The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-03-22


throw You ON h rocks, and dash you to
pieces. Plenty of MS would put you
down, sir but you can't swim If you
get down."
"Do you know, old man, what surf
swimming is? I have Owed through |
the surf at Nukuheva.
"God bless you, sirl thought no
white man could do that same"
While this conversation was going on,
Jones was divesting himself of all super
fiuous clothing, and cutting out the
sleeves of his heavy pea-jacket with his
pocket.knife. This done, he passed
some light, strong rome through them.
The men watched him with eager in
terest, and, seeing their inquisitive
looks, he said:
"The thick sleeves will prevent the
rope cutting my body, You see."
Say, ay, sir; 1 see now what you are
doing"
"Now, men, have only one request
Give me plenty of rope as fast as 1
draao ON you. When I get on board,
you know how to make cradle, l sup
poser
Say, ay, sir but how are you going
TO reach the WAFER
81 am going to plunge down. / have
dived from the main yard of the Ajax
before this. 1t was as high a leap"
He passed double coil of the rope
round his waist, examined it thoroughly
to see that there was plenty to start
with, and saying, "now, friends, stand
out of the way, and let me have clear
start" he raised his bare head one mo-
ment toward heaven, and, taking short
run, leaped, as from the springboard 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 ut least twenty-five feet be-
You'd the cliff, and disappeared in its
dark, foamy depths.
When he rose to the surface he saw
just before him a gigantic wave, but he
had time to breathe, and before it
reached 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
practice.
Drawing continually OH the men for
more rope-which they paid out with
deafening 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 ad-
vancing, however, more below the water
than above it.
Suddenly the despairing men on
board heard clear, hopeful voice:
"Help at hand, Captain Throw me
a buoy p
And in another minute or two Jones
was on the deck, and the cheers of the
little 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. eve must rig up chair for
her; she can never walk that dangerous
road"
"But we have not moment to waste.
or we may all be lost. Is she very
heavy?"
"a slight little thing; half child,
sir"
Bring her here"
This was no time for ceremony; with
out word, save a 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
masters the body, and all things become
possible.
There was plenty of help waiting for
the half-dead seamen; and the lady, her
father, and the Captain, had been put in
the carriage Of Braddon, and driven rap
idly to his hospital hall. Jones, amid
the confusion, disappeared; he had
picked up an oil-skin coat and cap, and
when every Que turned to thank their de-
liverer he was gone. No one knew him;
the sailors said they believed him to be
"one of the military gents, by his rig
ging," but the individuality of the hero
had troubled no 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,
every one 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
every ones conversation.
Such plucky fellow" said Ensign
Powell. CT wonder who he was.
Gwynne says he was stranger, per-
haps one of that crowd staying at the
abbey"
Perhaps" Says Capt. Marks, cit
was JONES'"
80, Jones would be too afraid of his
mother"
Jones made little satirical bow, and
said pleasantly "Peshaps it was Pow
ell !" at which Powell laughed and said,
"Not if he knew il"
In week the event had been pretty
well exhausted especially as there was
to be great dinner and ball at Braden,
and all the officers had invitstic ms This
ball had q peculiar interest, for the
young lady who had been saved from the
wreck would be present, and rumors of