SEALED ORDERS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12790, 15 June 1912, Page 2 (Supplement)

SEALED ORDERS.

(By 4 Hfelfen Churehill ): Candee.) Mrs Candee ( was "a passerige'r on tho Titanic, returning ' to America after a '.winter/ of. literaiy ivork abroad. She has Avritten for Collier's impersonally a narrative so vivid tliat the imagination cannot escape from it. When all the lands Avere thrilling with tho blossoming month of shoAA-er and cup, three Avidely differing craft «rept out upon tho sea. A Onesailed -from the New '-'World's city of towers, ploughing east. Another .coquetted Avith three near porta /of Eui'bpa and tlieil^sailed AA-est. llie third slipped doAvn unnoticed from the. glacial north. '.'.'" The first was/:' a., little ship, and modestly, decorously glided doAvn the bay. and took her place. on the ocean highway. r /.,-' : : But .across, on the/, other side, of the world^ the triumph; of shipbuilding Ayas starting "her maiden trip — chaillenging the sea, men said ; but , a challenge is given s by 'those iwlio have rivals. The mamriioth. had none. She. was^the largest ship nian had .ever .made; m her construction and ills lier finish,, from keel to topmast,, she Avas, the. ultimate note, of talent" and skill and inyentipn. Tririmphant was the word that best^ tbld her imperial progress. ■„..'. -7 And the third, the sinister craft, set out, from. >the 7 north with insolent indifference that transcended , even . the magnificence of .the greatest ship afloat. And to all three of these, craft the power that is greater than, mail, gave sealed orders. . All three,' though they kne\V\ ; it ' n.bt,^ s, were bound^ for the same •unmaikable spot' dri the shiftingAsurface deep. ?"■'•'■/• ':''■''■ /'-'-:. ; -."" ,: *' Tlie'titiadi's 'departure Avas the one the in-en noticed for power arid riches cannot be ' ofoscure. A " . : - ThVee days out the ship knew she wasAQueen of the Seas. Not only Avas she th e l* r B es t> *he most/beautiful, but Bhe was hour by hour discovering herself a possible fleetest. And. that Avay came •destruction, j ■ ' .* '■* ''77 '■' 'A*" *. * * ■:•'-■ ..' There had been delays m detaching from. the shore; at one port a, too close touch, Avith another ship, a stop of hdjirs at another. 'for heavy -bags ..of mail. Pint when ix^e[ ofAthe! land, -at,-^ last;, on the, high, sea/ day/ followed .'; day :• with the Aveather-rin . .Avhicli :.. -.ships, ; iftake .. tinie.i When f the run' went on the;,bpa,rd; it,as-, tonished, and! there avos a light laugh of pleasure Jrom smoking ropm,, deck /and. lounge.!. Each men. felt it.-a Credit- Ao himself.:, • The -ship}-. was y ,to. i*riAke $he - record , trial :-run./;. The oldest! caiptain/pf the- -fleet -liad the/ , crowning -and *,- final honors of liis sea. life -.111, assignment... The head /man- of the, -line L was on board,' From stokehole to abridge' the men. had been picked vritli care from among "their fellows- on lesser boats,,; that the'.. creyr, might be ' -worthy of their trust. <, ; .>■■ . : It almost seemed ( tliat /passengers had been picked too, , T he. richest ;man \vas there, and the tAvo by striving had,riearly reached him. ,: About, the decks; Strolled the. .artist of renown, .and ; the ; :■_ .great Avriter, :the man of theatrical, success, the giantl in the World of. (trade, the; aid of a nations President,' :the prettiest ; woman> tho.,- woman, who. represented Social, prewttinenee, the indispensable American, girl, presidents: of (railways,/ -aristocrat -./Of Europe— all these , : to add to the . glory of the first «sea»crossirig .of the- biggest 'ship;: Two days to try her Avings, toypjeove her poAvers, and she AVas off ;for, the saving -Of time. Aid the passettgei:. for whoni the keel had been/laid arid -the magic' Avrotight looked' over. ;the side, at the flying; Avater and laughed ;as a child; A^blonde. woman, on the .steerage deck etandS like ya : viking's daughter, -.