Medill High School - Medillite Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

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104 THE MEDILLITE YS O

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THE MEDILLITE 103 An Ocean Tragedy By Rose Robinson V The great waves of the ocean beat furiously against the ship on its way to America. It was midnight. The captain of the ship saw a storm approaching and had ordered all hands on deck to prepare for it. The storm broke, tossing the ship about until the people were driv- en into a panic. S.O.S. signals were flashed but help failed to reach them. The captain was unable to control the ship 5 some passengers grabbed at life preservers, others took down the life boats and some were seen leaping into the ocean to drown rather than watch thevpiti- ful scene. The ship was in an uproar. The lights destroyed the storm caused a great commotion among the passengers. Families and friends were separated, cries for help were heard amid the great tumult but to no avail. Among those who leaped into the ocean was Mrs. Cadwell. - The dawn arose and the sky was cleared of all the heavy, dark clouds. The ocean was calm. The sun shone brightly and a warm, gentle wind blew withdrawing all suspicions of a storm the previous night. The storm, being very strong, drove the ship out of its course, onto an island near the United States. Only a small number of the passengers remained on the storm-tossed ship. It was tilted on its side and the surviving passengers remained on the higher part of it. Those left on board were standing against the railing, gazing anx- iously at the calm ocean which the night before acted as an angry wolf and swallowed their beloved ones. Here was Mr. Cadwell and his son Peter, the former in vain looking through a telescope for his wife. Peter looked up at him and asked wistfully, Daddy, we'll find Mamma, won't we? I don't know, Son, he answered wearily with a noticeable tear in his voice. A call for breakfast was sent, but very few went. Their hearts and minds were with the ones gone-no one knew where. A ship going to Europe sighted the forlorn boat and sent for aid to New York. Mr. Cadwell continued, to gaze at the ocean thinking it to be his wife's grave. He would mutter something under his breath when in such a state. Peter once overheard him saying, I'll take good care of Peter, Eunice. Aid came the next day. Mr. George Cadwell was considered to be a very intelligent young man. He and Eunice Aster had met at college, their marriage following soon after they both graduated. They went to France for their honeymoon where Peter was born two years later. This fatal accident had occurred as they were on their return to America for the first time since they were married. Mr. Cadwe1l's parents had died when he was fifteen years of age and he was then taken into the care of his uncle, who, when he died,

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THE MEDILLITE 105 left George quite a large sum of money. Upon preparing to- leave the ship, he discovered that his valise which help-some money and im- portant papers had disappeared. Other complaints similar to this were heard from the other passengers. Mr. Cadwell was then left without wifejhome, ormoney. He had only Peter and resolved to devote his life to making him the kind of a man his mother would wish himto be. I U p ' ' . - - I Ili The great city of New York favored Mr. Cadwell with employ- mentqthe first day of his search. I-Ie and Peter, only four years of age, lived in a small room in a poor section of the city. Mr. Cadwell worked very hard and soon saved enough money to-send Peter :to a private schoolgfor boys. ' - I - A- . 'f 4f . r. 1 V ' 12 YEARS ELAPSED if. ' Mr. Cadwell had bought a small cottage in the suburban section of New York and Peter was home with him for the summer vacation. Soon after his son's .return home, Mr. Cadwell became very ill and Peter remained at his bedsidenall Hay., The sick man was delirious andtin his delirii1m,Peterjheard hinf say, Yes, Eunice, I 'am taking good care of Peter and he is a big boy now. ' ' Q f ' Peterghad grown to be a handsome young man: he was tall and had aifinegathleticlbody, and his 'dark eyes and black wavy hair re- minded Mr. Cadwell of his lost'wife.Q .. I 'i Q I 1 The physicians ,reported Mr. Cadwell out of dangerlbut he still requiredicarefuljattention. 'The nurse who had charge of Mr. Cad- well was suddenly called away and in her place Nurse fEunice 'Cad- 'welll '-Armstrong was sent. Hearing of her destination, sheghad' a faint hope of this being the George Cadwell whom :she had 'lost on that eventful night twelve years ago, but she immediately put all such thoughts out of her head as being impossible. Seeing Peter, her hopes were increased, nevertheless, she made no effort of investigation as George was too ill for such discussion. However, when she and Peter were out on the veranda one day, Peter who had taken a great liking to her, broached the subject as to why she took up nursing as a pro- fession. It was then that she told her story. ' She had a far away look and her eyes grew misty as she braced up enough courage to tell him of her long hidden sorrow. Well, a quick breath and then, It was twelve years ago while my husband, my son and I were coming to America from France, a great storm arose. The tumult on the ship was unbearable and many were leaping into the ocean hoping to be rescued. I had become sep- arated from them and thinking that they had jumped overboard I did likewise. I believe them to be drowned as I haven't heard anything in all these years concerning them. I was saved by fellow pas- sengers in a life boat and we reached an inhabited island. It was a year later that I was financially able to go to New York. Upon my arrival, being heartbroken and alone, I decided to become a nurse and thus be employed where I could help others. Then it was that I changed my name-adding the last name Armstrong and letting my surfliame become my middle name, she concluded, heaving a deep sig .