Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-02-22
Good. Have you plenty of light

! throw YOU on ta rocks, and dash you to
pieces. Plenty of us would put you
down, sir, but you can't swim If you
get down"
"Do you know, old man, what surf
swimming isP have dived through
the surf at Nukuheva."
"God bless you, sir! | thought no
white man could do that same"
While this conversation was going on
Jones was divesting himself of all SUI
perlluous clothing, and cutting out the
sleeves of his heavy pea-jacket with his
pocket-knife. This done he passed some
light, strong rope through them.
The men watched him with eager in
terest, and seeing theirinquisitive looks,
he said:
"The thick sleeves will prevent the
rope cutting my body, you sec"
cay, ay, sir. | see now what you are
doing"
Nov, men, have only one requests
GiUc me plenty Of rope as fast as ! drdW
on you. When get on board, you know
how to make cradle, ! suppose"
cay, ay, sir but how are you going
to reach the watorg"
al am going to plunge down. have
! dived from the main yard of the Ajax
before this. 1t was as high leap"
lie passed double coil of the rope
round his waist, examined it thorough
| ly to see that there was plenty to start
with, and, saying: "Now, friends, stand
out of the way and let me have a clear
START he raised his bare head one mo-
ment toward heaven and taking a short
run leaped as from the spring-board of
a plunge-bath.
Such an anxious crowd as followed
that leap! Great numbers, in spite of
the dangerous wind, lay fiat on their
breasts and watched him. He struck
the water at least twenty-five feet be-
yond the cliff and disappeared in its
dark, foamy depths.
When he rose to the surface he saw
just before him gigantic wave, but he
had time to breathe and before itreached
him .he dived below its center. 1t broke
in passionate fury upon the rocks, but
Jones rose far beyond it. A mighty
cheer from the men on shore reached
him, and he now began in good earnest
to put his Pacific experience into prac-
tice.
Drawing continually on the men for
IOpt-NIlCn lltN paul Oub NllH
dcafening cheers-he met wave after
wave in the same manner, diving under
them like an otter and getting nearer
to the wreck with every wave, really
advancing, however, more below the
| water than above it.
Suddenly the despairing men on board
heard u clear, hopeful voice:
Help at hand, Captain! Throw me
a buoy!'
And in another minute or two Jones
was on deck, and the cheers on the lit
tie steamer were echoed by the cheers
of the crowd on the land. There was
not moment to be lost; she was break
| ing up FAST but it took but few min
utes to fasten a strong cable to the small
rope and draw it on board, and then a
second cable and the communication
was complete.
There is lady here, sir" said the
Captain. "We must rig up n chair for
her; she can never walk that dangerous
road
But we have not a moment to waste,
or we may all be lost. Is she very
heavy?n
"a slight little thing; half child,
sir"
Bring her here"
This was no time for ceremony; with
out Il word, save few sentences of di-
rection and encouragement, he took her
under his left arm, and, steadying him
self by the upper cable, walked on the
| lower with his burden safely to the
shore. The crew rapidly followed, for
| in such moments of extremity the soul
| hn nd oil
possible.
There was plenty of help waiting for
the half-dead seamen; and the lady,
her father and the Captain were put in
the carriage of Squire Braddon and
driven rapidly to his hospitable hall.
Jones, amid the confusion, disappeared;
he had picked up an oil-skin coat and
cap, and when the rescued turned to
thank their deliverer he was gone. No
one knew him; the sailors said they be-
lieved him to be Zone of the military
gents, by his rigging but the indi-
viduality of the hero had troubled nc
one until the danger was over. In an
hour the steamer was driven on the
rocks and went to pieces; and, it being
by this time quite dark, everyone went
home.
The next day the hunting party re.
turned from Gwynne Hall, the storm
having compelled them to stop all night
and at dinner that evening the wreck
and the hero of it were the theme OF
everyone's conversation.
"Such plucky fellow" said Ensign
Powell. 81 wonder who he was.
Gwynne says he was a stranger, per-
haps one of that crowd staying ut the
abbey"
Perhaps" said Capt. Marks, "it
was JONES'
"Oh, Jones would be too afraid of
his mother"
Jones made little satirical bow and
said, pleasantly: Perhaps it was
Powell''; at which Powell laughed and
said " not if he knew it,"
In week the event had been pretty
well exhausted; especially as there was
to be great dinner and ball at Brad
don, and all the officers had invitations.
This ball had a peculiar interest, for the
young lady who had been saved from
the wreck would be present, and rumors
of her riches and beauty had been rife
for several days. 1t was said the little
steamer was her fathers private yacht,
and that he was a man of rank and in
| fluence.
Jones said he should not 90 to the
dinner, as either he or Saville must re-
main for evening drill, and that Savillc
loved good dinner, while he cared
very little about it. Sayille could re-
turn in time to let him ride over about
ten o'clock and see the dancing. Saville
rather wondered why Jones did not
take his place all the evening, and felt
half injured at his default. But Jones
had a curiosity about the girl he had
saved. To tell the truth, he was nearer
in love with her than he had ever been
with woman, and he wished in calm
blood to see if she was as beautiful as
his fancy had painted her during those
few awful minutes that he had held her
high above the waves.
She WAS exceedingly lovely, lust the