Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1857-06-19

IS5z
: panions, stood the young maidens Of tn,
the party on shore, when Wilson dashed
through them, and springing into The
} boat, cried out - 9ss2 53PnFei aIsEs
.17aH Quick, Logan Take an, oar, or al
is ;losts!fs moi gle06s Sak. 4, s,s,F,,..,,,
But, instead of this, Logan, stepped 1
pace or two from the Boat, while his face
grew pale with fear. Not aninstant wa:
wasted. AT a glance Wilson saw that ii
the girls were 'sayedui it sInRst be by the
strength Of his own arm lBrayely he
pushed from the shore, and with giant
strength born of. the moment and for the
occasion, from his high,S unselfish' pur.
pose; thesdashed theaboatoutinto the cur
rent,rand bending tolthe oars, took a dis
rection at an angle with the other, boat,
towards a points where the water was
sweeping over theadam. Atevery stroke
the light skiff ssprung forward : a dog
ens feet. and scarcely half ca minute
elapsed ere Wilson was beside the other
boat. Both were now within twenty
4 yards of the falls; and the water was bear;
| ing them down. with velocity that a
stronger, with every advantage on his
side. could scarcely have contended
against successfully. To transfer the
frightened girls from one boat to the 9th.
er,5in the few minutes of time left ere the
down sweeping tcWrent would bear the
frail vessel to the edge of the dam and
still to retain an advantage, was, for Viii.
son, impossible.y 70 let 60 his boat and
manage theirs he saw to be equally inn
possible.
A cry of despair reached the young
mans ears as the oars dropped from his
grasp into the water. 1t was evident to
the spectators of the fearful. scene that
he had lost his presenceof mind. and that
now all was oyer.1 Not so however,
In the next moment he sprang into the
water. which near the breast Of the dam,
was not three feet deep. AS he did SO
he grasped the other boat, and bracing
himself firmly against the rushingcprrenk
held it poised few yards from the point
where the foam crested waters leaped in
to the whirlpool below At the same in.
slant his own boat shot like an arrow
over the dam. He had gained however,
but small advantage. 1t required his
utmost strength to keep the hoat he had
grasped from dragging him down the fall.
The quickly formed purpose Of Wilson.
in thus Springing into the water bad been
to drag the boat againstthe current to the
shore. But this he perceived to be i'm.
possible the, moment he, felt the real
strength of the current. II he were to let
the Boat go he could easily save himself.
But, not once did such thought enter
his own heart. E es psfits5
g Lie down close to the bottom" lie
said in a quick hoarse voice. The terror
stricken girls obeyed the Injunction in
stantly. s-'-
Aud now. with a coolness that was
wonderful all circumstances, Wilson NOV
ed the boat several yards away from the
nearest shore, until he reached a point
where he. knew the wate. below the dam
to Be more expanded and free from rocks.
Then throwing his body suddenly:against
the boat. and running along till he was
few feet ofthe fall he sprung into it and
passed over with it. A moment or two
the light vessel, as it shot into tie air,
stood poised, and then went plunging
down. n
The fearful leap was made in safety
The boat struck the seGthing waters be.
low, and glanced out from the whirlpool,
bearing its living freight uninjured.
Which Was. the coward ?'' The words
reached the ears of Logan, as he gathers
ed, with the rest Of the company, around
Wilson and the trembling girls he had SO
hcroically saved. Fair lips asked the
question. One maiden had spoken to an
other, and in a little louder voice than she
intended. sG
"Not Edward Wilson, said Logan, as
he stepped forward and grasped the hand
Of him he had SO wronged and insulted.
Not Edward Wilson, lie is the noblest
and the bravest.
Wilson made an effort to reply. But he
was for some moments too much exhaus-
ted to speak. He said atlast:
' only did what was right. May l
ever have courage for that while I'live J"
Afterwards he remarked, when along
with Logan 80. ~ -, -..,.z
" 1t required far greater exercise Of
courage TO forbear. when you provoked
and insulted me in the presence of those
who expected retaliation, than it did to
risk my lie at the mildam."
Here is moral heroism that, few can
appreciate. And it viii usually be found
that the morally brave man is the quick
est to loose the sense of personal danger
when others are in danger.
ONE. FOR Dan R1oE.-Dan, Rice. the
we'll known clown, RENTED in settlement
of an account, to the publisher of pa
per in the west, a three dollar bill, which