The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-11-20

pearance of an agitated sea. Short waves
hurried along, their white crests CLEAN.
ling the moonlight; they came in serried
lines, tier over tier; the hoar>e roar of the
advancing tide reverberated in the air.,
mingling in my brain withthe strange
rattle as Of bells that would never cease
ojingle therein. How remorseless they
seemed, these waves, hurrying up like
hounds who view their prey. And yet it
wasa solemn scene; and -wha. there was,
Of dignity and grandeur in the sig { hall
resonciled me to the thought that my
life would be swallowed up ere long in
these advancing batallions of serried
waves, Tor now the bitterness of death was
passed; its terrors had vanished; I felt
profound sadness-that was all.
How far could, climb up the Shiny.
slippery posts and buttresses that seemed
to mock q me with their lying profers Of
safety9 "A couple Of cross beams or ties
which bound together the lower ends Of
the piers afforded at their intersection q
sort angular resting place. where
could, for time, perhaps, find refuge
from the waves. This was far below high
water mark, so that to reach it would
only give me short respite from my
final agony; but for all that determined
to attempt it. As soon as the water COW
cred the little island on which stood I
would. try to Climb that slippery beam
that rose from the sand, in which it was
partly buried. at an angle of about 1orty-
five degrees.
With the tide rose the wind; with the
wind came rain and fog. The moon,
blurred and indistinct, shown family for
awhile, and then vanished altogether, al
though her difused light made every
thing darkly visible. Soon the waves
were dashing at my feet, the sand pulp
beneath. Now was my time to make my
last effort for little more life. But
found that had oyerrated my own pow
ers. I crawled foot up the slippery
timber. then I fell back, again I tried it,
and again, butitwa of no use. Strength
does not come of eager desire to be strong.
All that lcould do was to clasp my arms
around tho beam and stand upward,
awaiting the coming of the waters.
The water rose, not gradually, but In
pulses. Smaller waves came and went,
and left no change of level; but every
now and then some heavier, fiercer bill
low would come in with a devouring
sweep, covering me with its spray and
foam, receding again, but at each recess
sion leaving greater depth of swaying,
lifelike water. These attacks, like buff
tets from the hand of some skilled boxer.
left me weaker and weaker at every blow;
and it was so trcacherous, too, the water.
1t would draw away for time, leaving
me free almost to my knees, and then, as
if driven by sudden impulse, it would
gather itself up and return in great
seething swathe of water that would
| swallow me up from head to foot.
The end was fast coming now. I had
CEASED to feel any thing. Only logged
determination to stick to life to the last
kept me clinging to my beam. But what
was that sound? A long and piercing
scream, a roar and rumble and rattle;
it was an engine. An engine coming
along the completed part Of the bridge,
shrieking and screaming and dashing out
great watts of white steam in the stormy
air. The sound gave fresh life and vieor.
Human creatures were within reach, at
all events. If could make them hear I
might yet be saved.
The engine came slowly along and I
heard the voice of men shouting to one
another. Why, then, should they not
near me2 I tried, TOO, to shout, but my
voice stuck in my throat. ! couldn't
make sound louder than whisper; no,
not with all the good will I had to shout
like an archangel.
The engine came so near at last that I
could see the glow of her fires through
the interstices of the flooring of the
bridge. And now there were men stand
ing with lanterns at the very extremity of
the bridge, and still L could not make
them hear.
For an instant the GLAD thought struck
me that had been missed, and that these
men had come to look for me; but the
next moment I saw the folly Of the idea.
Days might elaJ Sc before my fate was
known. It was not even yet beyond the
time bad fixed for reaching home. No;
the men were railway workmen, perhaps
going to nights shift OF work on the
bridge, and I couldn't make them hear.
| Suddenly l heard a sharp, quick bark,
and then growl as of anger or inquiry,
and was conscious that there was a deg
with the men above. The dogs faculties
were keener than the mems; perhaps it
was possible mi ght make him near so
barked shrill, swapping bark, with
which had often deceived my own ter
rler. Jock. The dog acknowledged the
challenge and replied furiously. Then
heard the voice of man shouting to the
dog to be quiet, but the dog barked still
more furiously, standing at the very
edge of the platform, too, and then in my
extremity ! gave cry-a wild, despair
ing cry. Then huge. hoarse wave
dashed over me-.
| Ifit had not been for the conscious
ness that help was near l could not have
held on against the furious rush of water :;
but did hold on, at least 1 think. So;
and when the waves receded, bright
dazzling light shone in my eyes-a light
from tine bridge where some one was
holding what seemed to be a portable
sun, but which actually piece OF burn
ing magnesium wire. Then everything
disappeared in the black darkness. q
Skni6 uo,, coo ,,:.l !,