- facing the .wind. -Her hair/ is golden broAvnin the:iSuiij. her, long .lines of *-graca' show bold Avhere the wind presses --hard" their draping. Around/h'&r'is her little brood shouting and. leaping m the wild free iair. All have their laces set .to the new JLand of Possibility; whither the ship is taking them/smooth : and fleets • day arid night. ' Over -the'' fchildt asleep m; '• her arms.' the -woriiari's. wide" eyes vare direct'edvforward .with -the i'loOk'bf rtlie. emigrant, the- look of courage which has conquered fate since the days- of Columbus and tho colonies. "Let us Avander over the 1 ship and see it all," said shoiiof. the suite de luxe to hint --.of tho bachelor's cabinj- So -they mounted to the. hurricane' deck and gazed across; to r the ; other. World ■ of the second class..;. and.; wonidered l .afc.':its liixury^.'and futhej" across* to . the . waves and nvondered at tfeeir clemency, i ■>.-.. ■••..-..*■■;< -^-.. w -y-i^V-.A.'i. <►./:-: ■'f-:i s '"» ; ■ » ' '<.'+• u.i A e dO s or i along the starbdard side 'was open, 'Tclickirig ; sounds within arid, a cheerJf' :,y Ei l iglteiy'''S'oice/ * * "Critrie iri; "come Tight;* iril arid" try'- -^our strength," ' cris§d the: iSxhibitdF'df -th& ; -particular 'b^oth'in Dorihyblrook' "Faii-. '■'■'' 'HaVe a . race Avitlt' me Hii' ■■'•this'-'';wheely yi, sh^ v '''whHlb!-' : the;'''lady takes'-'a^trdt ih the; sadal^. -Or '/-here is', a camef 'foi - ' 'youV'-slr-^g'6bd ; for .the liver.*' His "own 'dbuld; J nbt li'aVe li^eded it,, so rubteurid arid'feleaW 1 . * '$£■•_ tint "wis he, this powerful-- fiATe-feet'-fiVd ' bf white -'flaiiriels. He' -bOiliid^d about the place, / pulling weights" 'With;' a** smooth finish, slipping into iitelidllfg seai'arid b%ggirig liiiri Of the TAA-o^o-'talc^the btlier boat and beiat hiiri with^p^ Cariib'ijidg f e 1 stroke. He Avals .up again lik^''a ciit^aritl gave a liar'd hand to tto lady^'fotet-to' mount her iritb'the saddle" arid^to tiurri'ori the appliance fot the ;, -t*otA«---'-7; ■"- : '- : ''■' "■■ : - - '- A-"-"' ■''.. £ Arid 'so -tlfty ' pl'iy^d an u 'hour with the toys m tliis wonderful ' retreat, never thinking -of the-^ sweet blue waters that lay -so -faraway/ "''"'" •' 7'" "I expect' you'll be haAring a plunge m the pool after air" lbis exericse, sir," said the Avhite flannels. ., "But I'll see you both m the morning for another go with the wheel ahdf lid oars." ■ * -„" *.' „-».-. * It AA*as getting cold, biting, cold, the cold that rriakes you glad .to . be, alive, with: air and water blear ! and cleair, as ; , young blue eyes.. The; acres cif! .d^cKsj we)* 6 "o^esared of loungers^ even of -those whose cliairs- were placed Avell "' .beftiircf the plate-glass Aveather screen. It Avas a, time; for activity, arid a scattered parade was oh.;' .'' . ' J; 7/.'-A "You are flirting Avith the prettiest ' girl," : she accused, laughing. "Mail is ofrmivorous," he admitted, lau'gliarig back. "One of the Avomen 1 most'odmire is this one," he signified an elderly soberly dressed, walking arm 'lriarrri Avith her husband. 7 With no you knew they Avere people who had 'gained , and accepted the sweets of success without intoxication! Sobriety and mddestv -"were theirs; strength and calm shaAved on their faces. *?They, ; --too,' have been using, one of the .ship's appliances. They have just finished a» MarConi 'talk with their eon, whose "east-bound- ship is talking with ours." "I ;Eee 'the glow on their faces—^the same parent glow of the .woman on the steerage, deck.. r And there it , is agairir— . that haridsomo Avoirian over there— see, it is for, her son Avho is beside her^ with the adorable, young wife. I have noticed them all theTway over." .A A ; • 0. ■ . .. •-.