. VOSS'
The merchant
hanging with t M tower
portion o f his body in the water. I t was
but a few instants, but the old man had
time to think o f many an incident in hia
past life, l ie looked up appealingly at hia
■on. Kara «aw that the next wave would
lift him right up on to the ledge. In that
case be might be hustled off.
“ Leave g o !” he cried.
“ Help me, K a ra !"
His son brought down hia heavy heel
upon the bloodless hands. The old A fr i
can trader gave a wild shriek and fell
back into the sea, Looking down, Kara
enw his despairing face gaaing at him
through the water. Slowly ft sank until
A. C O N A N DOYLE
» T ttT T T y TT T T tY W 1
C H A P T E R X X V .— (Continued )
Dy evening the gale was at its height.
T h e Black Eagle was
running
under
maintopaail and foretopmnst staysail. The
eca bad risen very quickly, as it will
when the wind comes upon a swell. As
fa r as the eye could see from the summit
o f a wave there was a vista o f dark tow
ering ridges with tbeir threatening crests
o f foam. When the barque sank in the
hollow these gleaming summits rose as
high as l.er nut inyard, and the two fugi
tives, clinging to the weather-shrouds,
looked np in terror and amazement at the
masses o f water which huug above them.
Once or twice waves actually broke over
the vessel, crashing and roaring down
the deck, and washing hither and thither
until gradually absorbed
between
the
planks or drained away through the scup
per hoi««.
On each o f these occasions
the poor rotten vessel would lurch and
ahiver in every plank, as if with a fore
knowledge o f its fate.
The carpenter came aft. balancing him-
aelf as best he could, for the deck was
only a few degrees off the perpendicular.
“ The leak ia gainin’ fast,” he said.
“ T h e hands are clean done up. There's
•and on the starboard bow."
“ Keep your heart n p !" Miggs shouted,
and then crawled along to the Girdle-
afones. “ There’s no hope for the ship,
but we may save ourselves.”
he said.
“ You’ll have to take your turn at the
pumps.-’
“ H e’s not fit to command.’ ’ aaid Ezra
to the mate. “ W hat would you advise?"
“ W e’ll bring her round and lower the
boats on the lee side. They may live or
no. but it's the only chance fo r us. Them
tw o boats will hold us a’ easy.”
The ship was settling * down in the
water so fast that it was no difficult mat
ter to let the boats down.
They only
hung a few feet above the surface. The
m ajority o f Che crew got safely into the
long boat, and the two Girdlestonea with
Miggs and four seamen, occupied the gig.
T h e sun was shining on the rugged preci
pices. showing out the green tu rf upon
their summit and a little dark group o f
peasants, who were watching the scene
from above, bnt making no effort to as
sist the castaways. There was no alter
native but to row straight in for the near
est point o f land, for the boats were fill
ing. and might go down at any moment.
“ T h e ship’s gon e!“ Ezra said, as they
rose on the summit o f a wave.
When
they came up again all looked round, bnt
there was no sign o f the ill-fated Black
Eagle.
As he spoke a great wave hurled the
boat in upon its broad bosom, and flung it
down upon the cruel jagged rocks, which
bristled from 4he base o f the cliff. There
was a horrible rending crash, and the
stout keel snapped asunder, while a sec
ond wave swept over it, tearing out the
struggling occupants, and bearing them
on, only to hurl them upon a second ridge
beyond. The peasants upon the cliff gave
piteous cries o f g rie f and pity, which
blended with the agonised groans and
c re a m s o f drowning men and the thunder
o f the pitiless «urge. Looking down they
could see the black dots, which indicated
the heads o f the poor wretches below, di
minishing one by one ns they were hurled
upon the rooks or dragged down by the
undercurrent.
Ezra was a strong swimmer, but when
he had shaken himself free o f the boat,
and kicked away a seaman who clang to
him, he made no attempt to strike out.
