Wilmington daily gazette., 1873-02-08
4 LONG ISLAND HEROINE.


MISS LUCINDA coNKLIN's BRAvERY--A PERIL
Gus PLUNGE-REscuE OF DROWNING
BoATMAN.
From the Brooklyn IN. " Union.
On Friday afternoon, John Mason, who is
connected with the gravel pit at the hamlet Of
Eaton's Neck, on Huntington Bay, i. J., went
With friend 10 Oaire's store, which is near
Huntington harbor, TO lay in his weekly supply
Of provision. Having made his purchases, he
aud his friend, re embarked in their frail skiff
and started for home. 10 pass from the harbor
into the bay, they had TO 60 through narrow
strait, known in Long Island vernacular as the
gut" and then row close 10 the shore ofthe
bay for several miles. They passed the gut in
saf,ty, and had rowed to point about hall way
between Ealon's Neck Light and the bAy, when
the boat became entangled in a foe Of ice
The skif being heavily loaded astern, so
heavily in fact that her bow was yearly out Of
water, the frantic efforts of the men 10 pull out
OF the foe only made matters worse, and instead
ofgetting into clear water, they showed more
than half the boat on top Of large cake Of ice
Then both dIopped their oars and made an
effort 10 push the boat off the ice, but in their
hurry and excitement they capsized her, and in
SECOND both Of them we're aoundering iu the
water. Mr.. Masons companion being able to
swim ittlegained the boat, which was floating
bottom upwards, and get astrde Of her keel,
yelling Justify for help. Meanwhile Mason, who
could not swim stroke, was clinging to 4 cake
Of ice, which was barely buoyaDt enough 10 sls-
tain his weight, and was rapidly becoming ex-
halsted.
Directly opposite the place at which the boat
was oapsIzed'ls the residence Of Mr.. Conklin, h
Artner. When lhe cries for help were heard
Mr.. COnkIin was away from home, and there
were only three women and little boy in the
hoqse.
An rushed to the beach and saw the struggles
Of the drowning man, but for a moment they were
so paralyzsd that neither OF them had presence OF
mind enough to make a movement to aid him
Then, Miss Lucinda Conklin, without stopping to
consult her mother or sistsr, WGded out into the
bay, Determined to make at least one effort to savO
Mason. At this part Of the bay the beach is broad
and shelves out very gradually, SO the brave We
man vas enabled to wade within o few feet OF Mr..
Mason. But IS she moved forward, clearing, the
leo from her path with heE hands the watar,deep-
bnod little BY little, uhtil at last when she was
only eiEht or ten feet from the man she sought to
save, only her head was above the water. BY this
time Mason showed positive signs of exhaustion.
~ had chung to the Ice for so long time that hq
handS had become numb and almost powerless and
Miss Csaklin saw, from his efforts to relieve his
hAhds bT placing one Of his elbows on the cake OF
ice, that hs chances for lite were not worth min.
utsla puEohaSs,
With haroism seldom or ever parell lied, she
plunged into the deep water, and with a few Wig
orous strokes, reached the drowning man. A.
though exhausted, he was still sensible and faith
fully Obeysd the instructions given by the brave
woman. She warned him against selEing hold OF
her in such manner as to impede her motions
90, when she reached him, he placed his hands on
her shoaldsEa, and IN lew seconds, thanks to her
good swimming both stood neck deep in the ice
cold water, and began wading shorewarc.
AS Mss Conklin rsaehea the shore she faint 3l
away, and was caFTlsd to the house by her rea.
tiVes, Mason, nearly frozen to death, following in
thsiT wake. Miss Conklin was thoroughly ex
hausted by her exertions,as we'll by the tremeu.
doub excitement under which she had Iabored and
did not recover for two or thlee days. Masont
companion stuck manfully to the keel OF the boat
and in due course Of time was hauled ashore.
Miss Conklin is yogEg ledY Of shouS the aver
FsiZs, but her eophtry training has impaired 4
beg much moFa than the average strength OF hel
seE. Although not beautiful, she is spoken of a
interesting and piqUaate in STYLE and is yer.
popular in the neighborhood IN which she re
sides.