Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1882-05-31

"Could you have the heart to ask mep
viii you castme off, motherP" he called
second later.
"Wait minute" exclaimed Mrs.
Swing. Fetch your boat close up. /
want TO speak TO you, Dick"
The boat received the necessary inn
petus, and touched the side of the pier.
Mrs. Swing had seated herself on the
topmost layer of logs forming the wharf,
and leaned over as though to speak con-
fidentially TO her son.
"Dick," said his mother, "hold fast!
I'm coming" and into the boat she
dropped before either Captain Rose on
the dock or Captain Richard in the boat
had knowledge of her intention.
"What under the sun, mother" cried
the boy, edo you meanP'
"pm going with you, Dick, to keep
you from tumbling overheard when you
haul in" and she seated herself in the
stern, calling back as the tide floated the
boat out: 1--WE depend on you, Captain
Rose, to send after us If we-if it gets
too rough" she gasped, with dash OF
spray in her face.
AYE, aye!" cried the Captain, and he
took off his hat and swung it, he scarce
ly knew why.
OF all the women in Dbl Haven, from
the eldest TO the Youngest, Mrs. Swing
most feared the sea. To live beside il,
to watch its every mood delighted her,
but to venture on it for pleasure she was
never known to do.
A moments peace she never knew
when Richard, her only son, was ex-
posed to the treachery ofthe waters, but
rather than mar his wild delight in wind
and waves this unselfish mother con-
cealed rs much rs possible her anxiety
for him.
Richard was not selfish, and had he
imagined what his mother was at that
moment suffering would have put the
boat about and tied it forever at the
stake rather than cause her this agony
Just rs the boat got well into the toll
of the waves the sun arose shedding such
>brilliance on the waters that Mrs. Swing,
who SAT facing it, was dazzled and well
nigh failed to see in time gill net into
which the boat was running.
"See any boat ahead, motherP" quos-
toned Richard, You must keep good
lookout for me. I've got my ranges
right and can fetch the lobster grounds
every time"
lis it far?" questioned the mother,
shudderingly.
"Not very; Just outside Dull Head. l
reckon we'll fetch it," said the lad, dip
ping his oars for full stroke and then
letting the boat slide up to the summit
of rolling wave, trick he had caught
from Captain Hezekiah Danforth, the
master boatman of Dell Haven.
The wind grew stronger and stronger
and the waves every moment increased
in size. Even Richard glanced sideways
more than once with ill-concealed anXi-
ETY. as the long pillows came tumbling
on, and just then getting glimpse of
his mothers face beheld It so blanched
with terror of the sea that it seemed to
him his mother was no longer in the boat
with him.
"Dick," she gasped, rs his oar missed
stroke and sent the spray over the boat,
"Dick, I'm afraid to go on"
Dick glanced backward. He had
pulled about q mile from shore and was
midway between the two hcadlands
Familiarity spoken of as tho Horns. Dull
Head was surrounded by an even accu-
mulating mass of breakers, and Bright
Head caught the sea on its precipitous
sides, sending it backward in fountains
of foam, and all the four miles that lay
between the two points were rolling
miles of pillows.
Sitting with his face landward Rich
ard had not fully felt the danger.
| Now the lad could not rcpress q shud-
der as he said: Z" / don't believe l could
find the buoys in such sea, and nobody
could haul in the pots. i believe I'll
put about"
80, do! o, Richard, there comes an
awful oner' and Mrs. Swing slipped
down from her seat into the bottom OF
the boat and hid her face from the on
coming wave.
Richard gave mighty pull at the
oars to keep the boat head on, and il
rode that wave in safety only to meet
new ones, into whose depths the tiny
shell rolled, TO be completely hidden
from the sight of two men who were
standing out on the Dell Haven pier.
One was Hezekiah Danforih, the 9th
CT was Captain Rose.
If there was only tug in sight to
help them," groaned Captain Rose.
"Why didn't you dun little com
mon sense into the woman if she didn't
take any naturally" scoldcd Captain
Danforth, cor shut her and the boy up
somewheres."
Il toll her, but declare when was
young could have brought down them
oars In half the time it takes Jim to
fetch 'em. say, 'Kiah Danforth. amt
that boat trying to put aboutp"
at acts like it, John, but it will get
swamped just as sure as guns if-no, it's
going on. There's nothing else to do
/ never in all my life saw q time wher
there wasn't q sail in sight.
The boats gone! No! There it come;
up again.
Suddenly n cry for helping hand
was raised among the bystanders, and
willing hearts went forth from the land
=, Every second tells. It's q race fo'
lifeW called out Captain Danforth
"Jim, you'd better get in. You're
strong; If one of us fuckers out you car
take hold.'
All ready lay the boat, dark green
surf boat, boat that could stand heavy
seas, and the two men and boy who had
nobly volunteered were not long in
starting off.
success TO you. Fetch 'em back
alivc!" called out Captain Rose.
All at once the pier OF Dell Haver
seemed thronged with people. The
news had spread that Mrs. Swing and
Richard were out alone on the sea.
AS they watched the dim, dark specb
now rising upon the swelling waters and
as quickly vanishing from sight, not one
of the little throng but knew tho danger
of the tiny boat. With breathless eager.
ness they watched the surf boat as it,
two rowcrs stood at the oar urging |,
onward.
cts down the harbor now. They're
catching it. It's an awful wind fol-
June. DO you think they're gaining or
emp That mite. of boat will never
1.-Two till thoy get therc,o were some o
the remarks heard as they passed on.