storm the vessel had
' been strained beyond endurance, and 1 5:11:5-itiet, 101:01) them."
The poor girl's reply was a peel of idiotic
, tied myself that far more water VMS enter- laughter ; and at last we diaeovered that,
mg the hold than was dr:titling from the for. Apprehensive. that the raft would be over -
ward compartment. file level there watt weighted, she had tittestiia in the swarms;
ouly a few melses lower than it had been un rolled them into the sea, not realizing in
the 1500111115when I hat" Arst. seen t,ne her hysterical excitement that the keg eon.
drowned bodies floating below ; but Ine tained the most important, portion of the
; night (Wednesday) fully tell inches big ler clewed, that they were full of s irits,
level in the main hold was on the eeerd whole equipment, and 'belie, as she de.
I than it had been on Wednesday morsung,
and at that rate of pi:ogress it seemed blew- wangle the W0111411 *01)0 had OM 81,011011For an instant, I confess, I felt AS if I could
table that the Olyntra must sink in two or sny plans; but when elle knew what she had
three &ye, if not sooper. All the pumps slone her self reproaches were so bitter thist
I were damaged or wholly destroyed, last even could not help pitybig her. It was only clear
lf theY were 11(ht " "Iliill 11" "rk the" , that she was ra »Ay becoming less and less
Nresponsible for er Wiens.
p
eiii :01KII:C: Aepa:efor„
the worst, ,411u 1111151
" Well." says Mies Vanhoof bravely, "we
I deterinin
must suffer together then, I suppose ; aud,
after all, 1 amto blamefor not haviugwatela
hatches and barrels, so as to be rawly.
"Dou't despair," he mid ,„, ed the kegs, Alla for not having missed them
well we have WA (M L far !. -;w:Ssebeall""r before WO Started."
a sail today, I hope." - A MA= num
"Ah ! Hope is 14 feeble reed for us. We I The prospect WAS now truly frightful.
must work. We must do our best to make The witel was piercing cold ; Gee torments of
a raft 1 1int33 abe've all we MU" WaStVI 110 thirst were almost within sight ; sual the
time."
do you think the Asp eall float 1" iutilt1v41aPsPe3'v.iiguil IastitiesuiVelitglattl'alladinitiQiumpetbrail
"And for hawing," she ventured timidly,
"I an't say. Perhaps for two (lir ; bethe chances of her mop:Lamm
chaps 114)1114)1 for 01)0. Now let us begin. I made Miss Vanhoof lie down, and, ham-
per . made her as warm as I could, devoted
READY 81111 THE worst. myself by turns to scanning the horizon and
I had stlready dragged up from below two to watebing the girl. I felt that, come what,
cylindrical halts of timber. 1 bad determined might, I dared not sleep. The dangere were
to ham the raft oil these, so that in case of too DIRDY and too imminent. Ill order to
need they might serve as rollers to aul us m keep inySeil 411%4 e 1 c lea ei ea leavvii an"
launching it. Empty barrels and cases were continually wetted my head with stilt water.
uot plentiful. Such things are generally It WM about two o'clock and Miss Van.
the good fortune to find some casks of stole up behind. Inc. I was standing ageing,
g quietly1 the t moan et erboard as uselees, But I bad i . .
p
hl
Malone which had presumably beenshipped the mast. Putting her hands upon my
in order to benefit by one or two ovean shoulder she hissed late 11)3' 0140, "I want
voyages, anti I knocked out the bungs of somethiug to drink !"
these, drained away the generous wine, aud "I can't help it," I returned, as I shook
baying rendered them watertight hauled myself free and faced her ; "you threw the
them, wit h seinen difficulty, on deek and keg" hverheartle you know. I am very
lashed them together as a 'buoyant under. sorry, but if you are thirsty it, is you awn
structure for our new craft. liut to Invade fault."
six heavy casks and then by sheer main She laughed at me. "Guess you want me
force to hoist them out 01 1* vessel's holil are to believe that lie," she said i "hut you've
operations whiela when there is but one lean got water, I know, and I wautsome."
to perform them, take a great deal longer to "There is no water on the raft," "I replied,
carryout than describe ; and it was already "so sit down and be quiet."
growing dark when the last of the six reached But instead of obeying me she Wean to
the deck. I contented myself for the nonce search among the parcels and packages and
with tying it firmly to the others and lashing to fling them about, quite regardless whither
the whole mass securely to the stump of the she east them.
mainmast, but my ultimate design was to "You .will throw something overboard if
den comings yau 1100 not careful," 1 said sternly. "Sit
overlay the casks with Gee woo
of the hatchways, and so to make a kind of down or I shall have to tie your hands."
deck upon which to stow provisions and She laughed again. "Tie my hands 1" she
baggage. exclaimed in derision. "Guess ril jump
At ten o'clock I went down into the bold. overboard first."
