“Then in the midst of all this quiet, came the startling cry of ‘Ladies first,’ and it was the first intimation of danger that we had. Many of us, however, went back to our staterooms to dress, and did it in rather leisurely fashion, until the order was passed that women must leave their husbands, brothers and other male relations and take to the lifeboats.
“By this time the ship’s orchestra had been ordered to play as the lifeboats were sent away from the Titanic’s side. I refused to leave unless my brother also was permitted to go with me.
“I stood aside and saw about a dozen boats rowed away and several times officers of the boat tried to persuade me to go along. When the next to the last lifeboat was ready to leave, there was not another woman in sight and the word was passed that I might take Philip with me.
“The Titanic sank about 1.50 o’clock Monday morning, and it was 6 o’clock the same morning that the Carpathia put in an appearance and we were picked up. We were probably a mile from the Titanic’s grave when taken aboard the Carpathia.”
C. H. Romaine, Georgetown, Ky., tells his story as follows:
“I had just retired for the night when the Titanic crashed to its doom. The jar was so slight that not much attention was paid to it. Before going on deck I was told that there was not the slightest danger.
“Forty-five minutes afterwards we were told that the vessel was sinking. Men, women and children were gathered together on deck. Men stood aside to let the women and children take their places in the boats. The men who remained behind were confident that the Titanic would float for hours. I was commanded to row in one of the first boats that left the ship.
“We passed out of sight of the Titanic before she sank, but distinctly heard the explosion.”
CHAPTER XIV.
NOT LIKE BOURGOGNE DISASTER.
Lone Woman Survivor Makes Comparison—Does Not Like “Law of the Sea”—Families First, It Should Be, She Says—Husband Greeted Like the Hero He Was—Privations and Horror Hasten Death.