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

lightning, which was followed by the
low rumbllng of distant thunder But
the lightning was too dim to reveal the
hidden shore. Presently felt the snag
sinking beneath my weight, and /
plunged into the current again and re-
sumed my swimming-in what direction
did not know.
At last, when l felt that could not
stay up much longer, caught glimpse
of q light in the distance. 1t was evil
IDENTIFY shining from a window, and /
was sure 1t must be on shore; so, with
new courage, / steered for the light,
which for the first twenty-five minutes
seemed to recede from me like an ignis
fatuus. But persevered, determined to
strike as long as muscle would move,
for was swimming to some purpose
now. Ten minutes more, and l found
that i was undoubtedly nearing the
light. Hope lent me new strength and
courage, and l think that, exhausted
though had recently felt, now did
such swimming as l had never done
before.
Ten minutes more, l was rapi dly
nearing the light, when to my dismay,
it suddenly vanished. My heart sank
again; my strength was fast leaving
me, and was about to go down with
half uttered prayer on my lips, when
my feet touched the pebbly bottom, and
Il fntInH t1avcalf in cholInxr II
stood up, and with tottering step,
waded out and found myself on shore.
1 crawled up steep and muddy bank
and for few minutes lay down almost
helpless.
The rain had abated somewhat, tho
the darkness had not, but presently a
flash of lightning revealed the whole
scene to me-among other objects, a lit
tie log house, not more than fifty yards
distant. arose from the wet earth,
and with trembling steps went stagger-
ing toward the house. Another kindly
flash of lightning guided me to the door,
at which L knocked without hesita-
tion.
w llO bliClC CdlnC llOil WlLhlils
"My name is M'Cann," replied. "I
live at New Geneva, and am mate of the
Merry. fell off, and have just swan
ashore"
"But what was the steamboat doing
ON Cheat river 7" asked the man of the
house, striking light.
"Cheat river !" L exclaimed. We
haven't been on Cheat river"
The door was cautiously opened, and
the farmer appeared, with candle in
one hand and gun in the other.
"Oh, come in" he said, as he recog-
nized me (for he had seen me before,
"what's all this :"
/ tottered in and fell to the floor ex-
hausted. 1 must have been a picture to
look at with my wet and muddy clothes,
hair disordered, and without hat or
coat.
"Dear me, L presently heard him
say in low tone to his wife, who came
in from an adjoining room, "I've often
heard he drank too much, poor feller,
but never know'd he got on such ter
rible 'uns as this"
But soon convinced them that /
was not on " terrible 'un." A roaring
wood fire was started in the huge fire
place, and some coffee made for me
which drank, and found myself ma
terially revived.
Then told my story.
Mr.. Davis house stood on the right
bank of the Cheat river, a mile from its
junction with the Monongahela; and ii
began to appear to mind-and such was
the fact-that after having swan a cou,
pie of miles down the Monongahela,
had varied the exercise, in the blind
night, by swimming mile up the Cheat
river, and against strong current.
presume that / had first decried the
light shining from Mr.. Davis window
while still floating in the Monongahela
at the mouth of its tributary.
Such was my swim for life.
Not long after l had been pushed
from the deck of the Merry she ran
aground, as / afterwards learned, anC
stuck till morning. M'Cutchin, thu
malevolent deck passenger, thinking i
good opportunity to escape, attempted
to leap ashore but the boat was not 81
near the shore as he supposed, and HI
landed in the water, and was soon car
ried beyond his depth by the swift cur
rent. Not being such swimmer as tn
man he had endeavored to murder oil
that dark night, he soon sank beneath