Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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? great ware sticked her away from fife steamer and then- hurled her iback .with irresistible force. .The Sirdar Was just <?ompl?^g. het;:tar^nmg move? ment, and she heeled over, yielding to the mighty power ^of the gale. For an appreciable instant her engines stop? ped. The mass of water that swayed tie Junk like ? -?erk lifted the great ship high^by the stern. The propeller began ta^&jfflg?n air\-tbT^?e^t?rd of? ficer hadcorroed hisr signal to ''full speed ahead*;again^ and thVcmhbrous Ch?nese' y^seljtruek tie Sirdax.a ter? rible Wo^miine counter, smashing off the screw close to the thrust block and jwrencning: the redder from its bearings. There was; an awful jaee; by the en? gines ^before -the engineers could shut off steam. The junk vanished into the ^^derness. of .noise, and-tmnbiing-seasv beyond, and the, fine steamer-ot. a few seconds ago, repl?te with magnificent .energy, struggled. like a-wounded levia? than in the_ grasp, of a; vengeful foe. She swuug arouM as if mwrath to pursue "the puny assailant which had 'dealt her this mortar stroke. No longer breasting the storm with stubborn per? sistency, she - now drifted aimlessly ^before wind and wave:' She was mere? ly a larger piaything tossed about by titanic gambols. The junk was burst asunder by the collision. Her planks and cargo littered, the waves, were even tossed in derision on to the decks of the Sirdar. Of what avail was strong timber or bolted iron against the spleen of the unchained and form? less ; monster who loudly proclaimed j Ms triumph? . The great steamship tariffed on through cfcaos^ The typhoon bad broken the, lance. But brave met( : skillfully- directed, wrought hard to avert farther disas TheylookzoZ down into the wretched cr-aft. teri After the first, moment of stupor gallant British. sailors. risked.- life and limb touring the vessel under control. ' ?j their calm courage they shamed the paralyzed Lascars interactivity. A sail was rigged on fife foremast and a sea anchor hasti-y constructed as soon as it was discovered that the helm was useless. Rockets fiared up int? the sky at regular intervals in the faint hope that should they attract the at? tention of another vessel she .would fol? low the disabled Sirdar and render belr> when the weather moderated. Traen the captain ascertained that nc water was being slapped, the dam? age being wholly external,' the collision doors were opened and the passengers admitted to the'saloon, a briiyant pal? ace, superbly: indifferent to the wreck and ruin without. Captain Ross-himself came down and addressed a few comforting words to the quiet men_and_ paiiid-womcn gath? ered there. He told them exactly what bad happened. ^The "Lours passed in tedious misery after Captain Iioss^-visit Every one was eager to-geta glimpse of the un? known terrors without from the deck. Thi* was out of the question, so peo? ple sat around ? the tables to listen eagerly to Experience and his wise saws on drifting ships and their pros Some .cautious : persons visited their cabins to secure valuables in case of further disaster. A few hardy spirits returned to bed. Meanwhile in the chart house the cap? tain and chief officer were gravely pondering over an open chart and dis? cussing a fresh ' risk that loomed ominously before them. The ship was a .long way out of her usual .course when the accident happened. She was drifting nsw, they estimated, eieren knots an hour, with wind, sea and cur? rent all forcing her in the same direc? tion, drifting into one of the most dan? gerous places in the known world, the sooth China sea, with its numberless reefs, shoals and isolated rocks and the great island of Borneo stretching right across the path of the cyclone. Still there was nothing to be done save to make a few unobtrusive prega-. gsrgfihe , By LOUIS fl TRACY 9 Copyright. 1903. by ^ Edward J. Code radons and trust to idle chance. To attempt to anchor and ride out the gale in their present position was out of the question. "^."wo, 3, 4 o'clock came and went Another half hour would witness the dawn and a further clearing of the weather. 