IJc knew that the waves would bear him
quickly enough on to the rocks, and he
reserved himself for the struggle with
th«m. A great roller came surging over
the outlying reef. It carried him In like
a feather and hurled him up against the
face o f the cliff. As he struggled upon its
crest, be mechanically pnt out his hands
and seized a projecting portion o f the
rock. The shock o f the contact was tre
mendous. but be retained bis grasp and
found himself, when the wave receded,
standing battered and breathless upon a
small niche in the front o f the rock which
just gave him foothold. It was a marvel
ous escape, fo r looking on either side
be could not see any break in the sheer
declivity.
H e was by no means safe as yet. I f a
w ave had landed him there, another might
come as high and drag him away, i/ook-
inj, down, he saw one or two smaller ones
break into spray far below him. and then
a second great green billow came rolling
majestically towards him. H e eyed it as
it came foaming in, and calculated that it
would come at least as high as his knees.
W ould it drag him hack with it, or could
be hold his own? He braced himself as
firmly as he could, placing his feet apart,
and digging his nails into the inequalities
o f the rock until the blood gushed from
them. The water surged up upon him,
and be felt it tugging like some murder
ous demon at his legs, but be held on
bravely until the pressure decreased.
Looking below be saw the wave sinking
down the face o f the cliff. Another wave
overtook it and welled it up again, and
then from the depths o f the green waters
Ezra saw a long white arm shoot np, and
giasp the edge o f the ledge upon which
be stood.
Even before the face
appeared the
young man knew that the hand was his
father's.
A second followed the first,
and then the old merchant's face was up
lifted from the waves. He was cruelly
bruised and battered, and hia clothes had
been partly torn away.
H e recognised
his son, however, and looked up at him
beseechingly, while he held on with all
his strength to the ledge o f rock.
Bo
small- was the apace that his clinging fin
ger* touched Cara's toes.
“ l V r e ’e no room hero,“ the young
«aid. brutally. “ H ardly
I
C H A P T E R X X V I.
Great was the excitement o f the worthy
couple at Philliiuore Gardens when K ate
Ilarston was brought back to them. Good
Mrs. Dlmsdale pressed her to her bosom
and kissed her and scolded her and wrpt
over her, while the doctor was so moved
that it was only by assuming an expres
aion o f portentous severity and by bellow
ing and stamping about that he waa able
to keep himsaif in decent control.
“ And you really thought we had forgot
ten you because we were insane enough to
stop w riting at that villain’s request?’ ’ be
said, patting K a te’s pale cheeks tenderly,
and kissing her. ^
“ I was very foolish,” she said, blushing
prettily and rearranging her hair, which
had been somewhat tumbled *by her nu
merous caresses.
“ Oh, that scoundrel— that pair
of
scoundrels I " roared the doctor, shaking
his fist and dancing about on the hearth
rug. “ P ray heaven they may catch ’em
before the trial comes o ff!”
The good physician's ~ prayer was not
answered in this case, for Burt was the
only criminal who appeared in the dock
Our friends all went down to the W in
chester Assizes to give evidence, and the
navvy was duly convicted o f the death of
Rebecca T aylforth
and condemned to
death. He was executed some three weeks
afterwards, dying as he bad lived, stolid
and unrepenting.
There is a little unpretending church
not far from
Phillimors
Gardens, in
which a littlq unpretending clergyman
preaches every Sunday out o f a very
shabby pulpit.
I t lies in Castle lane,
which is g narrow by-way, and the great
crowd o f church goers ebbs and .flows
within a hundred yards o f it, but none
know o f its existence, fo r it has never
risen to the dignity o f t spire, and the
bell is so very diminutive that the aver
age muffin man produces quite as much
noise. Hence, with the exception o f some
few families who have chanced to find
their way there, and have been so pleased
with their spiritual welcome that they
have returned, there is h poor and fluctu
ating congregation. So scanty is it that
the struggling incumbent could very well
w-eep when he has spent the week in pol
ishing and strengthening his sermon, and
then finds upon the Sunday how very
scanty is the audience to whom it is to be
addressed.
the major's Invitation, and oeamea on ov
THS UNSE OS HISTORY ON THE GL0RI0Ü8
e r} one out o f a side pew.
