Montgomery County sentinel., 1875-07-23

great torrent of water came sweeping,
like a huge, moving wall, over the
weather-rail
Ere the young officer could avoid it by
running aft, it struck his form, washing
him overheard like shot There was
a slender, half-rotten rope hanging from
the waist attached TO rail. Herbert
seized this as he went, with ready self
possession, twisting it around his waist
The wild mass of water swept over and
passed him there he was, hanging by
the end of the rope, about ten yards from
the ships side. =
Bertha, who had come on deck just as
her lover was swept over the rail, now
ran amidships, with pale cheeks and
wild eyes, calling on the ships officers
to save the young man.
No boat could be lowered in such a
gale. The officers ran to the rail, how
ever, and commenced hauling on the
rope, to which the imperiled one, half
hidden by the raging, foaming waters
and the flying spray, was still clinging.
As they continued to haul, an ominous,
swapping sound was heard. The strands
of the rotten rope were giving away.
"Hc must go" cried the captain, de-
spairingly. "No earthly power can save
him now! The rope will part ere we get
him alongside.
Nearer, nearer to the ship was the
young officer drawn. When he was
within five yards of it, the rope held him
by only one of its strands
This, going round and round, must
rart in few seconds.
With clasped hands, and eyes gleam-
ing large and bright, Bertha watched
Herbert, her lips tightly compressed,
as if by the power of her will alone she
would prevent the rope from giving way.
The strain upon that one strand was
tremendous 1t cracked and snapped,
but still held:
The first mate stood reached far out
over the rail to be ready to seize Herbert
the moment he should be drawn within
his reach. The captain had taken q
bowlne-hitch on the end of tho main
topsail hallairds, thus forming a moose
which he stood ready to throw if the
strand should part ere Herbert was pull
ed to the ship.
To throw it now would probably be
attended with fatal results. The moose
wonld strike the other rope, and not slil
down over the young man further thar
his neck, thus strangling him.
Nearer-still nearer!
Bertha could now see her lover looking
up from the white, vortex, his eye
bright with the hope Of being saved
He was only two yards from the vessel
side The first mate, leaning far owe
from the outside of the ship, to whicl
he had lashed himself, could almost reacl
him.
"Thank God he is saved p criet
the man, hoarsely, as as he made clutcl
at Herbert's hair
He had Just seized few threads o
those bright locls--he was endeavorint
to obtain frmer hold, when loud
swapping sound was heard, as the ropt
parted
The man with the moose threw it, bu
it fell short, dashed aside by a heavy sea
from Herbert, as the ship rushed pas
him. With gurgling cry of despair
the young man drifted to leeward.
But, not alone; for Bertha, who, Tho
moment she saw tiat the strand must par
had fastened the end Of the main-top
gallant hallairds about her waist, haC
sprang bravely into the wild sen, and
striking braycly into the mad waves, al
the turns of the rope which she has
thrown of the pin slackened, she fas
approached her lover.
Reaching him, when he was abou
twenty yards astcrn, she threw her whit,
arms about him, and held him firmly
while the men on deck now hauled OF
the rope.
Although half suiFocated by tho rag
ing waters although her beautiful wais
was compressed by the strain Of the ropr
upon it., SO that she could ha.dly breath
yet, with her white teeth firmly set, he
large wild eyes cleaning like star
through the foam, her long wet hal
sweeping the young mans face, her warn
bosom beating against his own, the brav
girl still held firmly to her lover, deter
mined to save his life
At last the two were drawn to th
ships side and helped aboard, ami
the ringing cheers Of sailors and officers
Herbert then bore into the cabin til
noble girl, who, exhausted by her cxor
tions, had nearly tainted when she reach
ed the deck.
AS he hung over her applying restora
tiycs and kissing her again and again, sh
smiled and said, gently:
"Havc | not done something at last t
prove how much ! love you Z"
"You are noble girl p he answered
"and [ now understand you. Auothe
woman might have been wont to exprcs
her feeling to me in passionate languag
and with burning check; but she woul
have stood hclplessly by and seen m
perish. You arc one Of those gloriou
creatures who are demonstrativc in az
ton rather than speech !"
And 50 he still found her, when,
few months later, he made her his wifi
a Northern female philanthropis
. I a,o.J;uo fo NioE eIurf, unOrn fIa ~ hf