The water there had rieen snore than a foot 'WAIT AND DOPE
TO WATCH FOR 115171..
She looked at me speechless and with
evident horror. At last she rose, trembling,
but self-possessed.
"You must save us," she said. "You
above the turmoil of the waves. There was
.a 'fearful shock, and the smitten vessel seem-
ed to spin round and round as if she were
descending the vortex of a -whirlpool.
"Oh 1 What has happened, Mr. Herrick ?"
gasped Celia, "Are we sinking ?"
"God alone knows," I answered, "but
something very awful must be upon us,'
Just then the bows of the Olympia, were
lifted bodily out of the water, it bitter cry
if agony and horror was audible from the
deck above the roar of the conflicting ele-
ments, the vessel reeled and quivered as if
she had come into violent collision with a
rock or an iceberg, and so nearly perpendi-
cular did she rear herself that I feared that
whe mat inevitably sink by the stern ere
she could regain an even keel. •
She came down again, however, not
'gradually, as on the slope of a roller, but
-suddenly as with a thump ; and then the
=earthly din slowly died away and gave
-place once more to the ordinary whistle and
-whine of the storm.
Foram TEE STEWARD DEAD.
•Celia and her maid were preparing to go
'to bed after their long day of excitement
and terror, and were only waiting to bid
me good night
"I think that the sea is quieting down a
little," I said hopefully; "and I trust that
the raptain gave you an unnecessary fright
this evening when he told you to prepare
for the worst. It has been bad enough, but
westill have the good ship beneath us, and
would not be surprised if in the morning
we find that the sun was shining and the
storm had worked itself out"
1 also turned in. My expectations were
justified. I succeeded in getting a good
might's sleep and when I awoke the sea was
comparatively calm and there was every
pros,peat of a fine day. I rose and was
rather astonished to find that the steward
had not brought me hot water as usual. At-
tributing the omission, however, to the dis-
astrous consequences of the previous night's
'barmen, I washed and shaved in cold, and
then went into the saloon hungry as it hun-
ter, prepared to see brea,kfsat ready on the
But no sign of breakfast was visible.
The saloon remained itt the condition in
which I had left it, and no one could be
heard moving about either above or between
decks. •
I rang the bell sharply, but there was
no reply. The dead lights were still up,
and almost the only light in the saloon at
-half-past eight o'clock on a fine morning
was the sickly light of the cabin lamp that,
owing to the breaking of its chins/ley, had
filled the room with smuts and evil odors.
I rang again, and then unscrewing the
bump and carrying it with me, went in
-aearch of the missing steward.
This time I found him—dead on the floor
-of his cabin, whither he had evidently been
thrown by the great concussion of the night
thefore. The poor fellow had apparently
been lying half dressed in his berth, believ-
ing, probably, that his services would not
be required again until the morning, and
•and had been thrown violently out, his
head coming into contact with the sharp,
brass bound corner of his chest.
uex 53' t0 altenipt 10 1115 1(0 a 1 4 0111 0
was senseless and struggled no more I was
so exhausted that I could not even pull on
the rope, the end of which I still retained.
Then crallips took hold of me a,nd I lost
hope, I remembered the rescuing ship that
WAS so meat' at hand and the despatches
'which I .....n.., to Europe but I did
A Word for our Mothers,
"The Chief Etta of Women" is the
title of sin Petiole which says i. Peri-
odical literature for women concerns
itself so largely with her new successes in
the business world, is so taken up with
not suffer. My eyes looked up for 4 moment ehrontchug her achievements ni commerce,
10 Waal
at the still glorious beauty of the evening in literature and iu art, that t.1
, sky, aud then closed, as I thought, forever. reader might be pursuaded to believe the
-
I But my time had not come. Miss Vanhoof good, old fashionedoceupation of leather -
had opened her eyes and had seenethat hare hood had falleu into disrepute. Surely,
pened. Not many yards from her I was „ be done with all the might: atui skin
whatsoeverthe female mind finds to do, let
struggling 10 the sea. By gently hauling on "
the rope, whielt I fortunately clutched cora possible ; hist let the woman not forget in
vulsively in my need, she drew mcs to the her new delight in the discovery of the wide
board. or her anew= aimus pma=sauna.
