A Titanic Post

Okay. First of all, did ya'll read Ben's "History, a mystery?" post on Emma's blog? Outstanding, bro. But why do you two always steal my ideas? I guess I'm just not as quick on the draw. But now I have a chance to steal one of Emily's ideas...bwahahaha! Surprising, I know - but I'm going to post something about the Titanic!
I followed that link on her blog - ya know, "Encyclopedia Titanica." I was browsing through the list of survivors when I came upon "Annie Jessie Nina 'Nan' Harper." I clicked on the link, and was surprised to find out that I had read about this young lady several years ago when I was going through the Beautiful Girlhood series. Of course, on this site it didn't mention her faith in Christ, but it was cool, anyway.

This is a photograph of Nan when she was six years old in 1912, though I don't know if the picture was taken before of after the disaster. She was the daughter of a baptist miniter, Rev. John Harper. Her mother died in childbirth. Along with her father and Aunt Jessie Lietch, they traveled from their home in London, their intended destination Chicago, Illinois. They boarded the Titainc at Southhampton as secod class passengers.
After the collision, John Harper awakened his little daughter and wrapped her in a blanket, and carried her up to A deck, where he kissed her goodbye and handed her to a crewman. The crewman gave her to her Aunt Jessie in lifeboat eleven.
Reverend Harper went down with the ship.
Later, Nan recalled sitting in "Aunt Jessie's" lap in the lifeboat. She remembered watching the Titainc sink and seeing the lights go out. She remembered the screaming of the drowning. Such a burden on such a little one's heart!
Jessie Lietch took Nan to New York City, but Nan couldn't understand why her father did not come to her in this strange new land. "I left Papa on the big boat, he told me to go with Aunt Jessie," she said, "but now I want Papa." Papa, of course, never came. Jessie and Nan returned to England a week later.
Now and orphan, Nan was raised by her father's brothers, who told her she was not to speak of the terrible disaster. Can you imagine carrying such a burden with you for so many years? I am comforted knowig she had faith in Christ. It was not until her later years that she began speaking about the sinking.
Nan married the Reverend Pont of St. John's Rectory in Moffat, Dumfriesshire. When she was 72, he asked her if she would like to see the Titanic raised. Nan merely shrugged. "I honestly don't see the point in it after all this time." Was her reply.
Nan Pont died in 1986.