-- »-. /. • »...'. Th'en they went inside to escape tlie •cold sparkling m the water and snapping 'm the air; And snugly ima gr£en bay of the- saloon, a bay mode of velvet and' wood m fui'nitune shapes, they settle ; doAvn before a glowing 'g>at&-' aS" one settles dpwii the; 'home fire after a frosty**afteriioon ridb'.oA*er the fields. ' And brought ;fea and toast, and a genii-itl f deling of A^ell-beirig brought conteri't. ' The old couple bathe m valid "settled •'•'near by ; the lady With the firie son di-ift^d m and showed - her pride to tbb/Syorld; iher loving care to hiiri.""The quiet Jidm- was on;;.'the hriur when the sup^ giws sleppy. -..',.'' * At dinner, twb/llbuis 'later, the scene might have been in '■ li'ondon '"'or New York, with the] men m evening dress, the women shining m pale satin s_ and clinging gauze. /* Th 6' prettiest girl'tev^n wore 'a',- glittelihg. froclt' ot '' dancing lerigth, , With, silver fringe* Arorindyher dainty White satin: feet. ' * - -'''i l,ll ' Arid after dinner there "\Vas- 'coffee served to all at little : tables avonwd the great . general lounging' place/ /for here the 'orchestra 'played.- "' ■ '■ '■ "' ■''' Some, said it, was; poor on its Wagner work; others said the violin was Weak. But that Avas for conversation's sake; for nothing on board was more popular than the orchestra. You could see that by the wuy everyone refused to leave it. And everyone asked of it some favorite bit. The prettiest girl asked for dance

nuisic,Zahd clicked -her satin heels' and swayed her adolescent arms to the rhythm. .He of the Two who had walked the deck asked for Dvorak, while she asked for* Puccini and both got their liking, for the orcliestra was adroit and willing. , At eleven, folk drifted off to ■their big cabins, with happy, see-yoit-ih-the-mom-ings, until a group formed itself aloilo, and the only sounds the musicians made , were those of instruments being shut m. their velvet beds. The Two had- all their friends about them. It was early yet. There was the restaurant above, a. more cozy place; for a little crowd, and. things to drink were there on' the end of a Avord of order. :. So they hll strayed easily up the regal stairway— refusing this time the- lift— and arrived "at- the little place where one might «at, a-iid took a table large -enough for six. A Tho only other table was made gay by the party of a President's aid. /"But how cold it is, how arctic !" and she of the ' Two drew close her scarf. .. .Sdinething hot, then,-' said he to the waiter, and the steam savored of Scotch and lemons. ' How gay they were, these six. The talkative man told- stories, the sensitive man gloWed and laughed, the two modest' ..'lrishmen- forgot to be suppressed, the' facile -Norseman cracked American jokes, the • cosmopolitan Englishman expanded, and theMady felt divinely 'flatteled to/be m "such company., - v . : • '-' 7A''*"'*' -''"'' -'** r - * ' * > Half-past eleven came. Even the last parties were breaking up, and only a handful of men strayed ladyless into the smoking room and fell to cards or reminis'cerice. Except for these and the night Watch, the ship's cOriipariy had settled; down 'for another night of motionless repose. Silence and emptiness were all the illumination shone on m the great public room and corridors of the great vessel.. A And^. m; this soft silence the titan.was- flying like an a-rrow. on the trackless sea- whither' the sealed orders were sending hier. '•' !BiuV. .she Avas not, the first to arrive at the/ tryst. Down from the silent north that other sinister , craft liad slipped into her destined . place. ' No wireless equipment, no port and' starboard lights, no lines of cabins showing bright, no compass, no captain". :' But the