The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-08-04
Select Storo.
WON FROM THE SEA.

ly care for the appointment, l was afte
examination as to competency and sobri
ETY., put in charge. 1 was young man
having just turned the corner of my
twenty.frst year. An assistant was Civ
en- me. He was an intelligent younl
fellow about my own age. He had fol
lowed the sea and was as daring as {
lion. Our existence was monotonoul
enough at first. 1t is true we had pro
vided ourselves with a Checker.board
Chessmen and cards, and our library was
quite respectable. 1t contained 400 OF
SEQ books, mainly romances and histories
To these we devoted ourselves, and in
the course Of year or tVo had mastered
their contents. Henry Parsons, my as
sistant. seldom went to the mainland, sc
| crossed over once month to buy pro
visions, oil, and whatever we needed tc
make our imprisonment at all agreeable
For three years Parsons and myself led
this eVentless, humdrum existence. Like
prisoners in a cell we were becoming u.s.
I'd to it. We rarely exchanged words
1t was an effort for us to speak. When
we did open our lips it was to utter what
we had to say in monosyllables, and
briefly as possible.
In the winter of the fourth year a ter
rible stormfrom the northwest bore down
upon us, Churning the water into a foam
and shooting it up even as high as the
lantern, while the huge waves, as they
broke against our sure foundations, made
the tower itself tremble and almost bend
like reed before the blast. In the midst
of the fearful war Of the elements, Par
sons who stood mantullY in the gallery
watching the light, wet to the skin with
the water tina leaped high in the air and
fell in showers all over and about him,
cried to me:
There is a ship in the ofing, Mark
son."
Can you see her ?" cried.
$40, sir" he answered. IT do see
something black, but its indistinguisha'
b g. They are sending rockets from her"
where is she now ?"
"My God W he cried, "The ship is drift.
ing toward us She appears unmanage-
aOle. as if she had lost her helm. They
are sending up signal rockets of distress,
of danger. How can we help them,
should the ship come afoul Ct the rocks?
He looked out again, and then, with
out waiting for an answer, cried:
"The lamp is safe now, Mr.. Markson.
Come, let's 90 down and see if we can't
help some poor creature to save his life.
We can get into the life-boat, and guess
we can manage it somehow"
The brave fellow ran down the steps
in advance of me, and on cautiously
opening the door that gave access to the
rocks on which the tower is placed, he
glanced out.
A wave struck him and poured into the
interior of the building. We watched
our opportunity, and when the water for
a moment receded, we sprang out onto
the platform. We closed the entrance Sc
curely, then leaping into the life. boat,
preDared for action.
We htard a grating and then pound.
ing noise. The black bulk was aground.
The waves were lesping over her.
Around her the sea boiled and lashed
furiously. In the momentary lull of the
storm we heard the voices of those on
board crying for help-helpI Eve ! now
when l recall the terror of that nj 1T my
blood Curdles and grows cold ii my
veins.
We launched the life boat. Th wind
and sea were too strong for us. " could
but wait and watch. We thought g saw
the great ship reel to and fro ike a
drunken man, and then from her, and
above the voice of the tempest, there
came roar,and a tearing, grinding noise;
the belabored vessel had parted amid
ship! We could see in the turbulence Of
the sea the hull 60 to pieces, 1t was as
paper in the storm. On the planks torn
from her sides and decks, we thought we
Cou d see human beings.
"NowW shouted m Y assistent in my
ear; "now, let's see if we can not save
some OF those people"
We pushed into the boiling, surging,
frothing sea. Vigorously We worked at
the oars. 1t was all in vain. A white
object floating near attracted my notice.
1t was within arms reach. grasped it
and drew it beside the boat. 1t was
woman; the face was upturned, and the
eyes were open and CLASSY. 1t was a
corpse. For help to take this in l mo-
toned rather than spoke. Parsons bent
over and shouted in my ear:
1--WE cannot help the dead. 1t is the
living we must seek and saveP
A wave struck the corpse and before l
could securely hold it, it was torn from
my grasp. again seized my oar and to-
gether we worked slowly toward the
wreck, which was now rapidly breaking
up.
Parsons saw body fastened to plank.
He thought there might be life in it. We
pulled toward it. He reached out, lean
ing far out over the side of the boat, AS
he grasped the body by the shoulder the
boat sur.ed and swung around. In an
instant nay true friend was pulled out in'
to the terrible sea. Before I could com.
prehend what mad happened he was far
beyond my reach, beyond all human aid.
The noble.hearted fellow had lost his life
to save that of another.
While attempting to control the boat l
saw close to its stern another object. 1t
was also on plank. Conld now see it
move. 1 leaped aft, and seizing it, drew
it rapidly on board.
Fortunately for me the wind and
waves carried the .ife.boat toward the
lighthouse. It was under perfect com.
mard. Again good luck favored me.
The boat was lifted clear upon the rock
and within reach of the platform by
great wave.