Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1875-07-10
Tim Heating and His Boys.
[st. Louis Republican,

On certain section of the New York
wharf, where excursion boats land and
depart and where children 60 to play, there
hasn't been boy drowned in long time.
Boys tumble into the river as often as
ever, but they have a savior always on
the brink ready to dive down from the
pier and bring them out alive. He is the
life preserver of the place, and the people
of the neighborhood are very proud OF
him. He has within a few months
snatched seven boys from watery graves
and given them another chance for life
and usefulness. He seems to be always
at hand when boy topples overheard,
and he is sure to set him on hislegs again
where ne can get his breath. After one
of his daring rescues the other day, his
fame went outside of the district and his
name got for the first time into the papers.
1t is Tim Heating. He had been in the
habit of plunging into the river and pull
ing out his boy, and then hurrying away
through the crowd of spectators-nobody
seemed to know where. He shrank from
publicity, but his oft-repeated Exploits
of life-saving brought him out at last.
Anewspaper man wandered into the
district to pick up items, and learn, if pos
sible, if Tim Heating was myth or a real
parsonage. "Do you know Tim Keating"
he asked random man he met.
"Know him? should think l did.
He has Just saved another boy
~ have heard that he has saved six
boys"
"Yes, that's so. You can now call it
seven. l saw the last boy myself, 60
sloshing home wet as a drowned rat.
Asked him where he had been, and he
said, Fell in, and Tim Heating pulled
me out"
The facts were that an excursion boat
was coming in, and in the scramble to get
ashore, the boy was pushed overheard.
Everybody screamed for help. In sec
ond there was another splash in the
water, and presently strong swimmer
came up padding with one arm and hold
ing the boys head out of the water with
the other. They were helped out amid
loud cheers, and while every one got
around the boy with congratulating pats,
Tim Keating-for it was he-slid away.
The man with notebook and pencil
asked a woman her opinion of Tim Keat-
ing.
She fairly gushed with admiration of
the man and said
"The wonder is where Tim comes from
when a boy tumbles into the river. He's
Just as sure to be there as there's God
in heaven, and so we don't trouble, our
selves much when our children go down
towards the docks to play. Tim'sa real
good fellow, but he's out of work just
now, which is a pity"
A record of Tim Keating's boys is
kept in a saloon. Their names are Bob
by Carroll, Tommy Hayes, Johnny Fitz-
gibbons, Patrick McCarty, George Rich
ards, Michael Clarence and Leddy Dono-
hue.
Timothy Heating was out ola job, and
became hero. He found work to do in
his wanderings on the wharf, and saved
seven lives-a great life work in few
weeks. Some philanthropic society ought
to patent him as a life-preserver, and
keep him at his present work of idleness.
Those working women with children to
save ought not to regret that Tim Keat-
ing is out of employment, and should he
want bite to eat some day they will
hardly turn him from their doors.