ran e of her powers the diva): and majesty
raft's side anal dragged me senseless osi - ,g . , ,. , . . a
SAVEV,,I .. Let her remember that in ail the ages she Iralf an hour later the shtw Rosierucian, all
of lunnanity ; that, in the face of
has tood sat the altar of life the hgh
i
Ave days out from &John's, ahiewfoundland, au accusation of weakness and inferiority
anti 'bound. far Louden with cargo came she hasgone with dumb lips and brave eyes
alongside and havered a boat. At first the
people believed that Loth Miss Vanhoof and again aud again lett° the shadow of death to
1 iInzedro:eydetahda,tarlaii%tvakmos ifiorotnuauttliilethceolmoalltoosve. ,:fla:te:pher::::::Beet:deyr the rage ; and that in
state into which I had fallen while attempht" being
these later days of knowletiza biologists,
ing to save the wretched girl, h announce that it is AO who le the
of thePshenomena, of
to destroy herself had altimateIti"lpeeeentr6h4a1 'trunk of the tree of life, and GM males are
bub 4sisl t arr forcel tIeworiilfgenesis
1 too successful. Even then I was o weak Te seiItie1ttafron:mhiehueheo:
and
weary that 100111(1 do little save ask ray .
clusious have been drawn have not been en -
whereabouts. It was not until Sunday that tirely hidden from popular apprehension,
I I Appeared on deek, but ill the meantime I
had seen Miss Vanhoof. for certain facts of heritage are matters of
I 1 do not recollect that there was any love proverbial aceeptanee. Great men have
malting between 10. I oily remember that .neadr/Y -4-1571.,YeTtltmd-art .7"ffuledeohairaeltetri
as she sat by lest' cot, I took, her baud, end strength of a Wien are usually in direct
that it seemed to me to he the In"'5t wItural'proportion to the liberty Ind dignity of its
thing in the world. that I siandil ask her to i
iig
be utY wife' al"1 that site sh""b1 8"e' "1"."." to the same eonclusioll11 I t 11 t r .
The iove inalsiog eithie afterwarea ; ea at, e It is undoubtedly proven that, in Capella,
1 iselt3isptpie r5,11tIvi gilt, 110111 asw-ea Wrg CI 1 aCirt1:41!;fg Iiilill,taian..aiity and the freeaem of their intelligence,
ge,"4" **hero the women are famous for their origin.
nel, 19111111 GS 0119 evening '61;`,'1.1.i'4' ue"ladit, the men are noted for the highest develop.
the wheel beim' alul sah",:—.1",a, 1 ment of the S10110 gnalities, aliti the aatidit
all the slaameY, mooneY, athh,s"hhie(4 i PX. moves with prodigieus strides toward the
eieesive Pays us ever I eiaPPelt eyes 08 Yell full perfection of existence. Let the brit -
air by some elialks the very wustest couple. Jim t wo its of vo tan he glurilicd, and cried
N" i Don't Yen In cmlyealenee Ywraelvesi 'linens the house tops with trunmets of
Miss Vaultoof and Mh. Herrith. Bless you!, sayer ;
with a wink at me, "see here, 'hliss h an- able as galy may be in themselves. Her
I've leen through Gee mill myself. Rut, works a • the1 f 1 ' 1 slierves mina.
but let it not he imagined that these
v reb. Mr. Herilek is a rel.), ale to t along ,
hoof, closet you give your affeclion to 14" '.real missimi is greater au wieler them all
Iwith Geuerel Lee. That s so, ' with all- this' anti them pictures, h'Irs, aele"iille
. other wink. "Eh, Mr. Herlicit t" pll it discoveries, learmng and commercial sue -
was tea late. cena ‘,.aabeef haa sna-dlt7.ap.. .4:eSfieS are but the means by which she works
her mind. toward the lifting of the whole race.
' .lotherli000d grows more glorious with
Ia ............-...
