Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1849-03-05

HMy God y he said in whisper, as he set
to work to aid me i'll getting out the boat Glny
God, there are two children ON that cake of icei'
Two men answered my hail, and walked la
zily aft. In an incredible short space of time
we launched the cutter into which Mr. LarLin
who took the oars. ! rugged the tiller, and the
mate sad beside me in the stern sheets
"Do you see that cake of ice with something
black upon it, lads % cried F!put me along
side of that, and I'll give You bottle of rum
each, Tonight and a months extra wages, when
you are paid off,
The men bent to their cars, but their strokes
were uneven and feeble They were used up
by the hard duty of the preceding fortnight. and
though they did their best, the boat made little
more way the tide. This was long chase, and
Mr.. Larkin, who was suffering as he saw how
little we gained, cried out
s'Pull, lads--1Il double the captains prize ::
two bottles Of rum. and two months pay. Pull.
lads for the love OF God pull -
A convulsive effort Of the oars told how will
ing the men were to obey, hut the strength of
the strong man was gone One OF the poor fell
lows washed us twice in recovering his oar.
and then gave out the other was nearly as far
gone. MIR. Larkin sprang forward, and seized
the deserted oar
clay 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 Larlin had
stripped to his Guernsy shirt as he pulled the
bow, waited the signal stroke 1t came gently,
but firm and the next moment we We're pulling
a long, steady stroke, gradually increasing in ra-
pldlty until the wood seemed to smoke in the
oar locks. We kept time each by long, deep
breathing Of the other. Such a pull! We bent
forward until our faces almost touched our knees
and then throwing all cur strength into the back
ward movement, until every inch of the space
covered BY the sweep had been gained At eve
ry stroke the boat shot ahead like An arrow dis
charged from bow. Thus we worked at the
oars for fifteen minutes-it seemed TO me as ma
ny hours The sweat rolled off me in great drops,
and was eny aloped in steam generated from
my own body
':Are we almost to it, sAIr. Larkin," gasped
out
SAlmcst, captain-don't give up for the love
OF our dear little ones at homc-don't give up
captsin!"
The oars flashed as the blades turned up to the
moonlight. The men who piled them We're ia
theirs, and had fathers hearts; the strength which
nerved them at that moment was more than hui
man.
Suddenly Mr.. Larkin stopped pulling and my
heart for moment almost ceased its beating:
for the terrible thought that he had given cut
crossed my mind. But i was quickly re-assured
by his voice.
s'Gently, captain, gently-a stroke OF two
more-thcre, that will do''-and the next mo-
me1lt the beats side came in contact with some
thing, and Lsrkin sprang from the boat with his
heavy feet upon the ice. | started up and call
ing upon the men to make fast the boat to the
ice, followed.
We ran to the dark spot in the centre of the
mass, and found two little hoys---the head of the
smaller nesting in the bosom of the larger Both
were fast asleep The letllargy, which would
have been fatal but for the timely rescue, had O.
vercome them. MIR. Larkin grasped one of the
lads, cut OIL his shoes, tore off his Jacket and
then loosing his own garments to the skin, pla-
ced the 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, partially recovered Pulled
slowly back.
The children, as we learned when we subse-
quently had the delight of restoring them to their
parents were playing on the ice, and had ventu-
red on the cake, which had iammed into the
bend of the river, ten miles above New York. A
movement of thetide set the ice in motion and
the little fellows were borne away OH that cold
night, and would inevitably have perished but
tor MIR. Larkln's espylng them as the ice was
sweeping out to sea
GLOW do you feel % I said to the mate, the
morning after this adventure.
"a little stiff in the arms captain" the noble
fellow replied, while the big tears of grateful
happiness gushed from his eyes "a little stiff
IN the arms, captain, but very easy here" and
he laid his hand on his manly heart My quaint,
brave down-easter He who lashes the seas into
fury, and lets loose the tempest, will care for
thee! The storm may rage without, but in thy
bosom peace and sunshine will always abide.
Boston NI,sseum