Then there was the signing o f the regis
ters, and such a kissing and a weeping
and a distributing o f fees as never was
wen in Castle-lane church before. And
Mrs. Dlmsdale, as one o f the witnesses,
would Insist upon w riting her name in
the space reserved for the bride, on which
there were many small jokes passed, and
much laughter. Then the wlieeiy old or
gan struck up Meudelssohn’s
wedding
march, and the major puffed out hia chest
and stum|>ed down the aisle with
his
bride, while Tdm followed with his, look
ing round with proud and happy eyes.
The carriages rolled up, there was a slam
ming o f doors and a cracking o f whips,
and two more couples had started hand
in hand down the long road o f life which
leads— who'shall say whither?
The breakfast was at I ’hillimore Gar
dens, and a very glorious breakfast it was.
Those who were present still talk o f the
manner in which the health o f the brldea
waa proposed by l)r. Dlmsdale, and o f
the enthusiasm with which the toast was
received by the company.
Also o f the
flowery address in which the major re
turned thankd for tire said toast, apd the
manly demeanor o f the younger man aa
he followed suit.
They speak, too, o f
■tiany other pleasant thingp said and done
upon that occasion. H ow Win Baumser
proposed the health o f the little incum
bent, and the little Tncumbent that o f Dr.
Dlmsdale, and the doctor drank to the
unpronounceable Russian, who, being un
able to reply, sang a revolutionary song
which no one could understand.
Very
happy and very hearty was everyone by
the time that the hour came at which the
carriages were ordered, when, amid a pat
tering o f rice and a chorus o f heartfelt
good wishes, the happy couples drove off
upon their travels.
The liabilities o f the firm o f G ird le
stone proved to be less serious than was
at first imagined. A fte r the catastrophe
which had l>efallen the founder o f the
business, there was almost a panic in
Fenchurch street, but on examination it
proved that tbdugh the books had been
deliberately falsified for some time, yet
trade had been so brisk o f late that, with
a little help, the firm could continue to
exist. Dimsdale threw all bis money and
his energy into the matter, and took G il
ray into partnership, which proved to be
an excellent thing for both o f them.' The
firm o f Dimsdale A G ilray is now among
the most successful and popular o f all
the English firms connected with the A f
rican trade. O f their captains there ia
none apon whom they place greater reli
ance than upon McPherson, whose boat
was providentially saved from the danger
which destroyed "his former captain and
his employer.
What became o f Exra Girdiestone was
never known.
Some years a fter -Tom
heard from a commercial traveler o f a
melancholy, broken man who haunted the
low betting bouses o f Sen Francisco, and
who met his death eventually in some
drunken fracas. There was much a b o u t ___________________________ ____________
this desperado which tallied with the de - 1
coming up, be took it down and sent a
scription o f young Girdiestone, bnt noth-1
J X fl P L A I N T O S F X D O U .
new flag up in ita place..
ing certain waa ever known about ths ^
food old rourth-a .-domin’— the
The original Old G lory was preaerved
matter.
day In tha year.
And now I must bid adieu to the com A n d ' llttls chaps set anxlous-llks when and a fter the death o f Captain D river
it was presented by die compiler o f the
pany with whom I have walked so long. They talk* of * flrecrscke?s*«nd they dream
D river memoirs to the Eaaex institute at
I see them going on down the vista o f the
about the notse,
Salem, Masa., where It may now be sean.
future, gathering wisdom and happlnesa
f t " ™ " “ “ rUtaI* jM
as they go. There is the major, as stub- Bill’s got a great big cannon, with
by-toed and pigeon-breasted as ever, brok-'
you have to light,
eu from many o f h i. Bohemian ways, b u t, And » » « « £ • ' « < * • » th“ '*
. ■ t a s t e r Forarot
still full o f anecdote and o f kindliness. But I ’m a little teller— alat’ have as old
" T k # S t a r B i s b c M
B ai
There is his henchman. Von Baumser, too, I
a* he,
wbo ia a constant d i n « at h i. hospitable And I guem r t a ^ p l.l. torpedo«, will have
A short time a fter the C ivil W ar,
writes a correspondent o f the N ew York
board, and who conveys so many sweeta!