power tliat is greater than "riiah has" no need -of mah's methods. „ iTlio white craft stretched its low, uneven length-o ver miles of smoothest sea, sho'dting Up" peaks of "dazzling white m li^ii- of - and ' 'her escort was the .sleek;/' black seal and the white-winged gpir./ 7^,7' --"" ■With .' implacable patierice. the 'White craft awaited the coming of the greatest .ship ■. m the! world, the virgin, cleanly rtiririirig' v to' "the, unknown ' bridal" across tne starlit/ sea. ■'''. ./ / ' f lit was nearly midnight Wll6ll' she' shhdderedi -with horror i^n the enibrace of 7tli4 .northern ice. , Twice, from bow , to; $t&rh, sh& .shook With mighty, endea-' vbr* to. crush beneath her the assailant.' : :' And.it seemed she had succeeded.- A great culm at once fell, upon the ship, such a^calrii as falls' m port, and soUA tude ;reigned. along the corridors ;arid the wide halls. A head ior two were' thrust from cabin doors, but seeing > nothing* went back to bed. .-. Stewards were, reas- . suring, gay, arid idle. In "..the, smbkingrbpin men went on bidding for the trump". " *' "" ' '•' ' ' ... >■ ' But the. two went for a walk about in/the keen cold air' of .the decks, "because I was startled," she apologised.; . ; They mounted to the hurricane deck and -.''stood/. by tlie closed door , of the gymnast's! chamber. They looked up etj the' stream, roaring, of steam | escaping by the mammoth funnels. ■' ; "It. , is all right,", he : said; "that is always- a ..precaution, ; when machinery stops."! % .: ....A.. '_•' _ ' A,. .. . j ■■ i ".But "why are riot the other engines -doing the same?'' He could not answer ; he did not, know -the bottom. had been torn, from the. ship. .beneath him. They walked aft ; an;d lookfd - : down where the mother and jphildren of tjie . steerage had bfeenyplaying, and- where. the prosperous second-class passengers had revelled m their ...comforts.. ..•Solitude^ desertion. Not a hnmanybeing m. sight. •;-.. . "There is a list to" starboardf" she said...;. -,-.-. .:...■■ •::■.,- \ •■-.•: He:, was; grimly silent. They went forward to make sure. Tliere the list was . worse. -,Tli© forward deck below them .-. leaned ; as . a . man leans with a sword m his. living side. ,On the dec)c below they found .the/ same desertion as everywhere, the deck... where-- all . the. chairs were .spread, where folk displayed themselves and criticised others. The two seemed- alii the people: m the world, and because of, the cold arid " because of .the -cold: and because each had . hard ,sOr'ro,w, although . they ' walked about fpr- warmth- of body,:. "they cracked jokes for/warmth of heart'. -■■>;.. l , „- ..•..•■ . >"Jf .-I had had a- Avireless — if T knew that my. , child was no longer living"— she; left him to imagine the rest. yy'l% don't ■.••.mind* going either," he said, grim for a>moment.^.: y.^.i . , "Nevertheless," she laughed, "I'd fight death to' i .the last if it came. I'd be Mrs Leeks; arid, -put on -black stockings -to Scare sharks. *, Why are Aye. so Salm??'. ;•.-..-;;■/.■' Ai -. ■-. •■ .': : ?f-We are; Anglo-Saxons," said he. APhe cold drove them into the . big, green c velvet \ ;room i with its A gloAving grate, empty m its blaze of light. A^youhg :mari---he of the adoring nibtheri 'and adorable wife— sprarig. gaily across -the wide floor/holding cup-like hands together, "Ice!" he laughed. "Have" some .iceberg !*'.-• .-' Take a, piece! Thatfs what Wapperied^ We struck an iceberg, y -This, is. what she left on the deck." ; •. '•' A V:.r.;i.' ■'•... •■-■■, v '*.;■ -•: .-. ' '/'"A*. '* """ '*"' ""'»''■ '* ' ,He .flew away tas gay as a boy. She took , the; bit, . wondering m .awe, and he dashed ii/ from -her and chafed the cold, jsmall hand, until it gloived agairi, nor ,'• released it- -then,.