How he wen her.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XX, Issue 2849, 1 July 1892, Page 4

How he wen her.

Toward? i! c t.t.ne of an autuniu day the gallaat ship Columbia was standing in toward the Atlantic coast. Her rusty chains and weatherbeaten sides gave ample proof that bar voyage had been a very long one. X*nd was not yet in sight, but the captain said it would be spoken within 24 boors, and his passengers were in the highest spirits. Thet* were bnt three in number :— Agent <naa some wl. at advanced in years, hrn daughter, a beautiful girl of nineteen, and Hrs Beaumont, her companion. IJiey jrece now grouped together on -the quarter-deck, ad mi rfng the autumn sunset. A tbin golden wist veiled the sky, assuming toward the west a soft green tinge. And changiDginto a deep and glowing purple, crossed by streaks of brilliant crimson in the immediate vicinity of tbawD. '-Hpw beautiful?' exclaimed Miss Htztet-op. 4 Did you ever see such a sight, father?' '••It is indeed lovely,' said Mrs Bauimont. ' And yet glorious as is this spectacle, my dear, I fear it portends no good. The last time I crossed the ocean an evening just like tlyls ushered in a tearful tempest.' Jfasleton's f ace lost its gaiety, angi she looked inquiringly at her father. *Mvn Beaumont is right, 9 he said. • kfijuDot like the golden haze, nor that" banjk of crimson clouds whicb you think so beautiful. We shall certainly have a gale before morning. B*t tbete i» nothing to fear. Our shw 4b ptaunck and new, and the captain jtn experiences) officer; the worijt thiug thfrtean happen is a delay in ..entering Sport. As it looks now we\pt? npt reach Boston to-morrow.' you are mistaken, Mr Hq§|rt6n,' said the captain, apprwptf&g at tbe moment. 'We are oonj^fcir hours' sail from the city, aoopi%e gftle may favour our passage. fe£fmtber is mor* timid than <»r.e of youPpfofession, captain/ taid Mr Hasleton ; »od b» ctaew bi« daughter near him and kissed her forehead. *I should be anxious, too/ replied the otlwr, *if I foresaw danger. But yoa fluty continue to watch the sunset witshont fear. Ido not think there will be much of a utorm/ |

the party continued on the quarterdeck until jftfter dusk. Slowly the sun tank, and yet, long after his disappearance, the western horizon continued to blaze with splendour. Gradually this faded away, and masses of dark grey clouds covered the sky. The air grew damp and chilly, and the wind came in moaning

gust"* I At about eleven in the evening Mary ISazleton, who bad retired early, was awakened by the rapid tread of feet overhead, the creaking of Mocks and the shouts of the officer*. She arose and dressed ouicklv. At the door of her stateroom she met Mrs Beaumont, who bad come to seek ber. • What can be the matter P 1 atked kary. * Wlere is my father ?' 'He has goue ou deck, my dear. There is a tembie storm and the ship is in great peril/ At tbis moment Mr Hazleton appealed. Hie clothes were covered with brine. As he entered the cabin the ship gave a sudden turn, then quivered iv every timber, and a torrent of water poured down the companion - way. Both women screamed with fright. •Ob, father, is there any danger V cried Mary. _■, 1 1 am afraid *o. dear ; we are neanr the shore than we though*, and there aro breaisers ahead. If we cannot keep clear of them we ars loft/ Majjv grew deadly pale, but did not •peak. 'The captain is doing all he can/ continued Mr Hazleton. ' Our ship is a stout craft and carries her sail nobly. If nothing overhead gives way we shall escape/ An hour passed. The gale had not abated, and the struggles of the ship were by no means lessened. Every bow and then a gigantic wave struck it with Fearful force. Suddenly a crack like a clap of thunder was heard . ' What can that be T cried Mary, as the ship plunged desperately to leeward.

•It is the foretopsail, I fear, torn to ribbons. God preserve us !' said Mr Hazteton, rushing on deck. Mary hesitated a moment and then followed him. She looked instantly toward the foremast. The sail wps indeed gone. The sail was indeed gone. Clinging to a railing she peered •agerly around. The night was still dark, but she conid see distinctly, clone under, their lee, a long line of breakers, where the huge waves boiled and foamed. Presently Mr Hazfeton returned. * Mary, my child,' be said solemnly. ' I fear there is no hope. We mu6t ■urely strike in a few moments. Where is Mrs Beaumont ?' ' Hera, sir,' answered that lady faintly. She had kept close to Mary, mud was paralysed with terror. ' Let us remain together as long as we can/ continued Mr Hazelton, ' and await tbe end with courage. It cannot be lar off.

At tjn&rerj hour two young men sat in the parfour of the Marysville inn. A fire blaied in the grate, a bottle of oot indifferent wioe siood on the t*ble be«i# tueuj, and a cloud of •moke - roie* from their fragrant cheroot*.

* A badljigbt* Gralara,* said one. 'How tfo wind rattte* these windows !

