The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1858-08-21

~ HlleS = ~ u
u, s,., .uoK IOr himself.
."AIy God Z he said, in a whisper. a h, ]
to work to aid me in getting ont The bml-
"My God = there are two little children On lhl
cake of ice!' ss
Two ME answered my call, and walked i.
lilly aft. In an incredible short space Fl I'M
we launched the cutter, into which Mi. Iarkis
and myself jumped, f lowed by the Two MI,
who took the oars. ! rugged the liller, apdlsl
mate sat beside the stern sheet.
'Do you see that cake of ice, with somethlus
back upon it, my lads? | cried.
Put me alongside of that, and | will rhxs
each Of You q bottle of rum tonight, and !
months extra wages when yon are paid bEs
The men bent To their oars, but their strokes
were uneven and feeble. They had been med
up by the proceeding auty Of the last fortnight,
aud though they did their best. the boat made
but little more than tide. This was. d loa
chase, ard MIR. L.. who was suffering as lie ss
how little we gained, cried ont to Tie men
Pull, lads-Tll double the Captains pria
two hotties s5SseSyye aud tw Nuthis l,;
Phil, lads. for the f6te Of Cod
a convnlsiye effort Of cars. told low Willing
The men were 10 obey but The strength dftr
strong arms had gone. One Of the youlsA
fellows washed us twice. in recovering hinsI,
and then he gave ont tie other vas gone, MI
Larkins sprang aud seized lie deserted wit.
Lie down ii the bottom u The boat sM
he. to the man, land captain, The other oat-ve
must row for ourselves "
took the second mans place -Larkin had
stripped to his. Guernsey shirt US he pulled
the stern oar, I waited for the signal slresa'
1t came gentle, but firm, and the next moneui
we we're pulling a long, steady stroke, gradual
y increasing in rapidity, until the wood ssrei
to smoke in our locks. We each kept tiap,
by the long. deep breathing, of the other, Such
a pull! We bent forward untilour taces touch
cd onr knees. aud then throwing all our strength
into the backward movement, until every ilh
gained. At every stroke, the boat shot ahead
like IN arrow discharged from q bow Ihhs
we worked the oars for fifteen fninutes-lis
seemed so many hours to me. The sNasE
rolled off, in great drops, and | was envelope
in steam generated from my own body. -
Are we almost TO it Mr.. Larkin 2 II sas.
ped out.
almost, Captaih-don't give up i0r ~
love Of dear ones at home, don't give fR,1 Gsff
tain" 49, r -
The oars flashed as the blades turned up y
the moonlight. The men who piled them veg
husbands and fathers the strength which uerfed
! them, ut this moment, was more than hualaa
Suddenly Mr.. Larkin stopped pulling aid ~
heart, fora moment, almost ceased beatlng 10y
4 tl,, ,,n,:lx1, tiau,H,t# ftAf In hod UiVRII QUIZ
flashed across my mind. Butl was qaicslJh y
assured by his voice ".
"Gently, Captain, gently-a stroke or W.
more-there that will do" and Larkin splals
from the boat with his heavy feet upon The le'
| started, and calling to the men TO make 10
boat fast to the ice, | followed him. =.
We ran TO the dark spot Oh the center o y
mass. and found two little boys-the lIaa y
smaller nesting in the bosom OF the ialss,
Both were fast asleep The iethargy Wps,
would have been fatal, but for the tnnely y
cue, had overcome them. Mr.. Larkip graslas
one Of the lads, cut Off one of bis shoes, leF "
his Jacket, and then looseing his own gaiasse
to the skin, he placed the chilled child y coHVas v.
with his warm body, carefully wrapping w
his great coat. which he procured from lne ~ =
| did the same with the other child, Wn,p Y
returned to the boat, and the men, parlaiy =
covered, pulled slowly back. X.
The children, as we learned when We su1s \
queuily had the delight Of restoring 'le1p =
their parents, were playing on the ice alu ~
ventnred on the cake which had got lailu'1Ss
the bend of the river, ten miles above -
York. A movement of the tide SET Lux VI
motion, and the little fe l|ows were Dotne ~ v,
on that cod night, and would inevitably .As |.
persisted but for Mr.. Larkin's spying lpen :
they were sweeping ont to sea. h N
"How do yon feel?" I said to the fla's' =
next morning after the adventure. a 4, /,
"a little stiff in the arms, Captain, I 1n s,as
bic fellow replied, while big tears Oh sIa WA
happines gushed from his eyes "a lllIls s snab
the arms, Captain, but very easy mere sas;n
laid his hand upon his heart. NY qu; y,
brave downeaster, He who lasnes tne ~ o q
fury and lets loose the tempest, VIII ca y, i
thee! The storm may rage without aba
thy bosom peace and sunshine wlllal%a!S a''
A. = In I0Dp III