'The barometer was rapidly rising. The center of the cyclone had swept far ahead. There was only left the aftermath of heavy seas and furi? ous but steadier wind. (?aptain "Ross entered the chart house for the twentieth time. He iiad aged many years in appear? ance. The smiling, confident, debonair ofiicer was changed into a stricken, mournful jman. He. had altered with his ship. The Sirdar and her. master co ild hardly be recognized, so cruel were the blows they had received. 'It is impossible to see a yard ahead," he confided to bis second in command. xel have neyer been so anx? ious before in my life. Thank God, the night is drawing to a dose. Perhaps when day breaks'- : . ]Iis last words contained a prayer and a hope. TS ven as he spoke the ship seemed to lift herself bodily with an unusual effort for a vessel moving be? fo:? the wind. . 'Ene nexftnstant there was a horrible grinding crash forward. Each person who did not chance to be holding fast to an upright was thrown violently down. The deck was tilted to a dan? gerous angle.and remained there, while the heavy buffeting of the sea, now raging afresh at this unlooked for re? sistance, drowned the despairing, yells raised by the Lascars on du,ty. r.ihe Sirdar had completed her last voyage. She was now a battered wreck on a barrier reef. She hung thus for one heartbreaking second. Then an? other wave, riding triumphantly through its fellows; caught the great steamer Jn its tremendous grasp, car? ried her -onward for half her length.) and smashed her down on the rocks. Her back was^ broken. She parted in two halves. Both sections turned com? pletely over in the utter wantonness of destruction, and everything-masts, fuineis, boats, null, with every living soil on board-was at once engulfed in a maelstrom of rushing water and fa:.* flung spray* CHAPTER II. SnpiHEN the Sirdar parted amid 1} ships the floor of the saloon I heaved up in the center with mmJ a mighty crash of rending wcodwork and iron. Men and women, too stupefied to sob out a'prayer, were pitched ^headlong into chaos. Iris, torn fr<km the terrified grasp of her maid, fell thfbugli a corridor and would have gone down with the ship had .not a sailor, clinging to a companion ladder, caught Jber as she whirled along the steep slope of the deck. He did not know what had happen? ed. With the instinct of self preserva? tion he~ seized the nearest support when the vessel struck. ' It was the mere impulse of ready helpfulness that caused him to stretch out his left arm ard clasp the girl's waist as she flutter? ed past. By idle chance they were on the port side, and the ship, after paus? ing for one awful second, fell over to starboard. The mau was not prepared for this second gyration. Even as the stair? way canted he lost his balance: they were, both thrown violently through the open hatchway and swept off into tte boiling surf. Under such condi? tions thought itself was impossible. A series of impressions, a number of fan? tastic pictures, were received by tho he numbed faculties and afterward pain? fully sorted out by the memory. Fear, anguish, amazement-none of these eculd ?exist All Ire knew was that the lilelcss form-of a woman-for Iris had ?Kiepi?y. fiinterl-must be held until death itself wrenched her from him. Thea there aime the headlong plunge into the swirling sea, followed by an ind?finie period of gasping oblivion. Something that felt like a moving rock rc^e rrj beneath his feet He was driv? er >-c*o :r out of the water and seemed to '.foogr>i::e a familiar object rising rigid and bright ei?se at hand. It vras the ginntxle pillar, screwed to a portion of the deck which came away fr-tm the (?hart bfcuse. and was rent from \he up i*y: framework hy contact TV-th the reef. Ile seized this unlooked for sup? port with his disengaged hand. A uniformed figare^he thought it was tl:e captain-stretched out an un? availing arm to clasp the queer raft which supported the sailor and the ??ir!, but a jealous wave rose under tlie platform with devilish energy and turned it co::n!eiely over, hurling Hie.; mau willi his inanimate burden into the depths. Ile rose, fighting madly for his life. Now surely he was doom? ed. But again, as if human existence depended on naught more serious than the spinning of a coin, his knees rested on tile sanfe few stanch "timbers, now the ceiling of the music room, and he was given a brief respite. His great? est dilheulty was to get his breath, so dense was the spray through which .lie was driven. Even in that r.errible moment he kept his senses. The girl, utterly unconscious, showed by the convulsive