River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-07-17
A GREAT TEMPTATION,
AUD whnt caused Il % BE overeome.


The waves were rolling in toward the
shore as John Bee ct stood upon ledge
of rock erloolung the sea, while the
sun was slowiy sinking int great frosty
bank of cloud.
John Beckett was by trade fisherman
and % Drawer or more industrious man
even lived upon the coast. John had but
one enemy. and at was a man of his
own calling. Samuel Henderson. T ey
had once been partners IN the business,
and the two had toiled together many a
day upon the alters, hut at length di-
vision arose beteen them. and III that way
the f,ud gre till at lengta all inter
course ceased between them.
Now, as J0hu stood there, his thoughts
were of Samuel Henderson, and a GER
tain slckly faced child at home, limping
about on Crutches, whose mother lay in
her grave, whit or she went on giving
the child birth.
IL so happened that one day this child
as playing on the shore when Henderson
returned from fishing. Henderson beng
high-tempcred man, called to the
child and bidding hm leave the fish
alone which he was strlnging, and the
child not needing, struck 1t with the oar
of tic boat, little thinking, perhaps, Of
the weight ct the blow, or what would he
the result. For months the child Ian
suis ed aud when at last it lett its little
bed, it was too hobble about among old
friends cripple,
And it was the injury done to the child
L.. tbuA DaaEof,a fhonnhfc
were busy with as he stood upon the
ledge, as the sun sank among the clouds,
and the wind that lifted his hair told him
oil the storm that was fast approach
ing.
John Becket's boat was snugly beached
few wards distant; he had not been out
that day, but something always drew him
to the shore when a storm was approach
ing.
How he enjoyed it now How cooling
were those big drops ofrain. How black
the sea Loo ed with the shade OF the
clouds upon it. How the thunder NUT
tered, like voice calling him out of the
distance, and as he cast his eye over the
face ot TIE sea, he detected Henderson's
boat ma ing directly for the shore, al
most in lire with the place where he
! stood.
| The boat came fast, for the winds bore
| it along with them; now he saw it lifted
! hign upon some seething crest, again it
was lost in the hollow of the sea-a
! few more struggles and it was closer to
/ the coast, with Samuel Henderson stand
ing in the stern, striving to steer into the
cove on the right, and around the point
of recks witch jutted out between him
/ and the land.
Then was the moment of John Becket's
| great temptation.
II can save this man." thought john
but a fiend in his heart hispered: mo,
! let him perish He is your enemy"
| Henderson looked toward him where
| he stood. and in spite of the bitter hatred
| between the two Beckett could not help
! feeling admirat ton for the cool, courage
Gus sailor in the boat below, facing death
with as apparent unconeern as if he were
merely touching land upon a bright, sun
ny day.
High in the air rose the boat on the top
| of huge breaker, and the two men APP
/ peared to one another SO close that one
/ step might have brought them together.
Then down down, down, and John
! Beckett could see that Henderson was
uruIy yards frum the rock YET.
One moment of hesitation, and away
| he sped towards his boat, and Selling a
coil of rope that lay within. hurried upon
the rocky foTeland that Henderson was
trying to round
He reached it and giving one end Of the
rope that he held tremendous hurl into
the air, sent it high over Henderson s
head, who catching it as it fell, wound
it last around his body; and as the next
ave lifted bis frail bark upon its crest
to dash it mercilessly upon the rocks, he
gave leap into the sea and striking out
manfully to keep himself ailoat, slowly,
cautiously, but steadily Becker drew
him in, and in less than five min
utes | e two men stood toget' Ter on land
- Henderson, pale as ghost his hair
dr tping with salt seawater, and his
cloti-s chnging TO his long, spare limbs,
but IN his eyes the hight of gratitude /;
anl IN moment more their hands were
claspcd in one anot CHS; and in that
meeting, to hich life and death were in
visibi witnesses, the past was forgotten.