to a young Clutter bock who has mad# hia Pa says that giant crackers ain’t lit fer Times, a small fleet o f our ships took the
appearance, that one might suspect him p ,- ,
g , an*toy pistols and bates these then assistant Secretary o f the Navy,
Gnstavus V. Fox, to Europe to cultivate
o f receiving a commission from the family ;
paper caps,
doctor. M rs, Clntterbuck, an buxom and He
” * don't
■*“ * Intend bis children shall ever cele international friendship.
brate
W hile in Copenhagen the late K ing
pleasant as ever, makes noble efforts at By blowing off their lingers— be says they'll
Christian Invited Mr. Fox and the prin
stopping these contraband supplies, but
have to wait
the w ily Teuton still manages to smuggle “ You-re nothin' but a baby,” my father cipal officers o f his fleet to dine. The
says “ as yet.
them through in the face o f every obsta And your daddy can't quite spars you ; be following incident o f the visit was re
lated to me by the late Rear Admiral
Is (you bad, you bet.
cle. I see K ate and her husband, cliast-
ened by their many troubles, and making . « » » ’• got^some glant^erselMra? Well, that .Alexander Murray, who was then In com
the road tb the grave pleasant to the good g ot | guess that plain torpedoes will bars mand o f the monitor Augusta
. “ From my seat at dinner I looked out
old couple who are so proud o f their son. I
to do fer you.”
AH the«* I watch as they ,mss away into ^
^
^ h>Te ^
broth, „ , nd w. tch on the pleaaant lawn where thejtwnd was
stationed. A fte r the prinoipal business of
the dim coming time, and 1 know ns l ,
them at their play,
shut the book that, whatever may be in ' And Jes- to be a little chap and sort o' In the dinner was over, at the invitation of
do K in g Christian the glasses were filled and
i(gre for us there, they, at least, can ' To „ . ¿ ^ ' ¿ » a y . t, „ you, yoiI
all the table being at attention, his ma
never in the eternal justice o f thing*
thus and so.
Because you're jes. ■ little chap— not old jesty arose and with due form ality pro
come to aught but good.
enough, you know.
posed ‘The President o f
the
United
( T h e E nd .)
Hut ma, she sees I’ m tsarful, so she takes States.’
Glasses
were
raised,
but
the
me In her lap
And says, “ Why, what’s the matter? You’re K in g paused, glared over his shoulder and
P r e m a t o r e O b lt a a r le s .
„ .
_
.
cryln’, llttls chap.”
abruptly left the dining hall. The guests,
One o f the traditions o f the office of Than, aa she bends to kiss ms. I'm brave
upon invitation o f an aid, reseated them
the New York H erald has to do w ith an ^
that piala torpedoes are good enough selves.
editor who was a great upholder of the
for me !
“ In a few minutes I saw the band
It simply — Louis B. Thayer, la Woman’s Homs Com master come hurriedly into sight, follow
In fa llib ility o f hia paper
panton.
ed by the King, who kicked Mm across
eonldn’t m ake a mistake.
my field o f view. 8hort!y a fter the K ing
A flustered citizen once burst Into hia
O LD O LO B Y.
returned to the dining hall, took his place
office and bustled np to the editorial
at the head o f the table, and, the guests
desk. “ See here I " he demanded. “ Thin A Salewa S k ip p e r C reA lteA w it h G l v -
having risen, again proposed T h e I ’resl
obituary notice. I t ’n all w r o n g !”
l a g I k s P l a g T h is M ease.
dent o f the United States.’ As he raised
“ W h a t’s w ro n g about It?” asked the
H A T the American bis glass the band struck up T h e Star-
flag was named Old Spangled Banner.’ W ith a satisfied smile
ed itor In calm confidence.
