Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1875-10-27
"But, my good man." he began.

LlSbcu W IAc, NONNois .. .
"a score Of times / might have
given up and been drowned, but |
made a fight and was saved Now
/ mean to make a fight for it right
here, for the sake of the wife and
BARNS. 1 don't mean to die, doc
tor, without a struggle. l believe
this here, that life is given to Us
all as treasure to keep. We
might throw it away at any time
by our own folly, but there's hun
dred's Of times when we may pre-
serve it, and we never know wheth-
er we can save it till we try. Gives
a drink Of that water"
He held the glass TO myiips, and
/ took a big draught, and went on,
he seeming all the time to be stop
ing to humor me in my madness.
"That's better, DOCTOR" | says,
snow look here, sir, speaking as
one who has sailed the seas, it's
terrible stormy time with me
There's a lee shore close at hand,
the fires are drowned out, and IN
less we can get up a bit OF sail,
there's no chance for me. Now
then, doctor, can you get up a bit
Of sail 7"
81 viii go and send you some
thing that will quiet you," he said
rising.
"Thankey, DOCTOR" l says, smil-
ing to myself. "And now look
here, I'm not going to give up till
the last, and when that last comes,
and the ships going down, why, !
shall have try if can't swim to
safety. If that fails, and | can
really feel that 1t Is to be, why, l
hope I shall go down into the
greatest deep calmly, like q hope
full man, praying that Somebody
above will forgive me all I've done
amiss, and stretch out His hand to
my little ones.
He went away and l dropped to
sleep, worn out with my exertion.
When l awoke, Polly was stand
ing by my bed watching me, with
a bottle and a glass on the little ia
BILE.
AS soon as she saw my eyes open
she shook up the stuff and poured
it into a wine glass.
as that what the doctor sent y
says /.
"Yes, dear; you were to take it
directly"
"Then l shan't take it," l says.
"He's give me up, and that stuff's
only to keep me quiet. Polly, you
90 and make me some beef tea,
and make it strong"
She looked Mortified, poor girl,
and was about to beg me to take
hold of the rotten life belt he'd sent
me, when / held out my shaking
hand for it, took the glass, and let
it tilt over-there was only about
couple of teaspoonfuls in it, and
the stuff fell to the carpet.
/ saw tears come in her eyes, but
she said nothing-only put down
the glass and ran out to make the
beat tea. -.
The doctor didn't come till late
the next day, and 1 was lying very
still and drowsy, half asleep like,
but I was awake enough to hear
him whisper to Polly, "Sinking
FAST" and / heard her give such a
heartbroken sob that as the next
great wave came on the sea where
| was floating, | struck out with
all my might, rose over it, and
Aoated gently down the other side.
For the next four days-putting
it as drowning man striving for
bis life like a true-hearted fellow
it was like great foaming waves
coming to wash over me, but the
shore still in sight, and me trying
hard to reach it.
And it was a grim, hard fight; a
dozen times / could have given up,
folded my arms, and said goodbye
to the dear old watching face safe
on shore; but a look at that always
cheered me, and fought on again
and again, till at last the sea SEEM
ed to go down, and, in utter weari-
ness, / turned on my back to float
restfully with the tide bearing me
shoreward, till l touched the sands,
crept up them, and fell down worn
out, to sleep in the sun-safe
That's a curious way Of putting
IL von NAV aav. bnt IL sas ma nafur-