Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1840-09-29

W no opllltS Cdlleu 10 MIN not 10 be
afraid; but the little fellow answered me
by a look of resentment, as if, even in such
imminent danger, it was a crime to doubt
his courage.
Anxious to rescue the gallant bowl ad-
vanced as far as the strength Of the ice
would permit; but though thus succeed
ed in reaching within few yards of him,
still | was compelled to remain an inactive
spectator of his danger, from the difficulty
OF resculng him without the aid of ropes
Minutes, however, seemed protracted into
hours, while these were anxiously search
ed for by q party Of the cadets; and in the
meantime, his lellow-sufGrer, exhausted
by his effort, and bonumbed by the cold,
relaxed his hold, and with loud and pier
cling shrek, was swept into the stream
Twice with convulsive effort he sprang
almost out of the water, and cast his hands
wildly over his head, vainly graphing for
that aid which no human power could ex-
tend TO him while his last death crv Of
"Oh! save me! save me !" continued to
strike in accents Of horror upon my ear,
till the bubbIing waters of the Seine closed
over him forever.
AS glanced at the survivor, could not
help feeling astonshcd at the strength Of
nerve he displayed during this appalling
scene His countenance showed little
emotion, and The fear and trepidation so
peculiar to young persons, when thus for
the first time brought in contact with death,
he seemed quite a stranger to.
"Good material this for soldier,"
thought |. ole who in boyhood can thus
retain his caImncss and sclf-posscssion is
not likely in manhood to be appalled, by
any danger he may be exposed to. The
eye which can rest unmoved on a scene
such as this, will not readily quail under
the terrors of the battlefield, or shrink
from the sight Of desoIation and slaugh-
ter"
But while thus soliIoquizing, my embryo
hero disappeared. The under current had
brought the body Of his drowning compa-
Mon in contact with HIM, and ere he was
aware, he was fast bound in his iron grasp.
Unable 20 support this additional weight
he lost his hold. Still the senscess body
chung to him with convulsiye tcnacity, and
locking his arms in the firm grippe of death,
dragged him under water. Repeatedly his
weI-dirccted efforts brought him to the
surface, AMI each time q desperate strug-
gle cnsued TO free himself. One powerful
eXertion-such as youth and gallant
spirit contending for existence could alone
makc-at length succeeded. He rose more
buoyant to the surface, and the load of
mortality which had chung to him, sank to
his final rest. The current, howevcr,ha
now borne him close to the edge Of some
broken ice, and being too much benumbcd
to lay hold of it for support, and too much
exhausted to bear up against the force Of
the stream, he was about to be swept I'M
der the 6 assy covering just as the party
with ropes were fastening to the spot :;
when, losing all thought Of danger in my
anxiety to secure his safety, sprang into
the stream, and caught the brave bow in
my arms, when his life seemed not worth
a moments purchase. At first his weight
dragged me down with him, and for sec
ond we were both under the ice, and to the
bystanders seemed lost forever. But life,
at all times sweet, is doubly so when on
the eve of a fondIy-cherishcd, long-desrcd
union. Health, strength, love, animated
me. \ few powerful strokes brought me
and my burden from under our crystal
penthouse. Ropes were thrown around
us, and we were carried in triumph to the
shore.
Though thus saved, the boy had not cs-
capped without injury. When struggling
in contact with the ice, he had received a
deep cut on one Of his temples, which rem
derod him for some time insensible. His
companions bore him into the guardhouse
of the TuiIeries; and while they cndeav-
ored to recover him, had an opportunity
Of scanning more narrowly his features and
appearance.
He was apparently between fourteen and
fifteen years Of age, Of thin and rather
cmaciatcd form, which, combined with his
yellow sickly complexion, made me Won
der al the nobcness and bravery of spirit
that could have animated SO feeble frame
10 such powerful cXertions. His counte-
nance, If not positively disagrecable, was
at least far from preposscssing His fore
head was indeed broad and expansive, but
his eyes, deep sunk in their orbits, gave
rather q gloomy expression 10 his brow,
and though the lower features were small
and wcll-lormed, yet his angular cheek
bones and thin lank cheek formed too harsh
an outline to be pleasing. His uniform.
conirosied with that of his young friends
around hlm, was i'll made and threadbare,
and indicated him to belong TO the humble
class OF Boursiers then supported in mill
tary schools at the public expense He
wore mourning for some relative lately
deceased and on his countcnance there