The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1869-10-14

curlew How long l clung to the branch,
1 do not know. Fortunately the water
was not cold. The clouds had cleared
away, and the moon, near the full, shone
brightly. Had it been dark, my courage
must have given way, and | should most
probably have sunk. But as it was, | can
not say that quite despaired of rescue in
some way or other. If could only hold
out till morning, some one might, L con-
jectured, come for the purpose of carrying
away the turf sOds, and might see my coat
and gun, which would lead them to a
search. | had not much hope in any
search from the village; | had started in
the direction of the cliffs, my favorite even
ing haunt, and fancied that would be the
direction the searchers would take. AS
the night wore On-Oh, so Slowly-with
the moon so clamly gliding through the
stars above me, / fell into kind of stupOr,
and can distinctly remember repeating
scraps of verses totally uncOnnccted with
each other. From this state, was aroused
by the loud note of some night bird, prob
ably an owl, and found my arms very stiff
from holding on to the root; while my
legs felt like weights of lead suspended be-
meath me. While trying to change my
position, fancied | heard the gurgling
sound of running water, and that not far
off. | listened intently, and found it was
no fancy. Water was evidently running
into the pool, and | saw by the root l was
clinging to that the water had risen some
inches
A cheering hope sprang up within me,
as it flashed across nly mind that the tide
must be rising, and that the pool must
have an outlet into the river.
The thought infused new life into me,
and | struck cut in the direction of the
sound. Then, to my intense joy, l saw
distinctly, in the clear moonlight, that the
water was streaming in fast through
several small inlets and pouring in quietly
aTd steadily, through one of the bitches
had previously swan up. knew that if
the tide rose another foot or eighteen
inches, l could, by treading water fast,
spring up so high as to be able to catch
hold of the top of the bank and SO swing
myself up. / knew also that the water
could not possibly begin to flow into the
bog pools until it was nearly high tide.
Returning to my resting place, | watched
anXiously, the prospect of speedy deliver
ance banishing all WEAKNESS. The
water continued to pour in steadily
and in greater volume. The dawn
was now breaking, and l had not
much longer to wait. The water had
ceased flowing, and the bank in one
place was barely five feet above the water.
Taking long breath, let myself sink
low, and then treading water as strongly
and quickly as possible, threw half my
body above the surface of the pool, and
caught the top with one hand. Before the
soft earth had time to crumble beneath my
weight, had obtained firmer grasp with
the other hand, and in another moment
stood on the moss-saved. drinking in
with eager gasps the fresh air of the morn
ing.
The white haze was rapidly clearing
away, and through it l saw five or six
men hurrying towards me.
have confused idea of being helped
to my lodgings, and of afterwards telling
my adventure to many eager questioners.
The soaking had had, and the expose
ure to the unhealthy mists which rise from
the morass in the night, caused an illness
for time, but the effects soon wore Oft.
The heron is stuffed, and adorns my
cabinet, unconscious of the revenge which
overlook its distroyer.-C Chambers Journal.