Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-06-19


are signaling to u.s."
We saw one of the men step into the
rigging, and then word or two that he
shouted through trumpet came to us
family, and we guessed the rest:
awe shall sink when the tide rises"
Then again: "Our boats are sunken."
''Do you here that, boys? Their boats
are gone, and they'll sink when the tide
rises. What shall we do for them? say,
what shall we do
~ think we had better pray for them,
sir" said Little Tins, looking plump up
at the masters surprised face.
"You are right, Tims," he answered,
quickly. 1--WE will ask God to help US
all. Boys, take off your hats"
We obeyed him instantly; and drop
ping on his knees, he prayed silently a
moment or two. Then we were aroused
by one of the men calling quite distinct
~ through the trumpet: "Stand by
We're going to fire a line ashore" And
before we could comprehend what he
meant the ships cannon belched forth its
flash and smoke, and solid shot came
cleaving the air, bringing rope in its trail
But both fell into the sea almost as soon
as they left the mouth Of the cannon, and
we all sprung back to the edge of the cliff,
to hear what the man was again shouting:
"We'ye got one more ball. Stand by!'
1t was five, eight, or ten minutes while
they were reloading; and we waited ner-
vously. They would be careful not to
make blunder this time. The achieve
ment of throwing line ashore When it
was attached to q canon-ball certainly did
not seem very difficult; for we had not
yet studied any mathematics that includ-
ed projectiles, and did not know what a
nice calculation it required to land that
ball on the top of our cliff. But the mas
ter knew; and just as the ball struck dead
against the front rocks he cried out, dis
approximately, that it was as he had expect
''They've lost their last chance! God
help themv'
"She is getting deeper in the water"
we cried, as the ship lunged under a
heavy swell.
"There's woman cinging to the rig
gingr'' j. 49,
It was Littlo Tins who shouted that.
We remembered it afterward; but just
then we we were all scattered along the
margin of the cliff, watching the rope,
that had broken away from the ball and
was buffeting The, wa yes, IF. we could
only get possession of It, the safety Of all
on the ship would be secured It was but
moment, and then T saw some dark Oh
ject going down, down, down. The mas
ter shouted; "Good heavens what has the
boy done?" And we were all in des-
perate confusion.
otis Little Tins! Little Tims!' as
we saw his pale, frightened face rise
above the enraged water and look up at
US an instant
OF what happened neat all / can recall
is that somehow we followed the master
down the jagged side Of the cliff, and in
six or seven minutes seized Little Tins
from the swell that dashed him ashore,
gripping the rope with both hands and
looking dead. Then we hurried with
him up to the fire, and ran about frantic
ly for wood to feed the blaze and warm
his numb body. remember that when
we had drawn the strong hawser-rope to
the land, and secured it taut around
tree, the great, burly Captain crept
ashore on it, and fell down before Little
Tins, excitedly. saying, two or three
times: "God bless the boy! God bless
him." Then he rolled him to and fro on
the ground, rubbed his feet and hands
madly, and, finally, throwing off his coat,
wrapped it about Little Tins and ran
with him in his arms all the way to the
school. EE.:
+ You may be surestliat we followed and
gathered in that great kitchen before the
open fire, awestruck and scarcely daring
to breathe, while they were trying to
bring Little Tins back to life. How
frightfully white and cold he locked
It seemed as if he never would grow
warm again, as though hours
had passed while we were wait
ing. The crew of the vessel all got
ashore and came up ID the. school, The
doctor rode over from "Seabright, and the
vessel on the rocks went down. At last,
however, he opened his eyes.
"You are feeling better now, my boy2"
said the doctor, cheerully. =
1.-THE rope, meant to get the rope, he
said, looking at us as though he were
dreaming.
.,.-.s Yes, yes, you did get It bravely,"
answered the big Captain 'You have
saved us ALL"
We boys waited to hear no more; but
rang the old school-bell for joy as it was
never rung before. And then we: all
went on the playground and gave three
mighty cheers for Little Tins Feather-
stones hero. & II : ! =.
And the city papers the next day
What glorious account they had of it!
Such storm, they said, had not been on
our coast for years. Then description
of the wreck was given, and an account
of our school. Little Tins, name was
printed in full, and it was explained
that he Eleaped from the highest cliff
along the Cumberland shore, and swan
out for the rope. That when it was OBJ
tanned and drawn over. the water: the
sailors rugged a basket on cit, in which
the Captain wife and they, one after
another, were brought across safely to
the land. IF B. Stanford, tn ". 9Y4 In
dependent. 81 - .sseSgSso6 aaoag3cE .sss nj,
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