I teli you, if you bad not known of this littlft fishing village, we should ha?e hnd rough riding to Ciarapton/ * Oh, I aw acquainted w^th every nook in the vicinity. The people, I Bee, don't recognise me, but when a boy I used to be here every summer. Many* the wild duck have I brought down in the salt marsh a mile below the village. Hallo ! What's that ?' He rose to his feet excitedly. ' That was a gun, eurely. God help the ship that goes ashore tonight !' The young men listened, and could hear distinctly the boom of a cannon repeated again and again at intervals. | It was a strange and startling sound, i and bore to the listeners* ears a tale of peril, of death, perhaps. Graham seized his bat and started toward the door. ' Where are you going ?' asked his friend. ( To see if any aid can be rendered. Come along !' * What nonsense, Graham ! "We can do nothing. The shoremen will help the shipwrecked people. You must be lees lired than I am, if you prefer the rain outside to this warm fire/ Graham turned back and faced his friend. ' Arthur Hazelton,' said he, in an earnest tone, ' suppose you knew that there were friends of yours on board ? Would you sit here and let them perish ? I know these shoremen ; they are brave, but they need a leader. What if you were to stay here, and learn to-morrow that your sister and father had been in deadly peril ?' ' Good heavens ! you alarm Hie !' Hazelton exclaimed rising. ' But they cannot be in that ship. It is several hundred aiilea out of their way.' * There may be those aboard who are as dear to others as y< ur sister is to you, and I for one will do what I can to nave them. If you are of the same mind, Hazelton, hasten/ 1 Well, since you put it in that way, I'll come, said his friend ; and he followed his companion without further words. When they arrived at the beach they found a crowd of fishermen already there. I Has the vessel struck yet? v asked Graham, addressing a person near him. ' I do not hear her guns. ' ' We beard them a moment ago — ah ! there is one now. ' As he spoke, the distinct report of a cannon came apparently from a short distance in front of them. * They are not all lost yet, ' said Graham, ' Where is the life-boat that used to be here ? ' ( You have been in these parts before, I see, * said the man. * But, Heaven bless you ! You don't know much of the coast, or you wouldn't propose going off to the wreck on a night like this. ' I 1 know it is perilous, ' replied Graham, ' but I have resolved to make the trial. Surely some of you who have braved so many storms will come with we. 1

'It i« because we are accustomed to the danger of such storma, ' said an old salt, 'that we bang back. Bravery is briery, but fool hardi cess is not courage. ' * The man is rigbt, Roy, ' said Hazelton, earnestly. 'No one is justified in throwing his lif* away. ' * Even you will not help me, then? * cried Graham. * No — such an undertaking as you propose is suicide— neither more nor leee. ' • Graham turned abruptly to the fisherman. * Where is the lifeboat ?' he asked. I *Iv tbo shed yonder. It's beea so long out of use that it is unseawort' y Jake an old man's advice, and don't tempt Providence. * 1 1 am resolved to reach the wreck, and I will give fifty dollars to every man who comes with me. Will none of you try it ?' For a moment there was silence ; at length some one said : 'You are liberal, air, but money can't buy us. If we go afc all we'll go for nothing. But we've wives and families. Besides, if that ship has struck on Dead man's Shoal, she's gone to pieces before this. We haven't heard a gun these five minutes.' 4 Good Heavens!' said Graham, 1 what am I to do ? Arthur, come with me ! I fell sure you will regret it if you do not. Say you will, old fellow. Your example will inspire the-rest; ' 'Then I will!" cried Hazelton, touched by bis friend's earnestness. * Tnakk God ! Wbo comes with un? Several of the young men in the crowd came forward and volunteered their services. ' Now let us be off, ' said Graham, when the life-boat was pulled on to the beach. ' Are you all ready ? ' * Ay, ay, ' was the answer, every eye turned to the brave young man. He gave the word, and off into the water the boat shot ; the men sprang to the work, and after a short struggle she breasted the waves and made her wav out to sea.

Dead man a Shoal was a bar of considerable extent placed in the confluence of two currents, and celebrated for the number and fatal character of its shipwrecks. Few vessels that struck upon it were able to hold togethe** through the night ; they generally went to pie<*es in lees than an hour."

When the Columbia gr >undel it was with a jar that lifte*- the sapors from their feet and snapped the foremast off like a pipestem, close to the deck. A quo was fired just as they were driven on the bar, and *m-aie-diateif afterward the stern, with the

majority of the crew, disappeared in thß wild vortex of waters. The fore part of the vessel &tili remained together, and on this were gathered the passengers, a few sailors, and the captain. ' How long do you think this will last?' said Mr Hazleton, addressing the latter. 'Not long— possibly not five minutes.' ' Let me hide my face on your shoulder, papa,' said Mary, who had conducted herself like a heroine till now. iam cot afraid of death, but I cannot bear to see it eo«ning/ 'My poor darling/ he answered tenderly, clasping her in hia arms. ' How little we thought of this a few short hours ago !' Ten minutes went by. The wind still blew with violence. Now and then a gigantic wave came in toward the ship, its vast point rising over all around, towering higher as it approached, until finally it plunged upon the wreck, almost burying it for a moment, each shock of this kind threatening to be the last. Suddenly Mary raised her head from her father's bosom. ' Hark ! Did you not hear a human voice?' she cried. The captain listened but could bear nothing. Raising his hand to his mouth he shouted : 'Hel-10-o! Hello!' ' Ahoy ! came faintly up the wind. 'Hilio! Hillo !' shouted the captain again. * Ahoy — ahoy ! ' came back in reply, clearly and distinctly. There was no longer any doubt. Help was at hand. ' God be praised ! ' said the captain. * A life-boat is coming to take us off.' ' You are saved, by darling ! ' ex- ' claimed Mr. Hazelton, embracing his i | daughter. Mary said nothing; but her lips moved in silent thanksgiving. The boat soon came in sight. Graham Btood well forward, directing his men and shouting words of encouragement to the people he had come to save, and in a few moments, gaining courage from his example, all were safe on board, although the transfer was made with no little difficulty and danger. What was the astonishment of young Hazelton when he found it was his own sister and father who had been rescued ! His heart smote him as he remembered that but for Graham's persistence he would have remained on shore. With difficulty the life-boat reached land : no craft less buoyant could have survived that night; but it seemed as though Providence rewarded the gallant crew by bringing them safely home again. One more item and our story is told. Love, says the old adage, often springs from gratitude ; it must have been so in ,rhis case, for barely a twelvemonth after Roy Graham and Mary Hazel to a became husband and wife; and they are the happiest pair in the world.