The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1845-04-04
CHARLOTTE. N. G. APRIL 4. 1915,


on the point Of graspirg the child, when
the waters whirled the prize from him.
The third effort was made as they were
about entering within the influence OF the
current above The fall, aud.when i. failed,
the mothers heart sunk within her aud she
groaned aloud, fully expecting 10 see the
youth give up the task. But no he only
pressed forward the more eagerly, and as
they breathlessy watched, they saw, amid
the boiling waters, as if bearing charmed
life, the form Of the brave youth. following
close after that Of the boy. And now, like
an arrow from the bow, pursuer and p.r.
sued shot TO the brink Of the precipice.
An ins,an, they hung there, distinctly yisi
BILE amid the CLASSY waters, that seemed TO
pause on the edge Of the descent. Every
brain grew DIZZY at the sight. But o shout
OF involuntary exulta,ion bursifrom the spec.
la,ors when They saw the boy held alotl by
the right 0rm OF the yculII---a shout, alas !
that was suddenly check, d by horror when
the rescuer and The rescued vanished into
The abyss.
momen'-.rather, many moments
elapsed before a word was spoken or a
breath drawn. Each Of the group Eel, that
10 look into the mothers face was impossi
bic. She herself had started eagerly for.
ward and now stood on the bank, q few pa
ces nearer the cataract, where she could
command view Of it's foot, gazing ,hither
with fixed eyes. as if her all depended on
what the next moment should reveal. Sud
denly she gave glad cry.
"There they are" she exclaimed, +" see,
they are safe-Grea, God, | shank thee T.
and for moment wildly turning her face
10 Heaven, she hurried with trembling steps
along the side Of HE river 10 the direction
Of the fall.
Every eye followed hers, and sure enough
there was the youth, slIl uuharmed, and
still buiTe,ing The waters. He had jus,
enlarged from the boiling vortex below the
cataract. With one hand he held aloh the
child, and with the other he vas making
for the shore.
They ran, they shouted, they scarcely
knew ~ha, they did until they reached his
side, jus, as he had struggled 10 the bank.
They drew him out almost exhausted. The
boy was senseless-but the mother decar.
cd he s,lI lived as she pressed him ffant
cally TO her bosom. Ills prescrver, power
fully built and athletic as lie was, could
scarcely stand, 50 fam, was he from his ex.
ertlOns.
Who shall describe the scenes that fol-
lowed the mothers cal,Iness while she
strove to resusciia,e her boy, and her wild
gratitude TO his preserver when the child
was out OF danger and sweetly sleeping IN
her arnsl Our pen shrinks at the task.
Blu, her words pronounced then--we may
hope in the spirit Of prophecy re.
nembcred a1erward By more than one who
heard them.
"God will reward YOU" she said, as
cannot. lie will do great things for gu
in return for this days work-and the bles.
sings of thousands besides mine, will attend
you"
And /, was so. For to the hero Of that
hour were subsequently COT filed the desi.
pics Ct nation. Bat throughout his long
career, ~ha, tended perhaps most to make
him honored and respected beyond all men,
was the selt.sacrfclng spirit which in the
rescue or that mothers child as in the more
angus, events Of his life, characterized OUR
WASHINGTON.