Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1855-07-12
nlisfellaueous.
From the Pride Of the Mess" Story Of the Crimca
SAVING TWO LIVES.

SAVING TWO LIVES.
From his boyhood upwards, Herbert had al
ways had strongly impressed upon his mind,
when boating up and down the. river, the hor-
rors of the well-knowu rock at the mouth of the
river Dart, He knew how many lives had been
lost upon il, how mu ch property sacrifsed sn ,ts
! ifisAtful altar and while it is the wonder Of
every one who visit Dartmouth that such hid
eous danger can be left unbuoyed or unmarked,
Everybody who passes up and down the Dart
hears some frightful legend of its past misdeeds,
and, shuddering, gives it the widest possible
berth.
While Herbert was straining his utmost
glance, watching for another gleam of Lightning
to reveal the scene once more, something like
faint cry was heard.
by heaven cried he, that cry is from the
rock, and it is womans voice."
Without further thought, except to get to the
scene of danger as quickly as possible, Herbert
dashed from his covert
Needless of the Lightning, and regardless of
the rain, he was speedily wet to his skin; but
that was a trivial matter.
After divers falls and bruises, he contrived at
last to get down to the shore opposite to the
point where he knew the rock was, and going
slightly up the river, SO that the wind might
convey the cry of the sufferers to him, instead of
drowning it, he listened for a moment, and dis
tncty heard the cries off,
Help, help! We are drowning. We are
drowning
Where are you are you on the rock''
Yes shouted back manly voice. 'we are
on the rock-the water is rising rapidly on US,
and our boat has gone down. Quick, make
haste--make haste if you hope to save u.s.
Have you time to wait while run up to
Dittisham for boat!'
No, no., shriekcd back one of the voices
the water is above our waists already and
sweeping over US with such force we must be
washed away in ten minntes.
Can you SWIM!
No. was the answer.
God help you II will soon be over, NUT
ftcred Herbert, - aud fear shall DO lost, too
My poor mother said he, throwing off his
clothes, one after another but it is duty to
try help me, God of Heaven cried the youth,
dropping on his knee for one moment, and then
running down as far above the rock as he tho't
was practicable, he shouted out,
Il will swim to you
He then plunged boldly into the stream, with
nothing on but his shirt and trousers, having
previously tied the latter round his waist with
his neckerchief.
At the time that Herbert took his leap, the
tide was running strongly up the river. He
therefore swan boldly down the stream, as if
making for Dartmouth, proceeding slantingly
across the river towards the opposite shore,
where the beautiful woods of Greenaway shaded
the boyish steps of the immortal Walter Ra-
leigh.
}, In the course of few minutes he lifted his
; voice up, Where are you'll but he heard no
answer, for the westerly storm swept up the
river at that moment with q fresh gust, and
drowned the reply. In another second the hea-
D vens were once more brilliant with lightning,
and Herbert beheld, two or three yards under
his lee, the rugged point of the rock, like some
demon holding up his jagged head, while cling
ing to it in all the agony and desperation of i'm.
: pending death, was young man who clasped
n in his arms a girl of some seventeen years.
: Strange it is, that in single glance the hu
9 man mind takes in the whole character of thu
Q face on which it gazes Even in that awfu
hour, when the fearful grave that yawned be-
meath them appeared about to swallow up al
e these three beings, Herbert detected in tina
st countenance just the very face that seemed tt
p have haunted him in all the poetical day dream
Of his soul for years. Large, full-spcaking eyes
with small delicate face; long, flowing and lux
1T uriant hair, drenched as it was with rain, an
D. anguish-stricken as those features were with tn
e. horror of such situation that single glance
es while it filled bis soul with the deepest sympa
{, thy for the fate of this fair unknown, nerve
l. him with fresh courage to strive against tn
y elements and lit in his soul stern determine
,f ton to succeed in saving her, or to perish in t
20 attempt
ID Cheer up! he cried, as, relaxing his swim
ming, he put forward both his hands to guar
himself from being dashed too violently by tn
roaring storm against the sharp and jagge
edges of the rock; then, as he succeeded
IS placing his foot, and setting his back against t
- stream, he said to the man,
I'd Cannot you swim at all!
~ 'Ob, heavens! no, not Bit
n, Where is your boat -
ut She struck and filled, and went down il
We stantly, when that squall came on, We wei
s. trying to cross the stream on the Dartmout
de side of the rock, when the squall took u.s.
70 Stay said Herbert, what stick is that poin
is ing up''
n, Nothing but one of the oars entangled in ii
er rock
no All right' said Herbert Now listen
10, me- putting his face close to that Of these tw
re unfortunate people, whom he could yetscarcel
Id see in the dark, further than just to discern Il
nd general outlines Of their heads 8 You have .
III time t, lose, and you must follow implicit
w what tell you, or we shall all be lost. wi
Nv pull this oar from its sticking place, and Viii
Did you put your two hands upon it--and nothir
,es more, romember--this lady must place hcr