Glory In 1801 by a his majesty emptied his glass.
“ W hy, It’s about me. I ’m not dead P
Salem (M ass.) skip
“ K in g Christian was democratic and
“ I f the H erald says you’re dead,"
per named W illiam kind and beloved by hia people, but all
sternly replied the editor, “ you’re dead.
D river ia asserted things bad to be done decently and In
B u t," he added m agnanim ously, “ I f you
by the Boston Globe. order or he’d know the reason why.”
don’t lik e being dead, w e’ ll p rin t yodr
H e waa at that time
birth notice.”
captain o f the brig
F a c t s A b o a t F ir e c r a c k e r s .
Charles Doggett.
H is attitu de w as rath er different
The greater pert o f the almost $2,000,-
Captain
Driver,
a
from that o f another editor, who. on
000 worth o f firecrackers annually ex
successful deep sea
being shown by the man most Interested
ported by China comes to New York. And
sailor, waa propar-
that the death o f the com plainant was
the United States stands next to China
In Its nse o f them.
fa lsely reported, apologized profusely ^
courM t0 the Jo^thern fS L.
Thousands o f Chinese men, women and
and offered to ninke It nil right.
I
before the brig left Salem a young
“ W e ’ll p rin t a correction at once," he
at the head o f a party o f friends children work at the making o f fire
crackers, for there are no manufactories
said.
saluted Captain D river on the deck o f
there, the work being done by hand. They
“ W e ll,” said the man w ho wasn’ t ' the Doggett and presented him with a
receive only about $1.40 for making 10.-
dead, “ perhaps it w ould be better to let large and beautifully made American flag, XXX) firecrackers, laboring from six in the
it stand. I ’ll show It to my frie n d . U ™ io°
A
\U
V D “V? l " d 7*?
morning until eleven at night seven days
a week.
when they w an t to borrow money. -
,t 0 ld Glory.
So a Chinese woman or child works
W om an s H om e Companion.
took It to the south Pacific, uud
years after when old age forced him to like a slave for two days to earn what
A lw a y s O t t l l s g S ta ck .
relinquish the sea he treasured the flag Is spent on a few bunches o f firecrackers
by the urchin bent on doing justice to the
Stubb— W h s t
Is C oggw ood dolDg aa an old friend.
since he bought his new autom obile?
Captain D river moved to Naahville, Glorious Fourth.
Imagine, then, this good man’s surprise
when asked to publish the bends o f mar
riage o f two couples simultaneously, each
o f whom be knew to be in the upper cir-
clee o f life, and when informed at the
snme time that the said marriages were
actually to be celebrated under hia own
auspices and in his own church. In the
fullness o f his heart he at once bought
a most unwearable black
bonnet with
lilac flowers and red berries, which he
brought in triumph to bis w ife, who, good
woman, affected extreme delight, and af:
terwards cut away all the obnoxious fin
ery and replaced it to her own taste. The
scanty congregation was no less surprised
when tlipy heard that Tobias Clntterbuck,
bachelor, was about te marry
Lavinia
Scully, widow, and that Thomas Dims-
dale was to do as much to Catherine
Ha ratón, spinster.
They communicated
tlx- tidings to their friends, and the result
was a great advertisement to the little
church, so that the incumbent preached
his favorite sermon upon barren fig trees
to a crowded audience, and received such
an offertory as had never entered into his
wildest dreams.
And if this w as an advertisement to the
Castle lane church, how much more so
was It when the very pompous carriages
came rolling np with their very pompous
drivers, all o f whom, being married men,
had a depreciatory and weary expression
upon their faces, to show that they had
done it all before and that It was noth
ing new to them. Out o f one carriage
there jumped a very jaunty gentleman,
somewhat past the middle age and a little
inclined to stoutness, hut looking very
healthy and rosy nevertheless.
Beside
him there walked a tall, tawny-bearded
man, who glanced solicitously every now
and again at bis companion, as though be
were the bottle-holder at a prise fight, and
feared that bis man might collapse at a
moment’s notice. From a second carriage
there emerged an athletic, brown-faced
young fellow accompanied by a small wiz
ened gentleman in spotless attire, who
was in such a state o f nervousness that
he dropped his lavender glove twice on
his way np the aisle.