- but .turned, the chafing' to; a, carees> nor ever -. let the ibarid? ;/ g0. ... And in .-. that minute they .looked; , into each other' s v faces, acknowledged'the presence . of .death; and accepted it.', But neither spoke a -word. . After that .people-began, to come about, some dressed , ; sonic not, none alarmed, .alliniiiet and curious to learn the cause of ; the- disturbance. . 'They, took the seats about • the- companion>vay and talked low. :••. ;>.*,':, ■ . A* •. / .Women still 'm , sweeping -dinner gpAAins* .drew wraps about them as the deck door opened. People talked quietly m conventional groups, and all waited, Avaited, nor knew ; for .- what they delayed.,,. The ? two -^yerilt again Outside. Tlie 'list/h ad terribly Airicreasesd as they viewed- it from the deserted deck. /. "Listen I"" said' she, holding his arm. "That, noisp oyer ohr heads— it is the sounds of lifeboats /being put otlt." His answer was to force, her to the scene above. A Scarce -a passenger, but the port side filled witli a gi*owing ci'OAyd of wiry 'men,' black. alike m; face arid dress, m order, crowded , about the strong, quiet figtiii'e of the captain. The firemen "had been ordered'up from the " engine-rooms, and the black crew huddled ' together awaiting the order to man the lifeboats, the order that would put life again into their hands, for they kneAV, these- h&rd-faced toilers, that only those little : boats Avould save from death, 'She smiled on 'them as she walked through the iron crew, and they looked, startled, at the smile, thinking it lack of AA'it; not excess of courage. But. he was uneasy, and again took her 'downstairs 1 and within, m search of less? grim scenes. 'Different, -but was it less grim? Up the, sweep of the regal stairway was advancing a\ 3olid procession of all the ship's passengers, wordless, orderly, quiet, and , only the: dress told of the tragedy. On every man and every woman's body Avas tied the sinister emblerri of death at ; sea, and each one Avalked with liis- life-clutching pack toawait the coming horrors.- It was a fancy-dress ball i n Dante's He11 ...... 1* • ■*, ' *.' '• '.' ■ Another glance between the two. He caught her by the arm and forced her to a cabin, threw over her shoulders the white arid bulky ; pack, saw that she was? warmly wrapped, seized a rug,, and said briefly; "Cpme." They passed thoso who huddled within the- -.ship-- ahd, mounted. -again to the topmost deck. A line of boats swung on davits at deck level. The black cloud of.. firemen still AA'aited m order the command to jump m, faces set. Tlie order came on the clear, cold air. "Doauu be- 1

low, men!" 'EWryAorie of you, down below!" And without a sound they Avittingly turned front life arid Avent to death, 11b protest,- no inurrtiur, rib resistance, a band of unknown heroes. And then it avos that the captain ordered : "Put the Avomen m the boats. No men "are to go." He spoke hard Avords m a quiet voice, bht none might 1 d f isobey. 7 iNoAV for a tragedy; all the horrors, of separation had begun. "See, caiitain, my ami is broken. My husband must go Avith me, or I am helpless." / / ' . _ • "No meh alloAved iii the boat's, madam," and the couple turned aAvay. "I am iiot young, and need my son ; may he not come?" "Only Avomen." ' ' And the young man m gay courage gave^ his mother and Avife to the care of the swinging boat. • . Others gotin,; the captain, who. knew' he Avas living his last hour, stopped a number, then augmented it, theii ordered the little craft loAvered, and twentyfive silent Avonien descended nearly a hundred feet, filled with hope, sure that those on board were better off' than they, sure • that ' all Avould be refunited m an hour either on the [big 'ship.-. they had just left, ., of' on /that other vessel' Avhos© far white light just showed over the port quarter: - \ . : ....