Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1848-05-27
lazily aft. In an incredibly short space of


Mr.. Larkin and myself jumped, followed by
the two men who took the oars. rugged
the tiller, and the mate sat beside me in the
stern sheets.
EDO you see that cake of ice with some-
thing black upon it, ladsp I cried; sput me
alongside of that, and I'll give you bottle
of rum each, tonight, and months extra
wages when you are paid off,
The men bent to their oars but their
strokes were uneven and feeble. They
were used up by the hard duty of the pre-
ceding fortnight, and though they did their
best, the boat made little more way than
the tide. This was losing chase, and Mr..
Larkin, who was suffering torture as he
saw how little we gained, cried out,
pull, lads-l'll double the Captains
prize two bottles of rum and two months
pay-pull lads, for the love of God, pullr
A convulsive effort at the oars told how
willing the men were to obey, but the
strong mans strength was gone. One OF
the poor fellows washed us twice, in recov-
ering his oar, and then gave out; the other
was nearly as far gone. Mr.. Larkin sprung
forward and seized the deserted oar.
LAY down in the bottom of the boat,
said he to the man, 'and Captain, take the
other oar; we must row for ourselves
took the second mans place; Larkin
had stripped to his Guernsey shirt, and as
he pulled the bow, 1 waited for the signal
stroke. 1t came gently but firm, and the
next moment we were pulling long, stea-
dy stroke, gradually increasing in rapidity
until the wood seemed to smoke in the low
locks. We kept time, each by the long
deep beathing of the other. Such pull
We bent forward until our faces almost
touched our knees, and then throwing all
our strength into the backward movement,
drew on the oar until every inch of the
space covered by the sweep had been gain
ed. Every stroke shot the boat ahead, like
an arrow discharged from bow. Thus
we worked at the oars TOR fifteen minutes
1t seemed to me as many hours. The sweat
rolled off of me in great drops, and was
cnvcloped in steam generated from my
own body.
'Are we almost up to it, Mr.. Larkn /! l
gasped out.
almost, Captain-don't give up: for
the love of our dear little ones at home,
don't give up, Captain
The oars flashed as their blades turned up
to the moonlight. The men who piled
them were fathers, and had fathers hearts {;
the strength which nerved them at that mo-
ment was more thau human.
Suddenly MIR. Larkin ceased pulling and
my heart for q mome.S,t, Ii. l.; ,,."ifsu I's
had given out crossed my mind. But was
directly re-assured by his voice.
'Gently, Captain, gently-a stroke or
two morc-there, that will do'-and the
next moment the boats side came in con-
tact with something, and Larkin sprung
from the boat with his heavy feet upon the
ice. | started up, and calling to the men
to make fast the boat to the ice, followed.
We ran to the dark spot in the centre of
fine mass, and found two little boys, the
head of the smaller nesting in the bosom of
the larger-both We're fast asleep! The
lethargy, which would have been fatal but
for the timely rescue, had overcome them.
Mr.. Larkin grasped one of the lads, cut off
his shoes, tore of his jacket, and then loosen
ing his own garments to the skin, placed
the chilled child in contact with his own
warm body, carefully wrapping over him
his great coat, which he procured from the
boat. | did the same with the other child
and we then returned to the boat, and
the men, now partially recovered, pulled
slowly back.
The children, as we learned, when we
subsequently had the delight of restoring
them to their parents, were playing on the
ice and had ventured on to the cake which
had jammed into bend of the river about
ten miles above New York. A movement
of the tide had set the ice in motion, and
the little fellows were borne away on that
cold night, and would have inevitably
persisted but for Mr.. Larkin's espying them
as the ice was sweeping out to sea.
'How do you feel, Mr.. Larkin . said to
the mate, the next morning after this adven-
lures.
a little stiff in the arms, Captain the
noble fellow replied, while the big tears of
grateful happiness gathered in his eyes-'a
little stiff in the arms, Captain, but very
easy here,' and he laid his hand on the
rough chest, in which beat true and a
manly heart. My quaint, brave Down.
Easter! He who lashes the seas into fury
and lets loose the tempasts, will care for
thee. The storms may rage without, but in
thy bosom peace and sunshine abide alway.
NJ Y. DesDafcb.