heaving of her breast that she was choking. With a wile! effort he swung her head round to shield her i rom the ; flying scud with toVown | ?brm. "The tiny^ air space thus provided gave her some relief, and in that in? stant the sailor seemed to recognize her. He was not remotely capable of a definite idea. Just as he vaguely real? ized the identity of the woman in his arms the ' unsteady support on which he rested toppled over. Again he re? newed the unequal contest. A strong, resolute man and a. typhoon sea wres? tled for supremacy. This time his feet plunged against something gratefully solid. He was d?shed forward, still battling with the raging turmoil of water, and a second time he felt the same firm yet smooth surface. His dormant faculties awoke. It was sand. With frenzied despera? tion, buoyed now by the inspiring hope of safety, he fought his way onward like a maniac. Often he fell. Three times did the backwash try to drag him to the swirling death behind, but he staggered blindly on, on, until even the tearing gale ceased to be laden with the suffo? cating foam, and his faltering feet sank in deep soft white sand. . Then he fell, not to rise again. With a last weak flicker of exhausted strength he drew the girl closely to him, and the two lay clasped tightly together, heedless now of all things. , How long the man remained pros? trate he could only guess subsequently. The Sirdar struck soon after day? break, and the sailor awoke to a hazy consciousness of his surroundings to find a shaft of sunshine flickering through the clouds banked up in the east The gale was already passing away. Although the wind still whis? tled with shrill violence, it was more blustering than threatening. The sea, too, though running very high, had re? treated many yards from ' the spot where he had finally dropped, and its surface was no longer scourged with venomous spray. Slowly and painfully he raised him? self to a sitting posture, for he was bruised and stiff. With his first move? ment he became violently ill. He had swallowed much salt water, and it was not until the spasm of sickness had passed that he thought of the girl. "She cannot be dead," he hoarsely murmured, feebly trying to lift her. "Surely Providence would not desert her after such an escape. What a weak beggar T must be to give in at the last moment' I am sure she was living when we got ashore.- What on earth can I do-to revive her?" Forgetful of his own aching limbs in this newborn'anxiety, he sank on one knee and gently pillowed Iris' head and shoulders on the other. Her eyes were Closed, her lips and teeth firmly set-a fact to which* she undoubtedly owed her life, else she would have been suf? focated-and tho pallor of her skin seemed to be that terribie bloodless hue which indicates death. The stern lines in the man's face relaxed, and s"?m?thing "blurredhis "vision". "He was weak from exhaustion and want of food. For the moment his emotions were easily aroused. "Oh, it is pitiful!" he almost whim? pered. "It cannot bel" With a gesture of despair he drew the sleeve of his thick jersey across his eyes to clear them from the gathering He staggered blindly on. mist. Then he tremblingly endeavored to open thc neck of her dress. He was startled to find the girl's eyes wide open and surveying him with shadowy alarm. She was quite conscious. "Thank God!" he cried hoarsely. "You are alive." Her color came back with remarka? ble rapidity. She tried to assume a sit? ting posture, and instinctively her hands traveled to her disarranged cos? tume. "How ridiculous!" she said, with a little note of annoyance in ber voice, which sounded curiously hollow* But her brave spirit could not yet command her enfeebled frame. She was perforce compelled to sink back to the support of his knee and arm. "Do you think you could lie quiet un? til I try to find some water?" he gasp? ed anxiously. She nodded a childlike acquiescence, and her eyelids fell. It was only that her eyes s\narted dreadfully from the salt water, but the sailor was sure that this was a premonition of a lapse to unconsciousness. "Please try not to faint again," he said. "Don't you think I had better loosen these things? You can breathe* more easily." A ghost of a smile flickered on her lips. "Xo-no," she murmured. "My eyes hurt me-that is all. Is there any-water?" He laid her tenderly on the sand and rose to his feet. His first