TBLEGRAPHTO BRIM. ;being, and her offapring, like the whelps of
every step She takes upward m the Bessie of
I WiNls•PO
.the Items, shall lee brought forth heirs of
. . •
her own rigdoza of power ail (*ammo%
Mr. Mercier, the Premier of Quebec, is re; i..Ince she las-caught Up the tore i of wisdom
0r
au earn110e11 ti . a
ported to be seriously 111. , learning. „
dile. Men of races may be destroyed
Capt Casati the Italian explorer of Africa, Tess
nud ablitero.ted by lower forces, but woman
haS (11 (4*, the German service. 4 is eternal. War and barbarian influx pass
The Spanish Government will introduce a by and er„re her,
bill in thC
e artes for improving the it:audition and whatever social or
,political convulsion znay attack oiw present
of the workmanship. ..eiltiliZati0111, st cannot be wholly destroyed,
i " Several Berlin employers have resolved dike those of old time, since of this one wo.
upost almhslang Sunday work in their estabe man bolds the tweet.
lishmente.
In the Telegraph Confereme Germany
proposes two uniform rides of 124 and 15
minutes per word between all Ituropean I Health for a Dollar.
count dee.
Since the athletic girl has become PO dun -
Mo. Chaldean has introduced his long hung 4 figure in the feminine world, and
promised measure creating a Bateau of Lab- fragility has grown it reproach rather thine
or Statisties. The new department wiil he 'a charm, the treatises multiply on all ley.
culture, and $10,000 win be staked to defray! without number to tell eery wonu what
under the control of the Minister of -Agri- I gienie matters, mul volumes are elk forth
1 next year's expenses. idle shall do to he saved front all ills that flesh
lis heir to. The woman with the htteresting
IThe Mayor of Montreal has received anipallor, the violet -shadowed eyes and the
intimation that the Duke of Connaught does !willow -wand form has given place to it bux-
not wish for it public reception during his 'omnade, whose cheeks are red as the dawn,
visit to the city. !with brown muscular hands, who, amid a
I The Berlin branch of the Wein Relief wreck of platter and crash of worlds, would
Committee has received a latter from Dr. ziever feel a.tremor of berated -strung nerves.
Peters, the African traveller, saying he, is And this magnificent person is all ti e pro -
1 on his way to the coast. duet of athlettes and athletics and yeT again
athletics. Ride a cook horse, say the
urers on this subject, playtennis swim,
AN ODD SIGNALMAN. !fence, pmctise in a gymuasium, titke cold
since the morning. When, therefore, Celia Seeing that she was preparing to put her
implored me to go to bed and let her watch, snad threat at once lista practice I sprang
at least during the earlier portion of the upon her and seized her by the shoulders.
night, I dared. not agree to the proposal. `Don't be insane," I said. "Yoa are no
"Watch, if it ou think that you are able," worse off than we are. Wait and hope 1" and
I said, "Ina -I must watch, too. We must I opened for her it tin of preserved meat,'
go on with the raft. Time presses. We the juicy,jelly of which she swallowed with
cannot he certain now that the ship will avidity. 'Now," I continued, "unless you
be afloat in the morning. Tell your maid will promise not to make any further at -
to bring up vour things on deck. We must tempt upon yourlife, I shall really be obliged
be ready." to tie you to the mast.
All that I valued I had with me—my The girl sulkily gave the required promise, I
money and the tin cylinder which contained but a couple of hours later, we caught her
the despatch. soaking her handkerchief in salt water and
By the sickly light of the lanterns we squeezing it into her mouth, and by sunset
worked nearly all through the chilly night. her senses had completely left her and she
The hatches were lifted on, and fastened was chattering insanely to herself,
with ropes and wedges th the casks ; and "You must sleep," said Miss Vanhoof to
two chests, to serve both as lockers aud me, "or you will die. Yon have had no real
seats, were nailed upon the hatches. At sleep for more than three days."
five o'clock, seeing that good progress had "I am begining to think," I replied, "that
been made, I sent the women to'bed ; but I shall not sleep any more until I sleep for
two hours later 1 felt so utterly incapable good. I cannot leave you alone with her.
of keeping my eyes open, that I had to re- She might murder you or push both of us
call them and to go to my own berth, overboard. But you can sleep. Sleep while
directing them before I went to collect all you can."
the required stores on deck and to wake "No," she returned; "Isbell not he down I
me at the first sign of danger.
SAILING AWAY.
The last morning dawned cold and gray. Be-
tween waking and dreaming I was tossing
in my bunk, unable, in spite of my fatigue,
to rest peacefully, even for a minute. The
ripple of the waves against the ship's side
was lulliug me off for the third or fourth
time, when, with a cry, Celia's maid burst
into my cabin.
