The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1867-10-19

4
sufficiently 70 assure myself that she was still
upon the seat which l had arranged for her
| think it could not have exceeded u quarter
of on hours%hep my attention was attracted by
her laughing glccfully, 'scc, I'm riding! I'm
riding, I'nS riding, I'm riding! Goodbye,
papa; sec, I'm ridingp' And she laughed as
joyousy as though it'wcrc "a, carriage in which
she sat, and the forco which moved her the
kind old family horse. -,r,
"Hcavcnss4,,. was the exclamation Of Miller
"thc ice hasrbroken, and the child is floating
away" S''n
The awfqftruth burst upon me at the same
instant, andsI dropped my linc and flew to her
assistance siB@ the child had not given warn
ing i'll season, and now a broad gulf opened be-
tween the take of ice upon which she sat and
the shore. To leap the chasm was impossible.
and would shave been vain even had it been
possible as, the fragment which bore her away
was only sufficient size to sustain her own
weight. Swim could not, though doubtless in
the desperation of the moment should Have
plunged into tho water had not Miller super
scdcd theincccssity, by plungng in himself
lie reacheatthc flake of ice but it would not
bear any considerable weight aside from what
it already Supported Neither could he reach
thc child, as she was not sufficiently near the
edge OF tile ice. / could see tic struggle in
his breast, as it wcut on in my own. Cinch TO
her seat and float with her he could not and
to sink one side Of the flake, so rs to roll her
mt ln fnrf 10 t,1.> A.. ~
him. was aSdcspcrate alternative; especially SO
as the water was filed with ice The question
was soon settled by necessity for the ice came
upon hmln such form and power tlla. he mar
rowly escaped with his own life, and would in
evi;ably havc been swept under, but for the
help whichSl was able to render him from the
shore. i%gIy.l
SO myachild rode, away on its frail boat OF
ice, out intothe strong currcnt--out among the
moving fakes of icc-out into the waterfall of
dcath-and yet exulted as she went Poor lit
tie one !sSshes did not know the pctils that in
yironc1 sefs OF the pangs chat were 5rending my
heart .asl saW her move into that tcrrriblc
"Is there no boat hcrc-can NC not save
herr Isaid in agony
'No boat is here and no boat could live in
this current and ice if thc,4 were said Mil
| lcr
Con We not save her 2"
! Yes, We csn and ,cM save her" said Mil
lcr, with a lock which had never seen him
wear before; and which had moro or the rcyc-
rental than have often seen; "Do you believe
in God Mr. Doanc!" and he pointed calmlytc-
ward heaven with his finger. ''Hcaven will
not let the sweet little angel perish ~
The nan was not then what he is now but
he was such then that knew these words TO
he the inspiration Of the occasion. and knew
HAT they came from his heart And he said
them in such tone OF con:idoitcc that the
effect upon myself was electrical. | felt that
was in the presence Of my superior, rs well in
trust, as calmness in the hour Of peril
"-lnd was calm \ new spirit seemed to
come over me. 1 relied implicitly upon the
man who could exhibit such hcroism as to pcr;
his life for my child and who could uttor such
trusting words, when all seemed hopeless /
have never seen Il calmcr hour than saw in
,Ec ola which sucoocuc
''lt was two miles down the river 20 the
rapids, and in the two ml.as there was only the
strong, deep current. The river nlalo il detour
to the right, leaving n wide strip Of woodland
along upon the shore where we stood
Walk along the shore as fast as she Acas,"
said Miller Il will 80 for help, and You need
not fear but will return in time, and She
shall be rescued Go with a good heart now
and do not spcal: to her unless necessary TO
keep her from moving"
The river not SO wide but that could
hear her when she spoke or hc heard. il
found il necessary to speak. Rather, should
o., lr.i She did not Noat 81 t'r away from the
shore as To make conversation impossible.
Andwhat walk Was that w;,c,. took
alone The rough margin of Il , river, on that
bright spring morning. disobcycd the in
junction not to speak to her SO far as to explain,
ut Il Favorable point. when she was quite near
the shore, that if she moved she would be
drowned.