The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1879-07-01

light ahead, which enabled the pilot to
pick his way along for a time, by run
ming very slowly.
We had gone about two miles above
the mouth of the Cheat river, when, de-
scending from the cabin deck by means
of very narrow flight of steps on the
larboard side, / saw our deck passenger
skulk away from the foot of the stairs
and pass into the quarters aft, as though
to escape observation. AS he did so /
caught brief glimpse of his face-for
the light of a lamp at one of the engines
shone on it--and it Immediately struck
me that 1t was not unfamiliar. A mo-
ment later, while stood pondering, the
face re-appeared at the door, and the
deck passenger stepped out, saying, in
low tone
Do you know me?n
Ct was just thinking had seen you
somewhere" replied.
Must tell you my name 2" he ask
ed
Yes, l would like to know it,.
The mysterious deck passenger step
ped closer to me, 50 as his bearded face
was within an inch of my ear, and
whispered, M'Cutchin."
had scarcely time to think ere he
gave me violent push with both hands,
and fell backward from the low deck
into the river, Immediately forward of
the crashing wheel. A blow of one of
its paddles would have crushed me, but
prtunately l sank to the bottom and
before l arose to the surface the wheel
had passed over me. l shall never forget
the sensation produced by the thunder
ing of the paddles over my head and the
rushing and bubbling of the muddy
water about my ears.
My plunge into the water had been so
entirely unexpected that l strangled
badly at first, but being one of the best
of swimmers l soon recovered, rested
upon the surface with but little exertion,
and began to deliberate as to what was
going to do with myself. The clatter of
paddles, rapidly receding from me, re-
minded me that L ought to make some
effort to attract the atten ton of those
on the boat, and / shouted with all my
might, but to no purpose; and the
faint lights that peeped from the after
cabin soon disappeared beyond bend
in the river, a little way above.
The rain was pouring down, and the
darkness so intense that L strained my
eyes in vain to catch the outlines of the
tall hills against the sky. The heavens
themselves were as black as the rushing
| river. Nothing was to be seen could
only feel; and it may be relied on that
felt very uncomfortable. The water
was not decidedly cold, but it was
much too cold when taken in such
quantities.
But was too familiar with the water
to be easily daunted, and although L
could not say with Byron that 1 was a
"child of the ocean, L deemed myself,
at least, as near as brother-in-law to
the Monongahela river. So struck out
vigorously for whatY Shore? Well,
yes, had some vague notion of getting
to shore before morning, but how was L
to get there? In which direction should
swim For the life of me-and that
life was at stake-I could not guess in
what direction either shore lay. So T.
struck out at random. There was a
strong current in the river, but as 1
moved along with it, 1 had no means of
calculating its course. Still, swan
away through the black torrent, conf
dent that must eventually reach one
shore or the other.
When / had swan at least four times
the width of the river L lay-to a mo-
ment, and again endeavored to pierce
the awful gloom, but in vain. My eyes
actually panied and head throbbed with
the effort. 1t was so perfectly dark
that remember wondering If it ever
could grow light again. There was no
means of ascertaining where the shore
was, and endeavored more than once
TO touch bottom" with my toes, but in
vain.
I then struck out again, and after
swimming with all my might for ten or
fifteen minutes, began to be tired, and
became really alarmed. Suppose whole
hours should pass, and should still be
unable to discover the shore or strike IL
by accident2 The danger of my situa-
tion now burst upon me with bewilder.
ing force, and felt that my strength
was falling. / grew impatient and an.