THE DISASTER.
The next morning's sun rose clear and bright, and by nine o'clock the
town was swarming with pleasure-seekers. The little steamer lay at the
landing awaiting its burden of human freight. The boat was already
fast filling up with old and young, grave and gay.
A little party, which consisted of Mrs. Horton, Mr. and Mrs. Platts,
Guy, Zula and Carrie, entered the boat.
The boat had been under way a short time, when Carrie exclaimed, with
a look of alarm: "Oh, Zula, what is the matter?"
Zula looked up and saw that each face around had become serious.
Guy answered the question, though apparently unconcerned.
"The water is coming into the boat."
One after another arose to their feet.
"What is it?" ran from mouth to mouth.
"The boat has sprung a leak."
A wild, despairing cry went up from the frightened crowd, and then the
color fled from each face until one looking over the pitiful scene of
white and agonized faces turned toward Heaven, would almost have
thought the sea had given up its dead.
The water which was fast running into the boat defied the laborious
task of bailing, and one brave man after another, overcome with heat
and labor, surrendered and was brought on deck fainting. At last when
all efforts were found to be unavailing, the captain, with haggard
face and ashen lips, gave the command to repair to the upper deck. It
was the last hope. The scene of that moment cannot be portrayed.
Parents who had left children on the mainland, and children who had
gone abroad without their parents, called in vain for loved ones, and
wringing their hands, mingled their tears, and praying, cursing, and
weeping, words of regret and heart-rending shrieks, all mingled in one
mighty cry, went up to Heaven through the still air, while death
seemed to stand and mock them in their agony, hopeless, out upon the
water in a frail boat, which in a few moments more would go down,
down, consigning them to a watery grave.
Mrs. Horton, in mute despair, clasped the hands of her sister and
daughter. Guy had stepped a little aside, and with a very solemn look,
was studying what course to pursue, as the agony and excitement of all
seemed to settle to a dumb despair and a resignation of the fate that
awaited them, and one by one they sank to the floor, giving themselves
up to the mercy of the waters.
The flag of distress had been raised, but the steamer, yet three miles
away from the mainland, where the rowboats lay, was steadily, but
slowly and surely going down. Would they reach the sinking vessel in
time to save any of the victims? Ah, how anxiously they watch while
there seems but a step between them and eternity.
Every eye was directed toward the mainland, from which were coming a
large number of rowboats. Nearer they come, one after another,
bringing a faint ray of hope to the leaden hearts. The steamer is
sinking, sinking, oh, will they reach her in time to rescue the
precious load of humanity? Something seems to buoy her up, as though
stayed by the hand of Providence. The little boats fairly fly over the
water and at last they reach the sinking steamer, and are filled and
rowed safely to the island. Back and forth they go until there is one
more load left. The last boat is nearly filled and all have descended
with the exception of Guy and Zula. How fast they crowd to their
places; these frightened people, seemingly so selfish because life is
at stake. Guy and Zula hold back. They are both cooler than the rest,
and perhaps less fearful.
"Alas," the pilot says, "the boat will not hold one more."
"Oh, just one," Guy says, motioning Zula to go.
"No, not one; it is already a risky load. One more may sink all; you
must wait."
Away goes the heavily laden boat, and faster and yet faster,
down--down goes the sinking vessel. The deck but just clears the
water, and there stand Guy and Zula waiting, with but a moment between
them and death. How calmly they wait. Guy clasps her hand, his face
has grown pale.
"Zula," he says, "I can swim, but you shall not go down alone. The
lifeboat cannot possibly return in time to take us away."
Zula draws her hand away, and, stooping, unfastens and draws her shoes
from her feet, then turning to Guy she says in a cool and fearless
manner:
"I have no idea of going down."
"I am not an expert swimmer and perhaps I can do no more than save
myself; but I will try to save you."
"See, we must be quick," he said, again offering his hand.
She drew back hurriedly, saying:
"Save yourself, Cousin Guy."
At that moment the boat careened, a splashing of the pipes in the
water and down, down, down she went out of sight.
A heart-rending cry arose from the boat nearing the island. Mrs.
Horton and Mrs. Platts anxiously watching the two standing on the
vessel's deck saw them strike the water and then all hope was lost.
They buried their faces in their hands to shut out the very thought of
the terrible sight.
But see! what is that? Each eye is strained to catch the sight.
Their hearts almost stand still as they watch two heads above the
water, and as they near the island they are soon followed by Zula, who
smiles as she steps on the shore. Guy soon follows, and brushes the
water from his hair. The two are soon surrounded by friends and
strangers with numerous words of praise for Zula's bravery. She was
glad to get to the hotel, where the ladies were only too eager to
provide her with dry clothing. There was nothing else talked of for
the remainder of the day, but the disaster and the wonderful heroism
of the little black-eyed girl, and when the pleasure-seekers were
rowed back to the town by moonlight, all acknowledged that it had been
a day which would not soon be forgotten.
The summer passed away, and Zula had been happy, but there was a tiny
cloud in the background of her life, a fear that Crisp would, some day
steal in upon her happiness and blight her life by taking her back to
the old one of shadow and suffering. She had become warmly attached to
Carrie and Guy, and often would she look at him and wish so earnestly
that Crisp were like him. How happy she would be, and how she would
love Crisp if he were like Guy. But Crisp was cruel, heartless and
ignorant, never giving her a kind word, but instead cruel taunts and
blows. When her mind wandered over those things she could not choke
down the feeling of bitterness that struggled in her bosom, and she
would whisper to herself that some day she would have her revenge. How
little she knew in what way her revenge would be given.