Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-01-07


Lawford Save him, Captain Calthorpw
My dear young lady" said the last named
gentleman, g l am sure Lawford didn't know
yox were here OF he wouldn't tt"
"This is no time for ceremony, Captain
Calthorp," said Ellen, " for Heavens sake let
some effort be made &c save ny sisters--to
save Mr.. Sandman !"
"My dear Miss Barford," said Lawford
who had been whispering with Morgan, 81
fear no mortal aid car avail the poor dear
fellow now. Before we could descend the
rock ard launch a boat, with the tide ebbiRg
at the rate it now is"
"Hur would have been sweep round Cath
'rine's and away out to sea ~ said Morgan.
''Oh, help him !" screamed Kate. ooh,
how cruel! how cowardly Oh, help him,
Nj Lawford " She lifted up her hands pit
eously to the lieutenant. sob, Mr.. Morti-
boy" she exclaimed, as that gentleman came
slowly sauntering up the hill with Beppo at
his heels, "for Gods sake, save Nj. Sand
ham !"
| Save-Mr. Sandham-my dear young la
! dy; [ don't exactly comprehend began Mr..
Mortiboy, looking vaguely in the direction of
her outstretched hand then suddenly, Good
| Lord a! is that his head There Down
there 7"
eyes r' whispered Ellen Barford; Eyes !
They say he will be whined away before a
boat could be launched-they say he is lost
| now ~
mot at all Not yet, at least" replied
Mortiboy, excited, but without much percepti-
BILE alteration Of manner. "While there's
life there's hope, you know, Miss B., and even
yet we may-Here, Be pro-! Hi, man !
Good boy" The dog came, leaping round
his master eli no! Not here There !!
| cbi Nv ha cnl-
lar, and pointing down to where Sandham's
head was mere speck on the water Look
man Look, old boy He sees it, by Jove p
as the dog uttered low growl and became
FESTIVE. 'In, old man! H. fine fellow! In,
Beppo! Look! Noble dog, in he goesw
In he went, with one bound over the low
stone wall, then quickly down the sloping
slippery boulders, then with plunge into the
sea-lost sight Of for a moment, rising to
view again, padding off straight for the
drowning man. The swift current whirled
him in eddies here and there, but still the
brave dog persevered; the spectators held
their breath, as they saw him bearing down
upon the black speck, which was every Sc
cond growing smaller and smaller, and reced-
ing further and further from the land. But
the dog made grand progress the strong,
sucking under current helped him, and he ar
|
drowning man to fling his arms round the
dogs neck, and to feel his shoulder seized by
the dogs teeth. They saw this from the
shore, and then Kate Barford tainted.
But the work was only half done the dog
turned round and battled bravely for the
shore, but he was encountered by his burden,
and now the current was against him. He
stroye and stroVe, but the way he made was
SMALL and every foot was gained with intense
struggling and eXertiOn. "By Joye! He'll
never do it," cried Lieutenant Lawford, with
the glass at his eye, and, as he said the words,
old Morgan, preventive man. added through
his teeth, "Hur must be helped at any cost,
and sped away down the rock, shaping his
course to where a small pleasure-boat lay
high and dry on the sand. ''Pm with YOU
governor" cried John Mortiboy; a can't
feather, but [ pull strongish oar )" and he
; followed the old man as best he could. The
boat was reached, and pushed by main force
to the waters edge, where Mortiboy entered
it, and old Morgan ran in, waist-deep to give
it the starting shove, and then leaped in to
join his comrade. On they pulled, Morgan
with measured steady stroke, Mortiboy with
fevered strong jerks that sent the boats head
now to the right now to the left; when old
Morgan, suddenly looking over his shoulder
called out, "Hur's done Hur's sinking now,
both on em !" Mortiboy looked round too
they are still some ten boats length from the
objects Of their pursuit, and both dog and
man were vanishing. "Not yeti" cried he
and in an instant he had torn off the black
coat and the Wellington boots, and had flung
himself, as nObly as his own dog, into the sea.
A very few strokes brought him to Sand
ham, he seized him by the hair of his head,
and battled bravely with the waves; the dog
recognized his master, seemed to take fresh
courage, and the trio floated until old Morgan
dragged them one by one into the boat
| When they reached the shore, all Penethly
was On the beach, cheering with all its might ;
they lifted out Mr.. Sandman, insensibIe but
likely to recover, and they administered a
very stiff glass of grog to Mr.. Mortiboy, who
| was shiverlng like an aspen-leat, but who re-
| ceived even greater warmth from warm
pressure of Ellen Bradford's hand and a
whispered "God bless you, Mr.. Mortiboy -
than from the g~Og-though he took that, too,
like a man whom it comtorted. As for Bep-
pc, don't know what the fishing population
would not have done him, but that he posi-
lively refused to stir from Sandhams side
As they carried the artist up to his lodgings
the dog buried his nose in the pendant hand,
and did not leave until he had seen his charge
safely placed in bed.
right next day, but Mr.. Mortiboy, unaccus-
toned to exercise and damp, fell i'll, and was
confined to bis bed for several weeks-would
have never left it, think, but for the care
| and attention of his three nurses from Albion
| Villa OF these, Ellen was the most constant
and the most regular, and the patient always
seemed better under her care.
"He is making progress, Kate" she said
one night to her sister. He is a good pa
tient. You know, as he would say himself,
he is so practical"
"God bless his practically, Nell," said
Kate, with tears in her eyes "Think what
! it did for US !"
Three years have passed since then, Major,
and d family group is going to be gathered in
large square room, built as a kind of ex-
cresence to very pretty villa in lkensing-
ton. This is to be the studio of Mr.. Sand
ham, A. R. A But as the mortar and plas-
ter are extraordinarily slow in drying, (when
wee they not, Major y Mr.. Sandman, A. r.
A., come up from Wales with the family
group, to take possession, has established
the group at the excellent Lodgings Of the
excellent Mrs Lirriper, and he, the owner of
said studio, as smoking pipe with worthy
| Major, and smoothing with his slippered foot
the rough curly back of his dog Beppo, who
is outstretched in front of the fire. Mrs.
Sandman, formerly Kate Barford, is working
a baby's frock, and asking now and then the
advice of her sister, who is frilling little
cap There they are, Major. Don't tell
them that said SOY
''How late John is tonight, Ellen !" says
old Mrs Barford, from her place in the chin
newcomer. you hear her, Major ??
"Always at Christmas-time, dear mother,
says Ellen. (There she is, Major.) Since
Uncle Crump's death, you know, Johns bust
Ii LII Gnn