The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1845-02-22

he little enclosure before the cabin, but
ms morning the gate having been &C.
'deota'ly left open, he had stolen out
when his mothers back was turned,
cached The edge of the bank, and wa:
n 'he act of looking over when his par.
-nrs eye caugh, Sigh, Of him. The
'hrlek which she uttered precipiated
he catastrophe she feared for the child
frightened at the cry, lost his balance
'nd Tell bead long into The sireah, which
mere went foaming and roaring along
'nnumera5le rocks, constituting the
most dangerous rapids known in thar
section OF the country. Scream now
followed scream in rapid succession, al
the agonized parent rushed TO the bank
She arrived there simultaneously with
he party whom we left reclining in tn
shade, and who were scattered abou
him within few steps Of The scene o.
'cclden'. Fortunate was ii that the,
were so naar. else the mother would
nave plunged 10 after her child, ano
both been lost. Several Of the men i'm
nediaiely approached the brink and
were on the point Of springing in afe'
he child, when The sight Of the shsrl
rocks crowding The channel, the rush
md whirl Of the waters, and The want OF
any knowledgeIwhere TO look for the bo,
deferred them, and they gave up th
enterprise.
Not so with the youth we have INTRO
duced. His first work was to throw of
his coat, his next TO sprnk 10 The edg
of the bank. Here he stood, for sec
ond runring his eye rapidly over tn
scene below,and taking in with glanc,
The different currents and The most dan.
serous OF the rocks, in orler to shap
his course by them when in the stream
lie had scarcely formed his conclusion,
when his gaze rested on white objec
in The water that he knew at once to b,
The boys dress; and while his compan
ons, aghast at his ,emeri'y, were pre-
vented as much by conformation as b,
he awe with which he had already in
'pired them from interfering, he pIung
ID headlong into the wild and roaring
'apids.
Thank God! he will save my child,
Irasped The woman; 'see--lhere he is
oh! my boy, my darling boy how coul'
| leave youn
Every one rushed TO the brink Of tn
Jrecipce. and was now following witt
ager eyes the periIous progress Of tn
youth, as the current bore him onwsrc
IKE feather in The embrace Of hurri
me. Now il seemed as if he would b,
dashed against iut'ing rock over whici
he water R'w in (osm-and now !
whirlpool would drag him in. from
whose grasp escape seemed impossible
vt times the current bore him under.
'nd he would be lost TO sight, then jul
as The spectators gave him up he wouIo
reappear though far enough from where
he vanished still buffelting amid lh
vortex. Oh! how tha, mothers strain
'ng eyes followed him in his perlou,
her heart saok when he
went under-and with what gush Of
JOY she saw him emerge again from the
waters, aud flug the waves aside with
his athletic arms struggle on in pursui
of the boy. But it seemed as if his gen
erous efforts were to be of no. avail, fol
though The current was bearing of
The boy before his eyes scarcely ten fee'
l,tani, he could not, despite his
gigantic efforts, overake the drowning
child
On they flew, the youth and the ch Id.
and il was miraculous how each escaped
being dashed TO pieces against the rocks
Twice the boy went out oi sight, and 3
shrek escaped the mothers
lips--tut twice he re appeared, and then,
with hands wtung wildly together and
bresshIess with anxiety, she followed hi.
progress as his unresisting form was hurried
onward with The curren,
The youth now appeared TO redouble his
exer,ions, for they were approaching the
mos, dangerous par. OF the river, where the
rarids, contracting between narrowed shois'
sho, almos. perpepdiculsrly down q decliv
i,y of fifteen fee, Tbs rush Of the waters
a, this spo, was tremendous and no one
ven.ured 10 spproach lis vicinity, even in
a canoe, les, they should be sucked in
What then would be The youths fate unles,
he speedily overlook the chlldl He seem
ed fully sensible Of the increasing peril. anG
urged his way through the toaming current
with desperate strength Three severa
times he was on the point OF grasping th'
child when the waters whirlsd the priz,