■•. The Alarconi man was hard at work, the second biggest ship was m near Avaters, .and hope was high. Terrible was;, the artillery of the rockets. . The great ship seemed shrieking m despair. Before that was a .dignity of self Confidence, but m that wild cry to heaven went up all the' horror of death. r - - Tlien it-was the women already m the lifeboats, agonised over, what love had coerced them into, doing. What was life but love, a'ndvwhat was life without loved ones? The horrqrsvof the discovery can never" be told. Vforiien Of courage had been tricked by-n oble heroes' into saving their- oAvh'.iives x . > ! It" was an easy ruse-^-ge't into* the ; boats, 1 obey because it helps;' me; Aye. will soon be together again. t)b it. foi 4 my' sake; ; or the children's: , ' By these' sophistries . J of ; love were the wbriien put into the boats 'at a time and m a '"place where theirs seemed the harder part to; do. " ;i: *•- But Avhen by "endless lqwssririg each boat .Reached, th^ ; "ifob/. wofjften'knew.; They' ! saw : 'the' :^alt floAvrslopirig over the, lighted ports 1 of' tlie third-"deck^ ahd kiieW" ! th6' 'vessel Wa^-lalfeady thirty or "forty feet into 'oblivion. *' ; "Keep/all; the- boats togetheiv«,nd (pull aAA^ay fi'dni^the S'fesel,'''HM;daMain "has said i'tt -a !sty6iig; : ldW v^icie^ 1 Wll^ pull away!? \ .!Betia•use , ' , '* pi'eseWtly ■ | tlie * great palace of lighfe w6uld-'b^ following 'th* fead. of, h^r'divihg bftAr/arid'iri the- 'filial" .plunge' would dral-iv e^ryffliing after he*. .//'"','' : 7/,,; ; ';•' '''"' ',' ' . f;;: - *• V -#,*ii V - *- • ■l|-.-.-' >%tj* *i •, .ii' ■'***" On, the '''ship. , the' 'bravely; competent still iqade'd s bbat§ with' proteStingwbmeir and wailiri^' children''.' '' '-'^ - -..- ; 1 * r - ; "Take lie'r'/frtom 'iriie! ; »'take'her!' v cried" the men l - froni/ Wlibm* wives refused to part, arid it 'w^^dpne. 7' "•"" ! - ' '" -■' 1 In a corriW/agliaiist the cabin stood the aged couple, arm v m ar iri, calmly resolute. "Come into .this boat," the rescuers said to her A "I stay with my husband," she said sithply. It was not the frantic '" protest of the younger women, but the firni will of the seasoned soul. And., m .death. these t avo were not divided: ' :; 7' •', "'"" "'""■'■ " What cari orie whose profession is tb aniuse do. iri time of tragedy? They, too, have a part iii" the great ploy of courage/ Over the ' crowds; tyuiet, inactive, anguislied, j<nere flowed a flood of music, such riiusic, s\s never befoiie was heard — a/ "gay; march, a two-step \. light operatic/ airs, all ! freighted Avith it burden of love, that love Avhich lays, doAvrf a life fora friferid/. " A 1 The sbip, orchestra AA'as seiiding Out cpurage ..from man, to man iri its peculiar expression, "cheering "others Avhile itself faced, . death/ 1 . 7 >•/'."!"-,."-. i Men. of courage , 'arid resource Aviio'had been loading' ftrid , loAyer ipg . boats! .from the very! first". cariie at last/to a stbp^ The last bo^ii wtik ready the launchipo-. Taa-o 7 who .' had held . togetliei* m the work went a deck lieloAAr to s^ee if any stray woriie.n w.ei;e.' there unrescued. All Avas brilliant' desblatibri. The lights ". were" beginning to burn loav, Water— -soft,, Tioiseless "Avater — was creeping!; up 'the, 'slanting deck so' fast that m another} minute tliey would have been iniprisorie^.upder ,tJ>e /deck's, ypof. They lejipea'"tb!thc"railirig' and mounted it.-, ;!'!" :aaA-Aa:.. '.;•- ;..-' *. ' At that moment, 'the last boat Avas floating just 'before .. them, three yards away, with . .vacant;, ropm m the boAv. Surely tliey liad ihe right ! They look-' ed m each others, faces to, ask the ques-; taon, andVeach, ripdded';-tb tho'b't'her yes/ They leaped A the '■ spacfl arid . 