The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1880-06-04

Il0 W6S OUCyCu % OhVOS AOH
rough fellows seemed to feel instructive
ly that he was the man for the OccaSlon'
and had right to take the command;
He twisted one end of the rope around
his left arm. and running little way
up the bank, threw the other end to
those who followed him, grasped the
pole in his right hand, and bounded
like deer onto the nearest ice-blOck,
the in-drawn breath of the excited
lookers-on sounding like hiss amid
the dead silence.
Had any artist been there to paint
the scene, it would have made 3 very
striking picture. The sky had darkened
suddenly, and a cherries gloom broOded
over the sullen river with its drifting
ice, and the bare sandy ridges on either
side, and the helpless figure stranded
upon the islet, and the daring man win
ming his perilous way over the treach-
erous surface. and the group of anxious
watchers on the shore, while the wind
moaned drea-ily through the leafess
trees, like warning of coming evil.
But Feodor was not the man to be
frightened by any such fancies, and on
he went in gallant style, springing
lightly from block to block, while the
ice creaked and groaned beneath his
weight, and the water splashed up all
around him. Twice cry of dismay
burst from his comrades, as the ice
upon which he leaped gave way under
his feet. Once his way was barred by
a gap too broad to be cleared; but with
his pole he drew q passing fragment
within his reach, stepped upon it. and
went forward again.
But now came q new peril. The
stranded mass of ice for which he was
aiming, thus stuck fast in the midst of
the stream, formed kind of breakwa-
ter, behind which the smaller Jumps
began to accumulate; and several of
these, driven by the current beneath the
great sheet, forced one end of it up,
while the other was held fast by the
sandbank. Such strain was too great
to be long endured. Just as Feodor
was almost within reach of the helpless
man, the ice-foe upon which the latter
lay split in two with deafening crash,
and the pent-up masses behind. all
breaking loose at once, came down upon
FeodOr like an avalanche.
God help him, he's lQst!'' muttered
an old peasant, clasping his hands.
But Fe ,dor was not to be caught so
easily. Quick as lightning he planted
the end of his pole on the nearest
block. and with one bound was upon
the islet, Just as the ice torrent went
rushing and roaring past. The next
moment his hand was on the shoulder
of the PROSTATE man.
"Up with you. manr' roared he, shak-
ing him violently; ''up with you,
quickr'
But the man never moved. Either
plainly rendered him quite helpless.
For an instant Feeder stood per-
picked; and then he seemed to have
made up his mind what to do. Plant
ing his feet firmly upon the rough ice,
he gave powerful thrust with his pole,
which pushed the block clear off the
sand-bank; and another shove sent it
clear out into the stream.
"Now, lads" shouted he to his
friends on the bank, who still kept their
hold of the connecting rope, pull with
a will.'
The men seeing at once what he
meant to do, pulled at the rope with all
their might, while Feodor guided the
floating mass with his pole. More than
once a huge block bore down on him so
swiftly that a fatal collision appeared
certain; but the young hero's skilled
hand and eye carried him through, and
five minutes later the rescued man and
his deliverer were both safe on shore.
''Bravo?' cried his companions,
crowding eagerly around him.
BravO!' echoed strange voice
from behind; and it was then seen that
a handsome sleigh had halted beside the
group, in which sat tall, soldier-hke
man in uniform, at sight of whom the
peasants dotted their caps and bowed
low.
whats all this?'' asked the new
The story was soon told, and the
strangers face lighted up with a glow
of hearty admiration as he heard it.
"Well done, my brave fellow r. said
he, handing Feodor a bank-bill for
twenty-five roubles (nineteen dollars).
+" It's poor enough pay for such days
work, after all; but if ever you're in
want of money, come to me. and you
shall have it, and welcome"
And away went the sleigh before Eco
der could recover from his amazement,
which was not lessened when half q
dozen of his comrades, all speaking at
once, informed him that this liberal
stranger was no other than the Cover
nor of Saratov himself. Ker, in
Harper's Young People.
FLORIDA is not too young to have an
utterly obliterated city. St. Joseph was