The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-08-23

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tinu vhich icnors,,r. .ve - - ssssssss
Of these n.tny.i vondsy~ sho.ssSs 7 -.
j rnzin0 a Z hsr-rlees N;sssrs & sksd .ev'
er seen .nvfb;no, hsIs =, fss,sff,,i . Xii,
| the slmost desfer,f,,~ sh,,rsis,s,,,s -,
which accnmnsnied 4 ~ sncs. I ~
nhssc ~ nv fsvorise mns;c thsf I 500;
spellbound with 4 eorf ~ wiId delioht
| MT for MANY minutes hovever. hcsvv
min. cIond fkaf hal suddrniv 1vrr.Gers
the sEv warncd me r. resreet trrrad
with this nnrnose Toward he afenninc.
! atone nv vhich + aivavs rernined ~
precipitous bank Of the rivey 70 NV
| horror thew had all disanpearcd and IN
their nlace = boiling bnhhlino fermert
| Of brown water and frothv Saem ~
sweepjne along a n tremcpdoua nece
| Then ii nj, insfant 7 knev The r;ver ~
rising RAPIDLY. ANYONE bmt 4 fool WouId
have foresecn this ~ the natural come.
ouence If the increase a he waterfaIi
| Richt and left and All around The river hsd
now becomes ho;i;nc caidror ~ broker
wafer. I vas crit az f,om ali hone ri 10
treat and sI,onid he vashed awav ike s
| iv. I knew
Helpless and scared. stood jrresolnte
vet a moment lnnoer
recolIcct n this dire emeroencv md.
denly observing 4 still furthe r increase in
| The voInn,e ~ he fall and almoat e;mnl-
taneonsIv with II feeling NV Ieoe siir
from under me q the brown water eurcie5
in INV ears and elistened In m1 eyes
Then there was ehokinc heIn,ess tnmh.
| ling pressure forward. several sharp blows
upon INV legs and arms. an effort 10 strike
out, met by coming in contact with more
rocks, and then whirl and twirl and q
spinning round as II / had been cork.
The swimmers instinct, however, was
| of some use after all. for. in the first place,
| 1t enabled me to retain little presence OF
mind, and, in the second, to bring my
head up to the surface after the first
plunge. saw was already q long way
| from the upper fall, and an additional
pang was given to my sensations by the
recollection that was being hurried on
toward the lower, over which If l were
carried must inevitably be drowned.
Fortunately, Just now was carried by q
current close in under one of these sheer.
down sides, and for the f1ftieth time sent
spinning round in the eddy like cork.
made hopeless grab at the smooth
and slippery surface, much as the drown
ing man catches at the proverbial straw,
for was by this time getting exhausted
and suffucafed BY tue constant rolling over
which the torrent gave me. did Just
manage to get a finger-hold in a crack,
and to steady myself somewhat; but the
water was very deep just here, and could
not lift much more than my chin above it,
whilst a foothold of any sort was out of
the question.
Vet to remain where was much longer
was impossible- Could I bnt have raised
myself some two feet / should have been
able to reach an overhanpinp bouph of
one of the lhickly. growing young ash sap
lings, the roots of which projected from
the earthly top of the rock a yard or two
above.
o, how longed for giants arm, that
might touch that bough! Twice made
| a futile effort to spring out of the water al
it, but only exhausted myself, and had
the greatest difficulty in retaining my sup
port.
Was sinking and losing consciousness !
and is this to be the end, / thought, with
that music still in my ears? And, 10!
what vision is that which behold? Sure
| " an angels face looking down from
amidst the leafy roof above me! Yes nv
life must be passing away in a dream. Of
beautiful sights and sounds. For a mo.
ment or two more such was the vague
conclusion floating through my dazed
mind, nor was 1t al once dispelled by
perfectly audible and silvery voice, saying
Try to reach 1t now; think you can
quick, try"
This can be no illusion; this is no phan-
tom born of drowning mans fancy; this
is sweet reality; and in that bending
branch, now steadily descending to within
my grip, see my life restored to me and
my hopes renewed.
| have the delicate end of the Dough in
in my hand; yes, automatically have
seized it, and already it helps to lift me
higher out of the water.
Be very cautious" says the voice
once more. "Take great care, or it will
snap. There, wait So, whilst / pull this
strong one down, and that will hold your
weight better; now, so;'' and in another
minute have grasped this stronger one
manage to raise myself by it a little.
and to put the tips of nv toes into the
fissure Of the rock by which had 30 long
held with the tip of nv fingers.
Then soft, firm hand is held out to me
and, taking it, / finally, BY one supreme
effort. pull myself well up among the
understood and twisted roots at the top oil