'ciiiight' the" »des of/ the boat/ the 'last" to.ieaye Hhe ship by boat..: almost; tije!' ( only . rescuers' avlio ay- ere 'slaved, r'!"." '*; . , ♦.".-' »■■••'' •■■:»■ •;. a »'••-' ■ ... ' The '.-.{hundreds/ that Avere left drew closer. .^The beaten boAyAvas hidden, under water, the only iuicovered space of deck sipped ' high toAv'ard the stern, arid on this dirriinished point huddled this close !>ack ; ;aaid .jvaited „.death with the transcenderi't courage arid .order and quiet that had been tapirs,' for the horrible tAvo hours. .. And oyer them, trembled the last strains. .' of . the orchesfcra's , mesasge : ''Autumn" first, arid . |ihen "Nearer, rriy God, to .Thee.''/ . t ' r . . A '. A " •/Down on ,the sea ! the little lifeboa;ts Were following the captain's orders to pull «iway from the ship, m .water as calm, as full, of reflected, stars' 'as* the pbol m ..^! Moorisb!, garden. All Avaited the. end, 'transfixed with horror. Window after .windoAv of the ship became dark as the."', Water covered it m ;'the sloping, slbvv descent ;; less and less became the*>steriv spa;<!e Avlieve the hushed !ci'OAA r d waited. , "..•' . •!'..''. /At the last,, the end. of the world/ A smooth, slow chute. Life Ayent but on the big shio. '.'. ••v : •'," "• - ' •- ; '■•-.-. • '•' The death A'.call , of sixteen hundred units of divirie selflessness spi'ead its volume ovei I .. the t waters., a's 'a.' single cry to .Grid. Tliere Avas 'no shriek hdr Wail nor frantic shout; Instead; ,a ; ; heavy moan as of. one being, from whom final agony forces A-y Kingle/'spuhd. , 7 / ,• 1 And, with this liuirian Protest against stifling '" Arctic waters, '.Aviis a iriuffled sound from Avithin, ; thd - gi*oan of the dying ship A as if she/ too, were sensatand joined her ;agony With man's. The mass m the '/dark' Waters was fhroAvn .hither and thither, and one or two caugliti rafts or boats. In_ the hur, man instiiict to.' presei've .life,' orib riiari had draAvii. hipiself ' upon "a. raft.' : ' He, 'was'!;'whi'£^-.h'aire'd^'but..yhort';:and' strong, and .'had mubh to' /live/ for. At last the 'raft had resctied fe'o many she endangered all,'' arid tlneri began- the horrid task' 'of "'flghtiri^off the sAvimmers. . ' ', Those avlio looked for the grey beard on the raft saw him no more. Seeing the press, he,' had ceded his place and slinoedsilentlA// into the, sea. "Dori't a-et ' oiij.- you'll swamp us." •"' , "All .'riffht-; God keep you ai}, Goodbye," "and_ the waters;; closed over him. It avos the little, gymnast. * *,/>.,;.. *. ' " * 'After that, silence, 'silence on the surface of the' deep, and awe on the faces of the stricken -freight i;i' the scattered lifeboats., Where had been the gloAying lights from the luxurious cabins of the niammoth ship \yas*noAv a- iMifjt, iriipersonal sheen of silver starlight, the implacability bf nature. And lioav futile Avere the little boats. Where were they /going Why Avere they there?. . '■'■ /'.' ' A The distant l.ig'ht . that some had followed from the first scudded away into the aurora ' as . fast as "the. first breath pf breeze rippled !over the glassy Avaters. '. WhAr liA'e^now to d}e niiserably of <^old arid starvation' arid '..'drenching? And ;ahyays Avith /the "Horror. A of that death /groan sounding m ears and soul, It Ava* then that those m the' boats who had ,, been , picked up fi;6ni ' the A\ r ater gave up 'their spirit. "'! '"'' ' ■; It A\;as then the mothe.r of the' fine son began''' to" cill fbyA>hirii m 'the" 1 unmeaning repetition of the ■ irii'ric! '"" Avhich has snapped. ..lii was then that the emigrant woman of the many babes serit sftreahis' foi- 'them ringing to the stars m maniac baby-talk. It' was theii the ghostly guMs sAvung and cried m the icy air. I Three hours before thp Marconi man [had been at his post on the ship. Out . _. >..,lMr., fi'-"v.:l:.?'