"Wo are sinking, sir! Come! Come for
God's sake! Quick 1"
When, startled by this exclamation, I
leapt, ready dressed, from my berth, my
feet splashed the water that already covered
the floor of the cabin to a depth of more
than an inch, for the subtle enemy had
silently crept in upon me while I dozed.
Hastily seizing ode or two things which I
thought might be useful I rushed on deck.
Celia was tolerably calm, but the maid was
again wild and hysterical a,nd she was of n
assistance in launching the raft ; indeed sheo
against the dazzling glow of the sunset.
was rather a hindrance than otherwise. I .A SAIL.
Fortunately the sea was almost still, and "Aye 1 What is that? echoed the maid,
therefore there was but little difficulty and who leaped to her feet, and with extraordin-
no danger in pushing the improvised craft ary tokens of excitement went to the very
overboard to leeward. As soon as it was edge of the raft and gazed intently in the
afioat I helped the two women to get upon indicated direction. It was a sail. A •few
it, and then 1 hastily handed to them the Elements swept away all doubt upon that
!items and necessaries which had been ac- adore, and, moreover, it was approaching us.
cumulated in readiness. The raft gave Poor Idles Vanhoof, who until then had so
every satisfaction, being both buoyant and admirably retained her self-control, uttered
steady, and when apparently everything a ory of 'Thank God!" and sank first to her
had been piled up and secured upon its small knees and then senseless and inanimate prone
deck and I felt that I dared no longer re- on deek.
main with the ship I joined the others and I was in the act of stooping to attend her
reluctantly pushed off. when the maid, with a yell as of a demon,
We soon spread a little sail by means of jumped headlong into the sea.
an oar and a boat hook, and the raft, in I flung her a rope's end, but she declined
spite of her clumsy construction, drifted to take hold of it, and as it was evident that
away eastward at the rate, .1 dare say, of she could not swim I hurriedly tied the
two or three knots an hour. The motion; other end of the rope to the mast, took the
slow though it was, was a relief to us, and slack M myaleft hand and leaped after the
for the first hour or so the spirits of Miss would -be -suicide.
to night. If anything were to happen to you
we should all be lost, and I see how weak
and tired you are already. Besides, I have
slept well to -day."
The maid had begun W moan petulantly
for water, but there was nothing to he done
for her.
,(Are you not thirsty, too, Miss Vanhoof?"
I asked.
"Yes, my mouth feels like brown paper,
but it is useless to grumble. You are as bad,
I am sure. What shall we do if we are not
picked up? We shall go mad, too, shall we
not?"
I turned away without replying, and for
the hundredth time that day swept the hori-
zon with my glass. The sun had just dipped
in the west, and sky and ocean were red-
dened as with the hue of blood.
"What is that?" I ejaculated, starting and
pointing anxiously across the ruddy waters
at a small black object which stood out
Vanhoof and myself rose considerably. But The water was like ice and I was wofully
the maid was taciturn and strange in her weak, but by great efforts I managed to
manner. reach the drowning woman and to grasp her
For some time we watched the vessel by the hair. She struggled violently.
which we had left under such terrible cir- Twice she grasped me by the throat, and. I
cumstances, and we had almost begun to had to choke her off, and when at last she
baths, live in the °peel air, But it, costs
A Baboon That Works Railroad Switches ononey to ride it cock horse; tennis presup-
and Makes No Mistakes, poses various advantages of environment
that'allwomen don'otpossessiswimming Teens
it country home near the sea or a, river;
fencing., work in the gymnasium and life
out of doors argue leisure, some money, and
liberty to follow one's own devices.
The pale, the nervous, the flaccid -muscled
woman has not disappeared yet, and these
read with hopeless envy the directions given
by the books for the attainment of rosy
beauty, their own lives being too filled with
work, too narrow or too straitened th make
the use of any of these prescriptions possible.
But athletic exercise, with its resultant
health, happiness and. beauty, 10 10 be had,
and that .at a price within the means of every
woman, no matter how poor or how hard
worked. Ninety cents will purchase all she
needs to stringher muscles up firm and
make them elastic ; to set her blood pulsing
warmly under the skin; to fine away too
lavish outlines or fill up hollows. A pair of
small dumb bells are to be had for thirty
cents. These are a good weight to begin
with, but should not be used violently at
first. Two towels of heavy Turkish crash
cost the same stun each.