glance was toward the sea. ' He saw something which maue bim blink with ?stonis inciit. A heavy sea was still runnh over the barrier reef which inclosed small lagoon. , The contrast betwe< the fierce commotion outside and tl comparatively smooth surface of -tl protected pool was very marked. ^ low tide the lagoon was almost cor pletely isolated. Indeed he imagin? that only a fierce gale blowing fro the northwest would enable the wavi to leap the reef, save where a strip < broken water, surging far into tl small natural harbor, betrayed the p sition of the tiny entrance. Yet at this very point a fine cocoani palm reared its stately column high i air, and its long, tremulous fronds we] now swinging wildly before the gal From where he stood it appeared, 1 be growing in the midst of the sea, fe huge breakers completely hid t5he cori embankment This sentinel of the lan had a weirdly impressive effect ] was the only fixed object in the,wast of foam capped waves. Not a vestig of the Sirdar remained seaward, br the sand was littered with wreckag* and-mournful spectacle-a considen ble number of inanimate human form lay huddled up amid the relics of th steamer. This discovery stirred him to actior He turned to survey the land on whicJ he was stranded with his helpless com panion. To his great relief he discov ered that it was lofty and tree clad He knew that the ship could not hav drifted to Borneo, which still lay far fc the south. This must be one of th? hundreds of islands which stud th China sea and provide resorts for Hai nan fishermen. Probably it was in habited, though he thought it strang? that none of the islanders had put ii an appearance. In any event wate] and food of some sort were assured But before setting out upon his quesl two things demanded attention. Thc girl must be removed from her present position. It would be too horrible tc permit her first conscious gaze to resl upon those crumpled objects on the beach. Common humanity demanded, too, that he should hastily examine each of the bodies in case life was nol wholly extinct So he bent over the girl, noting with sudden wonder that, weak as she was, she had managed to refasten part of her bodice. "You must permit me to carry you a little farther inland," he explained gently. Without another word he lifted her in his arms, marveling somewhat at the strength which came of necessity, and bore her some little distance until a sturdy rock jutting out of the sand offered shelter from the wind and pro? tection from the sea^ and its revela? tions. "I am so cold and tired,*' murmured Iris. "Is there any water? My throat hurts me." He pressed, back the tangled hair from her forehead as he might soothe a child. "Try to lie still for a.very few min? utes," he said. "You have not long to suffer. I will return immediately." His own throat and palate were on fire owing to ?he brine, but he first hurried back to the edge cf the lagoon. There were fourteen bodies in all, three women and eleven men, four of the latter being Lascars. The women were saloon passengers whom he did not know. One of the men was the sur? geon, another the first officer, a third Sir John Tozer. The rest were passen? gers and members of the crew. They were all dead: some had been peaceful? ly drowned.' "others were fearfully mangled by the rocks. Two of the Las? cars, bearing signs of dreadful injuries, were lying on a cluster of low rocks overhanging the water. The remainder rested on the sand. The sailor exhibited no visible emo? tion while he conducted his sad scru? tiny. When he was assured that this silent company was beyond mortal help he at once strode away toward the nearest belt of trees. He could not tell how long the search for water might be protracted, and there was pressing need for it. When he reached the first clump of brushwood he uttered a delighted ex? clamation. There, growing in prodigal luxuriance, was the beneficent pitcher plant, whose large curled up leaf, shap? ed like a teacup, not only holds a last? ing quantity of rain water, but mixes therewith its own palatable and nat? ural juices. With his knife he severed two of the leaves and hastened to Iris with the precious beverage. She heard him and managed to raise herself on an el? bow. The poor girl's eyes glistened at the prospect of relief. Without a word of question or surprise she swallowed 1 the contents of both leaves. Then she found