The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1878-07-19
THE DIVER.

In the days when the free swimming
baths were not one of the public institu-
tons of the Empire City, numerous
bathers, especially boys, were seen daily
about six p NJ, vending their way
toward the docks and piers bordering
the river front. But now, alas, to the
intense disgust of our young Leanders,
those good old times of ducking and
diving from the string pieces and bulk
heads, have passed away, and their
shapely forms are confined to the narrow
limits Of the fifty by twenty confines of
the public institutions aquatic.
In these good old times there dwelt
in Lewis street, near Broome, lad of
fourteen summers, named Henry Wal
than; but to his young comrades who
daily met him at the docks he was better
known by the cognomen of Hank. tile
Diver. As Davy Crockett has been
said TO remark, "He could swim faster,
float further, dive deeper and stay under
longer than any man of his size in
Kentucky'-that is applying the name
of the State TO New York.
Hank was bright hearted, merry
lad, fond of his joke and laugh, and as
ready 10 take tumble TO himself as to
tumble to anything else, in case there
was any fun on hand.
1t was pleasant June evening; the
sun had Just passed below the horizon.
and the shadows of buildings on South
street fell with deepening gloom across
that thoroughfare toward the floating
docks, where several large ships lay de-
serted by the swarm of laborers who
daily made their wooden sides resOund
with the sonorous blows of their cauk-
ing hammers.
1t was nearly eight O'Clock when
Hank, in company with several of his
youthful comrades, reached the dock
adjoining the Houston street ferry house.
Passing a genial "gool evening" TO the
night -vatchman, the boys proceeded
down 'he pier, and divesting themselves
of their sc.,nty garments, were soon
sporting merrily in ihe water
At this moment one of the ferry boats
left her slip, and Hank. who had jast
come TO the surface to blow after pro-
longed dive, observed n man upon the
ferry boat conversing with young
woman bearing an infant in her arms.
They were the only persons on the after
deck, and were seated on the guard
chains at the side Of the boat. The man
seemed urging the woman earnestly,
and as Hank looked at them he saw the
girl start up with look of mingled
horror and disgust in her face. She
attempted 10 get over the chain when
the man seized her by the waist with
an angry motion, and in an instant she
was struggling in the water. The man
looked after her for second with an
eager frightened look, and then darted
into the gentlemen's the cabin The boys,
several of whom had seen the dastardly
outrage, set up shout. but the boat
sped on her way, toward Brooklyn while
our hero swan with vigorous strokes
toward the drowning girl. But he WAS
too late; Just as he reached her she sank
for the third time, and Hank was barely
able 10 seize firm grasp on the gar
ments of the baby whom she had let go
in order to save herself when The dark
waters closed over the subject of another
river mystery.
Hank swami to the dock, and the near
IL drowned child, attended by the sur
geon of a packet ship who Glanced to
be ON board, was speedily restored, and,
with the exception of a great fright, was
apparently uninjured. Meanwhile the
news had spread, and the police arriving
took the child in hand; but, strange 10
say, Notwithstanding the vigilant re-
search of the authorities and the numer
Gus notices of the press, no claimant for
the homeless little one came forward.
Several days past, and at Hanks
urgent request his mother had taken
1
possession of the infant, and thus, al
though poor one, a home was furnished
to the lonely waif, whom, barring her
rescuer, none in the wide world seemed
to care for.
Time passed. Hank grew to be q
manly youth of twenty, and the rescued
girl, who at that time when our hero 80
aptly managed to save her life was but 4
few months old, had grown to be pratt
miss Of nearly five summers. Often Of
nights, when the young man returned
from MS work at supper time, the golden
haire1 little one, who was singularly
beautiful, would meet him several blocks
away in order to accompany him home,
and if this was not the case she invaria-
bly awaited his coming at the door of
the humble tenement in which they
lived.
How lovingly those sweet blue eyes
looked up into the manly face, and how
bright smile lit up the ruddy features
of our hero as he looked down into the
upturned face at his side. Those were
bright days for them.