Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1882-12-16

Vi OilO DOOho' III. DoDIcGI COulu never
be induced to talk to any one of Mon
cheer, but the village was certain that
if there were any mystery about him
the physician had guessed it.
Cedar Haven treated the old man
with silent but universal contempt
after the day we had pushed into the
water. Ted Berrone's father said he
''hadn't no use fur man that was
sech u coward" and he expressed the
feeling of the whole community.
One day late in August all the men
in the village had gone to the banks,
four miles distant, i'll their fishing
boats. During the afternoon Harvey
and Ted started off in an old skiff for
an island that lay about two miles out
to sea.
The boys had planted some clans
there, and meant to bring home
couple of bushels Of them. 1t is proba-
BILE that they overloaded the boat. But
this, at any rate, is certain, that not
long after they had left the island one
of the planks in the rotten bottom
gave way. the clans fell through, and
the boat filled with water.
The sun was sinking in cold, gray
sky, and chill wind was rising. l was
strolling along the beach and caught
sight of dark object, rising and fal-
ing into the sea Two figures were
clinging to it.
1t was too far for them to swim
ashore, and if they lost their hold of
the boat they were lost.
There was not boat on the beach
with which to reach them. AS looked
hurriedly about saw a man down in
the marsh, and ran toward him,
shouting:
It's Ted and Harvey! They're
drowning! Oh, it's your for it was
only old Moncheer, and what could
that coward do?
But poor Moncheer came running
toward me. H. had evidently under
stood my cry and appeared much agi-
tated.
He drew me to the beach, where
the old scow lay, and motioned me to
help him in showing it down to the
water
His face was drawn and set, and his
voice was shrill, as if he had lost con-
troll of it.
"Is dere no men bat me?"
"No, Moncheer."
He pushed the scow into the surf.
1t seemed to me that he was trying to
look over the water and to see only the
drowning boys.
He got into the scow and so did l.
We had no oars-only two boards for
paddles; but thought we could make
them answer.
There would have been no trouble
if the sea had been calm. But there
was a heavy under-swen and a cur
rent dead against us.
Moncheer did not speak. He put
all his strength into the paddle, but he
shook from head to foot. 1 could see
plainly enough that he was simply
sick with fright in body and soul.
However, we urged the old scOw
along until she reached the outer
ridge of the breakers; there she
stopped. Built as she was it would
have taken two of the strongest men
in Cedar Haven to get her over that
mighty breaker.
"We can't do it, Moncheer,"
said, after we had tried a
dozen times in vain. l was wet with
a cold sweat, and my bones all felt As
if they were broken. Its no use
they've got to drown
The old man stood on the bow,
shading his eyes with his hand and
trying to catch sight of the boys. They
were not far distant now, but between
us and them was this solid, advancing
wall of incoming breakers, green and
dark.
Even to me, who had always lived
by the water, it looked horrible then I;
it was visible death.
remembered wondering what the
shivering old man, who was so afraid
of the calmest water, thought of this.
Whatever he thought, it quieted him.
When he turned to me he had ceased
to tremble.
" ! must CO." he said, taking up the
end of rope which was coiled up in
the bottom of the boat and tying it
under his arms. "YOu shall draw us
in--ven have reach zem."
Before / could catch his meaning he
had thrown himself into the rushing
waves. and the coil Of rope at my feet
was playing out with terrible speed.
| He passed under the breaker, but
was brought back and again hurled out
by the current.
Harvey saw him and understood