The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1845-04-04

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cabin stood, whose veil pole poised over one
end, and smoke curled from the chimney,
gave signs Of habiIalion. As the Young
mao, with face flushed by haste broke
from The undergfowlh, be saw his compan.
ions crowded together on The bank of the
river, while in their mids, a woman, from
whom proceeded the shrieks, was visible,
held back by two Of the mos, athletic of The
men, but still struggling violently for free.
dom.
II was the work Of an instant 10 make
his way through the crowd and confront
The female. The moment her eyes fell on
him she exclaimed,
Oh ! sif--you will do something for me.
Make them release me--for the love Of
Godl Ny boy-my poor boy is drowning
and they will not let me 60"
II would be madness she will lump
into the river" said one Of those who held
her, as this frantic mother stroye again 10
break from his grasp. "The rapids would
dash her % pieces in minute"
The youth had scarcely waited Cor these
words. His eye took al single glance,
The meaning Of the said group. He reco.
lec'ed the child Of the woman, bold little
fellow Of four years old, whose handsome
blue eyes and ilaxcn ringlets made HIM a
ieyorite with Strangers, and filed the moth.
er's heart with pride whenever she gazed
on him. He had been accustomed 10 play,
at will, in the liIile enclosure before the
cabin but, this morning, the gate having
been accidentally left open he had stolen
on, when his mothers back was turned
reached the edge of the bank, and was in
the act OF looking over, when his parents
eye ceugh, sigh, Of him. The shrek
which she uttered precipitaied the catas,ro.
Phe she feared, for the child frightened at
tho cry, los, hrs balance. and fell headlong
/ into the stream, which here went foaming
and roaring along innumerabIe rocks, con.
shutting The mos, dangerous rapids known
/ 10 TINT section Of the country. Scream now
! followed scream in rapid succession as the
! agonlzsd parent rushed TO the bank. She
arrived there simultaneously with the par.
iy whom we left reclining in the shade, and
who we're scattered about within a few
steps oil the scene Of the accident. Fortu-
nate was il tha, they were so near, else the
mother would have plunged in after her
child, and both been lost. Several Of the
/ men Immediately approached the brnt,
and were on the point OF sprnging 10 uiicr
the child, when the sight Of the sharp rocks
crowdlng the channel, the rush ard whirl
Of the waters, and the want Of any knowl.
edge where TO look for the boy deferred
them, aud they gave up the enterprise.
No, so the youth we have introduced
HIS first work vas 10 throw Off his coat
his next TO spring 10 the edge Ct the bank.
Here be stood, for second, running his
eye rapidly over the scene below, aud taxi
ing ia, with glance, the different currents
and the most dangerous Of the rocks, IN or
der TO shape his course BY them hen in the
stream. H. had scarcely formed his con
cluslon, when his gn2e rested on white
object IN the water that he knew at once TO
be the boy's dress, md, while his compan-
ions aghast a, his lemerity, were prevented,
as much BY CONSERVATION as by the awe
with which he had already inspired them
from interfering, he plunged headong into
the wild aud roatlpg rapids.
(. "Thauk God-he will save my child"
gasped the woman, see-there he is
oh my bow, my darling boy, how could |
leave you"
Every Que had rushed to the brink Of
the precIpice, and was nov following, with
easor eyes, the perions progress Of the
youth, as the current bore him onward, like
a feather IN the embrace of hurricane.
Now it seemed as if he would DO dashed
against julting rock over which the wat
ter few IN foam and now Whirlpool
would drag him IN, from whose grasp es
cape would appear impossible. Al times
the curfen, bore him under aud no would
be lost TO sight then, 0s! as the spectators
gave him up, he would re.appear, though
lar enough from where he vanished, still
buffellng amid the vortex. Oh how that
mothers s,rainiog eyes followed him in his
per,lous career--how her heart sank when
he went under--and with what 4 gush OF
Joy she saw him emerge again from the wa .
tcrs, and lnging the waves aside with his
EiUleiC NtlHrt NiuE.tt WI ~ pu'ec'' Va HS' .
boy. But il seemed as i his generous eff
forts Mere 10 be of no avail, for though the
curren, was beuring of the boy before his
eyes. scarcely ten feet distant, he could not,
despite his giganlic efforts, overake the
drowning child.
On they flew, the youth and the child {;
and it was miraculous how each escaped be.
ing dashed to pieces against tho rocks
Twice the boy went out OF sight, and sup.
pressed shrek escaped the mothers lips,
hut twice he re appeared, audRhen, with
band, wrung wildly together ana breathless
she followed his progress, as his
form was hurried onward with
the current.
The youth now appeared 10 redouble his
exeriioDs, for thoy were approaching The
mos, dangerous part of the river. where
the rapids, contracting between the mar.
rowed shores, shot almost pcrpeudicularly,
down the decIivlty of fifteen feet. The