The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1869-08-31

meas ileie upon IAAt lAAeteasiult P4iAl
Of rock with keen relish, and then stood
up and bowed his thanks Again AMI
again the cheering words We val
saye son were exhibited, and 10
vas encouraged by other short senten-
ees in as native language, which were
ia the same way painted in huge lestors
and beld ap 70 h.m.
Tho afternoon slowly wore on the
long bot. hsiicss summer afternoon
there at Niagara. usually devoted to
idlug over iced drinks in the shade Of
the hotel porches or parlors, but now
eheerf1lly given up to the assistance Of,
or sympathy for fellow being There
were hundreds in that crowd who,
prompted by that spirit Of American
chralry which is never wanting among
us, would have eheerfully plunged IN
TO bis rescue, could the act have been
any other than useless foolhardness;
aud there were wealthy men there, who
went through the crowd under the
deepest sense Of emotion, offering
large rewards to whoever would rescue
him The telegraph had, by this time,
carried the news far and vide; the af-
ternoon papers in New York on this
day contained il, and the afternoon
trains from Buffalo aud Rochester came
loaded with hundreds more to view the
peril Of the poor German for them
selves.
The building Of the second raft pro-
gressed; but, although everything
was done to hasten it, darkness
found it unfinished, and the crowd un-
willingly dispersed for the night The
Omniscient alone can tell how that
poor, forlorn soul passed the dark,
dredry hours that interyened beiole
morning sleepless from necessity
weary, lonely, with the waters raging
like unclaimed beasts all around him,
and the great abyss Of terror yawning
almost ut his feet. Some sweet hope
must have sustained him in that trying
tune, or the morning would have found
him dead there upon the rock OF his
dreadful exile.
Daylight came, and with it the eager
crowds FASTENED back to their points OF
sight. The incoming trains all that
day brought moro and more spectators,
and before noon the bridge was literal
ly crowded with them, leaving but a
small space il the center for the work
men with the raft; and on either side
the baak was hned nay. packed with
spectators. There were thousands up.
on thousands present, all eager, curious
yet sympathetic Avery appeared as
on the day before, still hopeful, eating
and drinking what was sent down to
him, motioning with bis halds and
arms, and watching all that was done
on tie bridge and shore.
The crisis Of the excitement arrived
when, about the middle Of the second
day, the raft was launched from the
bridge upon the hurrying food
Strong and willing hands held the
ropes, and it was cautiously lowered
until it almost touched the spot where
the castaway stood With bound hC
placed himself erect on the raft; and
then arose such shout OF rejoicing
from that multitude that it was heard
even above the roaring Of the waters
1t was a short-liye4 Joy. The ropes
we're named by all the hands thai
could find place, and the raft struggled
up little way in the teeth Of the rap
ids, and then q furious volume o.
water broke over and upon it, washing
it from end to end, and harling Avery
bodily into the rapids One faint, des
perate hope remained to him. as th,
irresistible current hurried him dow
be might by stout swimming make
the shore OF Chapin's Island, some rods
below, and 10 the west of him. II was
furious, terrible struggle for life; and
while the multitude held their breati
and looked on, it seemed at first al
though the man might still save him
self He almost reached the shore o
/ the little island but he never gained it
Some said that the bush upon WHICH hr
laid his hand broke in his grasp, other
\ thought that his strength left him whel
few more strokes would have saved
him lie yielded himself to the fur,
Of the rapids, and an instant later hi
body was hurled over the fatal abyss
amid the shudders and groans Of Iii,
heai t-sick spectators.
Those who were nearest the spo
where be vent over wer certain tha
his dying shrek, full Of the horror 0
despair. ariieulated the name, Mary
-. FaANkLs Furs, n Paetuf
Monthly, for Ss1,em5er.