Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-09-06
"Going to be a bad, dirty night,

UolnS W pe d DAu, uIrty nlgnJ,
John?"
eyes," replied John, CURLY.
"Small craft pretty near Quiggin
Point. Hope she may not get too near
them Scarlet Rocks"
eff she was worth her sails, she would
have put into harbor early today
It was the toughest conversation John
had held with any of his comrades for
months. He suddenly remembered
the fact, and walked hurriedlv away.
"Poor fellow i" muttered the old
man, maybe, now, he is none to
blame." ,35la III. oa
That night the storm grew wilder and
wilder until midnight, and long before
dawn, in the pauses of the wind, could
be family heard the gun Of ship in
distress. As soon IS it was light crowd
of men gathered on the shore, watching
eagerly the craft in danger. 1t was hard
to tell what she was-all her masts were
gone, and she seemed to be rapidly
breaking up. Yet the sea ran so high,
and the danger of launching boat was
so imminent that the oldest sailor fear
ed to risk it.
Then John Taggert stepped forward.
"Will any man go with me-" he said,
''to save yonder fellows ?"
No one spoke. Of all races the
Manx are the most superstitious; and
if John was really a murderer, they
did not wish to share his fate; so no
one answered his appeal by word or
movement. John set his lips and
frowned darkly.
Is there any man here, then, who
will help me launch a boat, and I will
go alone?"
81 WILL" said the old man who had
spoken to nina the day before.
Now, if ever human being was in a
mood to command winds and waters,
John Taggert was that morning. He
leaped off the quay into the dropped
boat, and all thought for moment
that he had found his death, but pres
entity they saw him grasping both oars,
erect and firm. Just then the rector
reached the anxious crowd.
God bless you, John !" he cried.
But John heard not the blessing; his
face WAS set sea-ward, every muscle,
every sense was strained to the utter
most, and yet he afterward said he was
sensible of no exertion. He rowed as
a d i in dream might row. Through
marvellous dangers and difficulties he
reached the wreck; then, as he neared
it, he gave great shout, for, clinging
to remnant of the mainmast, was q
a fair figure he knew but too we'll. He
could not doubt his eyes-it vast
certainly was Philip Saville
Here was his vindication. John new
er doubted but that Heaven had sent
it, and even as he toiled in rowing, he
did not forget the uplifting of his heart
in unutterable gratitude. How he got
the men off the wreck and brought the
crowded boat back safe to Castletown
quay was always g mystery to John.
He was always inclined to regard the
whole affair as somewhat supernatural.
In truth, he was possessed by feelings
far beyond those that move us to ordi-
nary action, and the enthusiasm that
filled his own soul he impaired to the
half-drowned men he came to save.
They obeyed him as if he had been a
god, and John had part of his reward
in the shouts that greeted the boat as
she slowly and dangerously neared the
land
But when John himself lifted
Philip Saville out of it, and in his
strong, loving arms carried him as a
mother would carry child, men we're
afraid to speak; for there was an exal-
tat1on IN his manner that awed them:
SO also when the rector drew him into
the square, and great crowd gathered
around the justified man, there were
more tears and hand-shakings than
! words, for the Manx are a silent peo-
pie, more given to actions than pro-
LESSONS. ...
Philips explanation was very natu-
raj one. Early one morning he had
met out on the sea the yacht of an old
companion, and learned from him that
his elder brother had been killed by a
railroad accident. And that the
family lawyer was looking for him.
As there were only two steamers a
week between the Island and Liverpool,
and as it would be impossible to catch
the one sailing that day, his friend had
j offered to run him across to Liverpool
in his yacht. Without much thought
: he had accepted the offer, leaving a
note in the boat to inform his land
lady what to do with his effects, if any
one found the boat which was almost
certain to be the case. He had also
instructed his lawyer to write to Castle
town, but both directions had failed;
probably the note had been blown
away, and the lawyer amid the more
Important business of settling up and
transferring the estate, had not thought
the few sovereigns lying in Castletown
urgent interest, and of graver conse,
quences he was totally ignorant.
Then Philip had been compelled to
leave England Immediately with a sis.
Ter whose delicate health the shock of
her brothers death had greatly injured
Amid the delights of Rome he forgot
his Castletown life, until one morning
about month previous, in package
of delayed English letters he found
one from the Rector of Castletown de.
failing the wretched consequences of
Mr.. Saville's disappearance. THIS let.
ter had been sent to the family seat at.
ter Philips departure for Italy, had
been forwarded to his lawyer in Lon
don, and after many delays finally
reached the right person.