Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1855-07-19


every direction.
Kate, dear Kate = / said, 'be assured, be
calm, be cool. Our safety depends upon it.
Here, take my hand quick, quick Don't
look back. Come quickly forward. as fast as
we can. Go you ahead You are lighter
than l, and may pass over in safety. Make
directly for the fire. will take this drec-
tion,' intending 10 make circle to the right,
and yet to be near enough 10 her TO save her
or endeavor to-in case of accident
No, mo- she exclaimed. DO not leave
me- For Heavens sake stay by me, or ]
shall die. cannot move! | cannot See,
we are breaking through
Indeed it was so, for the water was already
overfowing the ice, and Kate was at that mo-
ment standing up to her ankles in the water.
knowing that there was not one instant to
spare, and 2erceiving at once that Kate, from
alright, had become incapable of action, ut
tered an involuntary exclamation of despair.
Death was certain, if we remained in the same
situation minute longer, and there was no
alternative but TO dash ahead-to turn back
was impossible What should do +,
1t is beyond my power to tell the horrors
of that moment, what dreadful, fierce thoughts
possessed me, at one moment resolving to die
with my dear cousin, the next TO shout for as
sistance to the boys on the opposite side of the
river. 1t did not take me long, however, to
decide, for loud report in our immediate vi
cinity, and the white and foaming water that
cured up over the broken ice in our rear, SC
terrified Kate that she tainted, and would have
fallen, had not caught her in my arms. One
desperate effort alone remained, and not one
seconds time was to be lost in putting it into
execution.
Quickly lifting Kate in my arms-fcr she
was light as feather, or seemed so then, Al
any rate, made a desperate push forward to-
wards the opposite side Of the river, for
knew all hopes of our mortal salvation de-
pended on the swiltness OF my flight, and Ifelt
that the precious burden bore in my arms
was worth all the effort that human strength
and mental determination could effect. What
man would not risk his life. and stand in the
face of peril, TO protect or save the woman
that he loved.
On we sped, as swiftly as the flight of 8
bird, and yet, all the time, SO impatient was l.
that ! scarcely seemed to move at all. The
ice wss bending fearfully under us, and was
scaling and cracking in every direction. Il
was one Of those places that never freeze tc
any thickncss-wlege the water runs swift
and deep, and yet where all around was froz
EN- to a marble hardness.
Poor Kate she lay liteless in my arms
and she might never again know what sorrow
was. But she must be saved. Oh, how
steel, and that had the power of an hundred
horses for knsw that if we broke through
that thin crust of dark ice, no human powe
on earth could save us.
On sped. 1t was but few yards, to b.
sure, but then it seemed leagues in distance
| thought should never get over it, and Deatl
himself seemed chasing us with furious NAL
ice, and could hear the fearful current roll
ing beneath my feet-the water rushed hal
way up to my knee-and then only did | cal
upon my friends to save Kate Of a suddel
there was terrible kissing in my ear. Th
world seemed to go round and round
thought of every action of my life. | felt my
self sinking, and uttering cry for mercy,
clasped Kate closer to my bosom kissed he
cold, pale forehead, and In the next momen
the world and my sorrow were forgotten!
The next that recollect was sitting by
huge fire, surrounded by my friends, and m,
head resting in the lap of Kate. All was ex
planned. Indeed the ice had broken through
but at the moment when l supposed that W
were sinking, il seems that threw mysel
forward, in an effort 10 save myself, and for
tunately fell where the ice was frmer an,
thicker. Almost instantly, my companions
who had perceived our danger, came TO ou
IClltl hdlC Wdo lOotOiCu " CONSCIOUSNESS
by the fall, which, fortunately, did not hur
her while I, from over excitement, had faint
ed No sooner, however, had | recovered
and felt the assurance of my safety, and saw
that Kate was also uninjured, than my usua
good spirits returned, and having warmed m.
feet by the fire, joined the party, and finishes
the evening with one of the merriest skatin.
frolcs that has ever been known on the Ken
nebec and when our time came to go home
the reader may be assured that we did not re
turn by the way that we came. We pcke'
out the solid, thick, white ice, and reache,
the shore without alarm but never after
wards could / get Kate on a skating party, o
night, on the Kennebec.
EFFECTIVE RETALIATION. A Quaker hat
quarrelsome neighbor, whose cow being suf
fered to go at large, often broke into the Quak
er's well cultivated garden. One morning