Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1876-12-14

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obey. d x'erously worked H.,
broken oar, diligently sicndied TN
frail little vessel; but all my effort
oily seemed 10 bear me further an.
further from the anxious face tha
was watching me.
Perhaps il Louis then bnd plunge,
into the water, few strong stroke
of his arm might 1--we reached an,
saved me. did not know. Loui
was no swimmer; and, besides. tina
Was not his way II doing things Hi
was deliberate and thoughtful raih
er than rash and venturesome ma
tnrr. He called to me eagerly iha
he was going for help; sho"ld wait
l should drop the oar: i'm Il few mo
mrnts he would get n boat. 1 saw
him Fastening along the shore ut III,
top OF his speed; / saw the solitary
shore. The deserted fisher huf, the fal
stretches OF sand he would have tt
travel before reachi.Is the little fish
ing village; | saw it all, but diml,
now, for was floating further anc
further away.
Wearily I dropped the oar and
sank back i'm the boat. Surely need
'lo nothing. Oh, surely Louis woul,
rescue me! he would not let me di.
alone within reach OF his loving arm.
Night was creeping on, with twilight
on its garments hem. 1 could se,
that lone and shadowy ship lying al
anchor beyond the bar. II only ]
could reach that shipl But the cur
rent woulfl drift me past her in an
instant. Wildly and lonSingiy now
called for help, stretching my arm
out earning toward that silent veg
sci; but nothing answered me. The
shore had grown far and dim. and
slimly, Strangely the tears coming
out with their unfamiliar bcaut,
made me afraid. Sad, solitary, and
deserted. was / going TO my death
out OF all that bright afternoon that
OVERLOOKING love, that fullncss O.
life and pleasure pr ,ff,rcd me-?
Afraid? Well. yes, / was afraid
for me brief moment. as crowded
back into the boat, shrinking in The
solitude OF the awful waste Of waters
"a fear Of that unknown worIl into
which 1 seemed sailing opp: esseI
me. But / bcthought myself that IL
l must die. il were better TO die
braveIy. Perhaps l was going Ia
me Jim. III 1 were in that other
world, that ought 10 be- a cheer,
thought. No doubt he died bravely
But was he dead? Jim, my oil
staunch friend, whose glad, good
face had frightened my wretched
childhood, oh, where was he?
1t is said that in the hour Of death
the memory of past events is prefer
naturally vivid. And ms my mind
reverted tn those oil days. forgetting
my latter life, forgetting my later
fiirn l., anl fDryettiny Louis, 1 felt
sure that 1 was going To die. A
trance OF peace fell upon me, In whici,
l seemed to clasp Jim's warm hand
again, as in days Of old. Jim, Jiml'
l called aloud, rousing myself as from
a dream, yet dreaming still. But
nothing answered me. The darkness
was growing deeper, the current more
rapid, and Louis with his soft, taper
fingers, would never reach me now.
Unconscious. half delirious, / must
have been, perhaps, for it seemed Ia
me that Jim. on whose nam calle,',
was "a spirit, and that his presence.
somewhere near me, was uphOlding
me In this hour OF need. as / driftc,l
further and further away from all
earthly help. How long. 1 know not
how FAR, / know not; il seemed TO M.
| had been on the way all eternity.
and-Had or not heard through thai
death dream IN answering cry? Dill
l or did l not see mistily. as through
veil. the spars AMI shrouds OF that
silent vessel that had stood ala of
watching my struggle with death ?
And grent God! was it Jim's face
bending over me, and was this heaven? :?
my dear, said Mrs. Beldrn, coming
into my loom one morning, "you are
getting quite strong again; the sea-
air has done you worll OF good.-in
Tact, You look better, think, Than
before your accident. i am thinking
we may rs well return to the city rs
soon rs YOU like"
l was lying on a couch by tho win
low looking ont upon the sea.
"Well," said 1, absently, in a half
reverie.
"You feel quite strong, do you not,
dear?"
'Oh yes. madam" said I. rousing
myself; quite strong-stro' ger than
ever; since that night when Jim
saved my life, swimming out to my
sinking boat against the current, and
risking his life to help an unknown
waif, unwitting that it was his liiil,.
nursling OF old who was in deadly
peril-since that night n world OF new
thoughts had come crowling in upon
nr, searching me with their strength
and making me ashamed ~ the idle
silken life was leading. know not
What premoniiion Of change, OF ban
ishmenf, was Juggling at my heart thi .
morning rs looked out over ihr
leaning waters, aud filed my eye.
with tears"
"You are sorry TO leave the sea.
shorc?" sa q Mrs B.l'len.
IL was thinking NJ Jim." said 1 hon.
silly. How can leave Jim?"
Mrs. Brldrn's face flushed.
Jenny" said she, severely, co.
'nursr we all think n good ,Ie 0f
your sal " friend forsaving your life
luIt vuil must br aware that h,. il ne
In communion for Won and that his