utterance. "How odd it tastes. What is it?" she in? quired. But the eagerness with which she quenched her thirst renewed his own momentarily forgotten torture. His tongue seemed to swell. He was ab? solutely unable to reply. The water revived Iris like ^a magic draft. Her quick intuition told her what had happened. "You have had none yourself i" she cried. "Go at once and get some! And please bring me some more!" He required no second bidding. Aft? er hastily gulping down the contents of several leaves he returned with a further supply. Iris was now sitting up. The sun had burst royally through the clouds, and her chilled limbs were gaining some degree of warmth and elasticity. "What is it?" she repeated after an? other delicious draft. "The leaf of the pitcher plant Na? ture is not always cruel. In an un? usually generous mood she devised this method of storing writer." Miss Deane reach?3 out her hand for more. Her troubled brain refused to wonder at such a reply from an ordi? nary seaman. The sailor deliberately spilled the contents of a remaining leaf on the sand. "No, madam," he said, with an odd mixture of deference and firmness. "No inor? ?i pr?sent. H must first procure you some food." She looked up at him ia momentary silence. "The ship is lost?" she said after a pause. "Yes, madam." "Are we the only people saved?" "I fear so." "Is this a desert island?" "I think not, madam. It may by chance be temporarily uninhabited, but fishermen from China come to all these places. I have seen no other living be? ings except ourselves. Nevertheless the islanders may live on the south side." "It surely cannot be possible that the Sirdar has gone to pieces-a magnifi? cent vessel of her size and strength;" He answered quietly: "It is too true, madam. I suppose you hardly knew she struck, it happened so suddenly. Afterward, fortunately for you, you were unconscious." "How "do you know?" she inquired quickly. A flood of vivid recollection was pouring in upon her. "I-er-well, I happened to be near you, madam, when the ship broke up, and we-er-drifted ashore together." She rose and faced him. "I remem? ber now," she cried hysterically. "You caught me as I was thrown into the corridor. Tve fell into the sea when the vessel turned over. You have saved my life. Were it not for you I could not possibly have escaped." She gazed' at him more earnestly, see? ing that he blushed beneath the ernst of salt and sand that covered his face "Why," she went on, with growing ex? citement, "you are the steward I no? ticed in the saloon yesterday. How is it that you are now dressed as a sailor?" He answered readily enough. "There was an accident on board during the gale, madam. I am a fair sailor, but a poor steward, so I applied for a transfer. As the crew was short hand? ed, my offer was accepted." Iris was now looking at him intently. "You saved my life," she reheated Slowly. It seemed that this obvious fact needed to be indelibly established in hcr*mmd. Indeed the girl was over? wrought by all that she had gone through. Only by degrees were her thoughts marshaling themseives with lucid coherence. As yet she recalled so many dramatic incidents that they failed to assume due proportion. But quickly there came memories of Captain Ross, of Sir John and Lady Tozer, of the doctor, her maid, the hundred and one individualities of her pleasant life aboard ship. Could it be that they A\trrc- all dead? The notion was monstrous. But its ghastly signif? icance was instantly borne in upon her by the plight in which she stood. Her lips quivered; the tears trembled in her eyes. "Is it really true that all the ship's company except ourselves are lost?" she brokenly demanded. The sailor's gravely earnest glance fell before hers. "Unhappily there is no room for doubt" he said. "Are you quite, quite sure?" "I am sure-of some." Involuntarily he turned seaward. She understood him. She sank to her knees, covered her face with her hands and broke into a passion of weeping. With a look of infinite pity he stooped and would have torched her shoulder, but he suddenly restrained the im? pulse. Something had hardened this man. It cost him an effort to be cal? lous, but he succeeded. His mouth tightened, and his expression lost its tenderness. "Come, come, my deaf lady," he ex? claimed, and there was a tinge of stud? ied roughness in his voice, "you must calm yourself. It is the fortune of