These gentlemen
grouped themselves at the end o f the
church conversing in low whispers and
looking exceedingly uncomfortable, as is
the prerogative o f the sterner sex under
snch circumstances. Mr. Gilray. who was
Tom ’s best man, was introduced to H err
Von Baumser, and everyone was very af
fable and nervous.
Now there comes a rustling o f drapery,
and every one turns their heads as the
brides sweep up to the altar.
Here is
Jlrs. Scully, looking quite as charming as
she did fifteen years ago on the last occa
sion when she performed the ceremony.
She was dressed in a French-grey gown
with bonnet to match, and the neatest
Tenn.. in 1807 and died there in 188«.
Penn— F o llo w in g the horses.
little bouquet in the world, for which
Previous to the outbreak o f hoatilitice
Stubb— Ah, playin g the races, eh?
the major bad ransacked Covent Garden.
Penn— No, fo llo w in g the farm h orse, between the North and the South Old
Behind her came bonny Kate, a very vis
G lory waa flnng to the breese every day
ion o f loveliness in her fairy-like lace th at tow his machine to tow n every
from the window o f Captain D river’s
end beautiful iyory aatin.
H er dark tim e It breaks down.
N ashville bouse, but when ths bullets be
laahes drooped over her violet eyes and a
gan to tip and the odor o f gunpowder to
slight flush tinged her cheeks, bnt she
T h e V lr t a e o f B r e v ity .
taint tb# air the old flag bad to be ae-
glided steadily into her place and did her
K w o te r— T o o m any words, o f conree, creted.
share in the responses when the earnest are wearisom e. B re v ity Is t b . soul off
It was kept out o f sight inside a great
little clergyman appeared upon the scene.
bed comfortably until Feb. 27, 1802, when
w it
There was Dr. Dlmsdale, too, with the
W is e (w ith . y a w n )— N o t a lw a y s , Brig. Gen. Nelson s wing o f the Union
In ightest o f smiles and snowiest o f waist
Captain
hot
In any event It la alw aya commend army appeared in Nashville.
coats, giving away the brides In the most
D river presented R to the general to be
a
b
le
—
P
h
ilad
elp
h
ia
Preoa.
open-handed fashion. I lls wife, too, was
hoisted on the capitol. I t was ran np by
by his side In tears and purple velvet,
Captain D river himself. H e watched It
Tboea
who
Jump
at
conclusion
oftaa
and many other friends and relations, la
| (trou gh the night, and, a heavy wind
the tw o aecialleta, who c u m at take . tombía.
I s t S M lI s s a (o r Firew orks.
POUETH.
LITTLE JOHNNY’S GLASS.
But just then little Jobany passed-
Tbs owner's hack was turned—
To see ths whole display go off
The soul of Johnny yearned.
Som e F o u rth • ( J a ly
P ro verb s.
A lit firecracker In tbs hand lan’t
One o f the latest quips Is t » paint a
small bomb in imitation o f a golf ball worth two in the pack.
There is no use pulling the trigger a fte r
and let a friend teke a whack at It.
One o f the most propitious places for the gun has been fired.
Do not look a g ift cannon In the mooth.
a firecracker Is a fluffy hat, or, better
Never light your Roman candle at both
still, ths back hair.
,
O n« o f the capital diversions o f an ends.
I t Is the pfawheel that lesea by doing a
evening entertainment Is to fasten a p'n-
wheel to a lac# curtain, touch a match good turn.
One swallow doesn’t make a spring nor
to the fuse and see what tbs firemen do.
Some may prefer a plate glaaa win one firecracker a Fourth.
dow fo r a skyrocket target, hut the beet
authorities agree that It la seen at Its
how warm and wearied a
best In a crowded dialog room.— Haw
firecracker dropped d^wa
York Herald.
will stimulate him.