over r the' oily' .Wh'tei's, out on the clear, crisp' ( air, as far as the tAvinkli'ng canopy of stars, had tremoled the soundless Cry from the magic wires : "Ship is' sinking fast!" 'Fidl sixty" miles aAvay a faithful Avire had ."trembled iri response. Arid tlius the third craft that Avent a-sailing bn an Ap^il day learned of her Sealed orders and theii' import, and turii&d flyihg to the trysting place. All night she Avas prepoi-ing to help the proud big ship, happy to. serve so great a Supplicant. She Avbidd'/be but small and shabby beside the; greater vessel, but Avould humbly do her best, and so she pounded the engines and kicked the waters! arid htraiiied the boilers. ' ;.j The latitude and longitude given by the cl'y for .succor Avere attained, yet the keenest 'glass could find no lights-: other than the stars. Darkness brooded bn the face of. the Avaters, and, horror was m .tlhe faces -of the relief. * ■i •••■-..'■ - * - •■•■ W •■• ' ' « ■ OaAvn shoAA-ed the vast, vast reaches of the sea empty of big craft, but, floating near, a sAvaying tangle of. deck chairs and ' cushions, and a pale Avhite babe rocked' in the cradle bf that fashioning. '..! A/A , The sriii lingered m coming on such a scerie. The rescue boat lay still and watched it.. . . . . The aurora m the north Avas paled by, the 'rosy chiffoii scarfs that AvaA'ed over the ..sun's -east. Close doAA-n '. m the wamTgloAv nestled an impertirierit crescent riipbri. . ! ' ToAvar<l ■ the sun rose .sinister points dark 'against the light, the peaks y of ice.'. : ..;.. *! ./" ;,- .;,."' Away frorit the sun, struck by its light, ..wei'e Avondrous glistening sails of frozen white and pearly pink, ice riioiiritairis gloa-ified into celestial "beauty, and as far as the eye could .see, the limitless, level of the ice pack, purer and whiter than man's imagining. Tlie sound pf the wonian calling her babes because they were riot, the moan of the. -.Avoman calling her son—these were almost the only sounds from the scattered .fleet of rbWboats that "showed like; shells on' the Waters,, the limping, chilled, "arid sorroAving fleet, to whom tlie rescue' ship , ' ' '"'• * .-■■* : '..»'■ ■ "*■ ; : .But a. feAA^y hours riiore arid the modest 'ship of gentle .aim was turriirig i back to port, heiiAly with the hundred's saved, aftd tlie/.flag ' at'lialf-mastA. But.the burr dfeft' of Aspirrbw "m the' widows' ■'; hearts. *was,to,,b'e read iri- the dark, dark 'shadOA\*s,bf theii'Aeyes, . . . .'.; ■ The.^ A\;ail of ; mothers was heard iri the ..closed chamber . of the sick. -•» For ! ey^ry <^ c n board ; three other braver bhes"'haxl surrendered theirs' m God-like selflessness, : ,— 'The ice pack lay for miles, dazzling iri Hhe sun, .peaks rising proudly here and there. Seals black and shiny shoAved. m the .waters', gulls fleAv. arid cried, active white against the- silent Avhite. - 7" : ! Superb, thrilling, dominant, .'■' the. ice pack ..held the region Avith nature's implacable; strferigth. The pOAver that is greater than man's . had prevailed, the crushing insensate poWei* against Avhich there is . nb defense, from whom is no pity arid rio sparing. ! - I But the power that is greater tlian all dominated ev^n that, a poAver that i$ of God; vvhich is tlip diA'iriity'of noble men: ''•'' * ,; ' " " ' "' * --. - v - - ■#■■<' >■■■ .*- • ■•■ : Th<»e who love them call them gone, hut they liye.Avith a virility immortal. ; The courage and "teriderness^ of sixteen hundred souls who, quietly gave .their lives for others ' floods ' ati ""entire Avorld and makes it Ahuriibly eager to give tribute by livipg nobler ' lives. •'•'■'. ' And as long as man lives the tale will be told to the ,. uplifting of men, fc^r sliOAving them the divinity 'vvhich is man's arid his kinsliip to God - t) . : aaaaaaaa »^i— a a ...