shipwreck as well as ofi&war, you know. TVe are alive and must look after ourselves. Those who have gone are beyond our heip." "Eut not beyond our sympathy," wailed Iris, uncovering her swimming eyes for a fleeting look at him. Even in the utter desolation of the moment she could not help marveling that this queer mannered sailor, who spoke like a gentleman and tried to pose as her inferior, who had rescued her with the utmost gallantry, who carried his quix? otic zeal to the point of first supplying her needs when he was in far worse case himself, should be so utterly in? different to the fate of others. ITO DE CONTINUED.] CASTOR IA Por Infants and Children. The Kind You Haye Always Bought Signature of DeLORflE'S PHARMACY, 23 South Main St. Open from 7 a. rn. to 10 p. m. ; Sunday, 9 a. m. to 1 p. m. Having consolidated my two stores, I will be pleased to see all my customers at the above [ stand, where I am better pre? pared than ever to serve them. Your prescriptions will be called for and delivered. Phone 45. Full line of Drugs, Garden Seed and Cigars. Your patronage solicited. Call bell for night work. Potash as NecessaryasRain The quality and quantity of the crops depend on a sufficiency of in the soil. Fertilizers which are low in Potash will never produce satisfactory results. Every fanner should be familiar with the groper proportions of ingredients that go to make the best fertilizers for every kind of crop. We have published a series of books, containing the latest researches on this all important subject, which we will send free if you ask. Write now while you think of it to the GEEMAN KALI WOKKS Mew York-9S Nassau Street, or Atlanta, Ga.-22% South Broad Street. Cabbage Plants. From the best tested seeds. Now ready for shidment, lanie, strong, healthy, these plants are grown in the open air and will stand se? vere freezes without injurv. Early Jersey Wakefield. Large Type or Charleston Wake? field, which are the best known varieties of early cabbages, also Henderson's Succession, the best large, late and sure header. Augusta Early Trucker, also a fine ty pe of late variety. Nea cly packed in light baskets. $1.50 per M; for five thousand or over 81.25 per M. P. O. B. express office. Special prices made on large lots. Chas. M. Gibson, YGTOGS X3LJL2T2, S. C. Dec. 14-3mos._ MONEY RICKED UP!! BY Writing Life Insurance In The Fenn Mutual Insurance Go. LIBERAL contracts to live agents ' in unoccupied territory. ADDRESS PERRY MOSES, JR, General ?gent, Sumter, S. C. $100,000.00 Capital. THE FIRST NATIONAL Ml of Sumter, S. C. THE Comptroller of the Currency hav? ing approved the increase of the Capital of this Bank to $100,000.00, depositors now have as security for their deposits : Capital, - - $100,000*00 Stockholders' Individual Lia? bility, - - - 100,000 O? Surplus and Undivided Prof? its, - 25,000 00 Total Security for Depositors, $225,000 00 ONLY NAT! Ow LA BANK IS CITY OF SU ASTER. Largest Capital of any Bank in this section of South Carolina. Strongest Bank in Eastern part of this State. Interest allowed on deposits to a limited amount. BOARD OF DIRECTORS. A. J. CHINA, President. NEILL O'DONNELL, Vice President. H. D. BARNETT, E. D. LE'S. GK A. LEMMON, JOHN REID, E. P. BICKER. R. L. EE MUNDS, Cashier. R. D. LEE, Solicitor. BOOKKEEPERS. J. L. McCpJlnm, D. J. Wini, ?r. Oliver L. Yates. _ THE BANK OF SUMTER] SUMTER, S. C. City and County Depository. Caoital stock paid in, $75.000 00 Undivided surplus, 16,000 00 Individual liability of stockhold? ers in excess of their stock, 75,000 00 Transacts a general banking business; also has a Saving Bank Department. De? posits cf $1 and upward received. Int?r? ?t allowed at the rate of 4 per cent, per innum, payable semi-annually. W. F.*B. HAYNS WORTH, President. R. I. MASHING, W. F. RHAMF. vice-President. Cashier. Jan. 31; FHE SUMTER SAVINSS Bil. HORACE ?LARBF, President. I. C. STRAUSS. Vice-president. GEO. L. RICEER, Cashier. Capital Stock, $25,000 Liability of Stockholders, 2^,000 Every Facility ^or the transaction of business is afford d those who deposit their money with The Sumter Savings Bank, Important papers can be drawn up and igned in a private room set aside for use >f our clients and any information de? ired will be cheerfully furnished by the aanagement. Savings deposited here draw interest at he rate of 4 per cent per annum. $1.00 rill open an account and secure a bank * ook. ?