Mary Baldwin College - Bluestocking Yearbook (Staunton, VA)

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16 The Aiogusta Seminary Annual. voul(l not iiiid lier at all, for she would run up on the roof of the house and hide behind the chimneys. That was always her refuge, for no one could go up the ladder as fast as she could, and once there, she was safe. At last all was ready, and the train which bore Polly away from home steamed out of the station. The bright, wondering eyes were bright no longer as Polly thought of the long years in a foreign country that lay before her. She seemed to know she was leaving her careless, happy childhood behind. As she lost sight of the broad streets, green trees and lovely parks of Wash- ington she remembered a scene of her childhood days. In the east room of the White House, standing by one of the windows that look toward the Potomac, were three persons — an elderly woman, quietly dressed, and with a very sad face ; a dis- tinguished looking, white-haired man and a little child. The lady ' s hand lay on the child ' s head, and the gentleman said, Polly, I want you to know your kinswoman, Mrs. Fremont, Her father was the great statesman, Thomas H. Benton, and she was his little companion as you are mine. INIrs. Fremont said, My dear, I love to look at you ; you remind me of myself. I am poor and old and sad now, but I, too, was once young and gay. May you always be as happv as vou are now. ' M. B. Through Raging Seas. AFTER a most delightful tri]) to the World ' s Fair, Xiagara and Xew York, our party started Saturday, August 26th, on the steamer City of Birmingham for Savannah, Georgia. Our voyage, as far as Cape Hatteras, was most pleasant and un- eventful, but while rounding the Cape the wind and sea became fearful. Though a little frightened, we for a time regarded it as the usual roughness at that point ; but the storm continued to in- crease in fury until, at daylight on Monday, a grand and most fearful sight met our eyes, as for a few moments we raised our heads and looked from the windows. The vessel was tossed about

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The Amjusta Siininarij Annual. 15 hlic was a I»(iv, wore extrt ' iiu ' ly talkative. Tlii ' v would sav, ' ' I.iltlc iMarso will ho a statesman like his pa, somo of those days. I olly ' s faniily wore tired of hotel life, and in the s|u-in they took a pretty furnished house near the British Legation. I ' oily had some pots now, and one of tlie most heloved was a little alli- gator which had heen l»ronght to lier from Florida. It was lost once for several days. One afternoon a very stylish young man, a Secretary of the Legation, came to call. He sat down on the divan, but suddenly said Oh I and jumped up in such a hurry that his single eyeglass fell out of his eye. The dear alligator had been hiding under a cushion and had bitten the caller, much to Polly ' s delight. Two or three years went by and Polly had grown self-conscious and, sad to say, conceited. ' Her faniily went to the Church of the Covenant, ( ne morning they saw a friend from their own town, and Polly ' s father invited him to lunch, telling him Polly would show the way, as he himself had an engagement and would be detained in getting there. As Polly and the gentleman went down the church steps he said, I have had neuralgia and must tie up my head. So over a high silk hat, which had been bought in lionor of the visit to the city, he tied a large white knitted muttter. Poll} had to walk up the most fashionable avenue of AVashington, meeting every one she knew, seeing people turn and stare at her queer-looking companion, nudge each other and smile broadly, until her own door was reached and the ordeal was over, When she told her father about it he said she should have been proud to walk with so good a man, no matter how he was dressed, but Polly always suspected her father remembered that engage- ment after he saw the white muffler sticking out of his friend ' s coat pocket. It was decided that Polly was too lai-ge, now, to I ' un wild anv longer, and she was to be sent to Europe to learn French and German and to study music. Her elder sister was to go for the pleasure of the trip and to take care of Polly. Such bustling, hurrying and sewing Polly had never seen. If she stayed at home she had to do errands or try on clothes, so she ran awav. The servants who were sent to bring her home would sometimes find her hanging on behind street cars ; stealing ice out of the back of ice-wagons, or skating down a hill. Sometimes they

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The Augiista Seminary Annual. 17 like !i toy, while iiiinlitv waves swept lier deck. No one flared attempt to leave liis berth. As t ' ai- as the eve eouhl I ' eacli iiothiiii;- eoiild be seen l)nt inonn- tain waves, Hke 2;iants in battle arrav, ai ' isiiiii; in the ocean and lashini;- each other in their madness, while the liowlin wind seemed to nrge them on towards tlie siiip, that trembled as if in- stinct with life and understanding its peril. All day Monday the scene was terrible to behold, and one that we shall never forget. The ship seemed to be but a mite in the hands of the elements to be dashed about at their mercy. At one moment she would be riding ni)on the crest of great waves, like a proud conqueror, and the next would be plunged headlong and helpless into their trough We were carried out hundreds of miles from our course and each mighty wave drove us further and further to sea. Late in the afternoon the storm began to abate and the ship was headed towards home. Tuesday morning we were awakened by a cry from our chaperon, and, running to the window, we l)eheld our first wreck. It was a schooner, water-logged, with the sea breaking over it, and seven men clinging to it. Our captain sent a life-boat to their rescue and they were brought on board. We learned that they had been clinging there since early Monday morning. All that day pieces of every description pertaining to vessels and cargo were seen in all directions. Some vessels without masts and others bottom up told us the fate of those M ' ho had lived upon them a few hours before. Tuesday afternoon, about six o ' clock, a wreck was sighted, but from the distance we were we could not tell whether it was a ship or a sailing-vessel, as the smoke-stack was gone, the hull under water, and the waves sweeping over the deck. Captain Berg steered the Birmingham as near as possible to the wreck and burned a signal light, which was answered by a light of the same line of steamers. A boat was immediately lowered and sent to the wreck, and about eleven o ' clock returned, bringing the news that the city of Savannah was in the breakers three miles from shore, going to pieces rapidly, with the passengers and crew lashed to the rigging. It was then so late and the sea so rough that an at- tempt to aid them before daylight was impossible. The Birming- ham was anchored for the night, and everything put in readiness