On rising in the morning begin practice at
once. With dumb bell in each hand lift the
arms, touch the shoulders with the bells and
straighten the arms out smartly at right
angles from the body. Do this smoothly and
regularly ten times. Then touch the shoul-
ders and lift the bells ten times straight upon
either side of the head. Hit out from each
shoulder ten times' the bells at full
The baboon which figures in this sketch is
n. well-known character in the Cape Colony,
but more tutrticularly in the neighborhood
of. Port Elizabeth. The history attaching to
him is a curious and probably unique one.
The signalinan, his owner, was, through no
fault of his own, run overby a, passing train,
and had to have both legs amputated, which
would naturally incapaeitate him from work,
but the idea struck him to secure a baboon
and train him th do his work. This he has
successfully accomplished, and for many
years the one in question has regularly
looked after the levers, and done the hard
work for his afflicted master. The animal IS
possessed of extraordinary intelligence, and
has never made a mistake. Of course, the
human servant works the telegraphs and
the baboon the levers, according to instruc-
tion ; and taking into considertion the fact
that at the station in question, Uiten-
hage Junction, and about twenty miies from
Port Elizabeth, there is a large volume of
tm-ffic, the sagaeit of the creature is really
wonderful. At rat passengers raised a
strongprotest against the employment of
the animal, on the score of risk of accident,
but the baboon has never yet failed during
his many years of work,and on more than
i
one occasion has acted n a manner simply
astounding to those who never had personal
experience of the intelligence of thesebrutes.
A Derelict Discovered.
HALIFAX, MAY 15.—The schooner Ad-
vance, Captain Silver, arrived at this port
the other night. Captain Silver reports that
on Friday at 12 o'clock he sighted a, vessel
partly bottom up, with a portion of her sails
and spars hanging to her. From observa-
tions the captain believes the vessel had
been in the same condition for four oh five
months. She is new and is about 115. ton.
Her bottom, running gear and houses, ha
near could be seen, correspond with the
missing Laburnam. The action of the
waves on the vessel has washed off most of
the paint and obliterated the vessel's name:
Captain Silver took the vessel in tow. Last
evening when about five miles off Beaver
Light a chain on the capsized schooner slid
out causing her to come to an anchor. The
crew of the Advance tried to raise the chain
and kedge but were not successful. The
Advance finally decided to leave her prize
and proceed to Halifax to secure the neces-
sary appliances to raise the cable. The
schooner Can't Help It, 'which succeeded in
finding the W. D. 'Richards, has gone in
search of the prize.
Bad for the Burglar.
Goodfellow (nearing Jollyfellow's house
very late at night after a "time" at the club
—"I shay, Jollyfellow, zhee there. There's
a burglar getting into your house by doe
window."
Jollyfellow--"Sho he is. Shay, wait a
(hie) wait little. :My wife '11 zhink he's
me and (hie) she'll half kill him."
Better be good than great. You'll have
lees competition. The latter business is
overdone.
; p
length of the arm and draw them up to the
armpits; vary these /notions in the twenty
or thirty different directions possible, as one's
own cleverness saggests, thus exercising
every.musele. Begin with only two or three
the first morning, and increase them as the
strength increases.
Finishing with the bells, set it mark on
the wall at a height of feur or five feet, and
standing on the left leg, try to touch the
mark with the right to ten times, doing
the same afterward with the left. The mark
can be raised nearly a foot more as one's
agility increases. Then set' hands on hips
and jump up and down 'tekt times. Next
spring into the bath, a warm one is best,
sponging oneself off with cold water after-
ward, and dry the skin with vigorous man-
ipulation of the rough towel. Try that for
a month, and see whether health and beauty
are not the consequence.
Bellamy's. Mistake.
Winks—" I see that the publishers of
'Looking Backward' have. made $50,000 on
that bock while Bellamy, the author has
made but $5,000." . • '
Minks—" Well, if i Bellamy had looked
forward instead of backward he would
have published it himself." •
The patent of a recent invention sets forth
that the claim of the inventor is that "by
the use of a magnetic penholder, owing to
the action of the rnagnetio currents from the
poles of the magnet or magnets forming the
penholder on the muscles of the hand which
holds it, the user cannot experience writ-
er's cramp 10 any appreciable extent.