The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-07-01
PART IE-sIxTY CENTS WORTH.

I the loss was made up.
/ PART II-sIXTY CENTS WORTH.
! | wonder how many passengers ON the
4 Oakland ferry ever speculate serious ON what
they would do-in fact, on what would
happen-should they fall overheard on the
trip?
If such gloomy calculations filed their
minds, and, impelled by them, the passen-
gers stolled forward or aft ON the main deck
to inspect the life-boats, they would not
need to possess a very intimate knowledge
of nautical affairs to be ominously impress
ed by what they would see.
/ OF course, we all know that a general
law requires each steamboat, in addition to
other life-saying facilities, to provide num-
Der of Hfe-boats in proportion to the steam
ers capacity. These are, in the language
of the specifications relating thereto, ito be
slung on the main deck, kept in constant
working order, ready for instant use, and
the deck hands familiarized with the work
ing of the same BY weekly drills. =
The inquiring passengers referred TO
would notice, We repeat, that on the ferry
lines referred 70 these regulations are prae-
tically ignored. The boats, he would per-
ceive. are sIung on dayits, stout by rust
the lowering tackle solidifed into iron-hke
rigidity by the use of paint; the life-boats
themselves covered by an elaborately fast
ened canvas hood and the oars fastened in
sort Of rack, and the whole apparatus tied.
strapped and incumbered in manner per-
picking 20 the most ready-fngered sailor,
much less to the ehuckle-headed, slow-mov-
ing deck-hand Of the period.
A very impartial little calculation would
then show the astonished passenger In ques.
ton thai should he fall lloverboad, jump over
and then repent him of the act, as most
suicides do. il would be at least fifteen min
utes. in all human probability, before he
could be reached Adding this cheerful
rssult To the fact. statiStically proved. that
not more than four persons out Of thou
sand. including swimmers, can keep atioat
for ten minutes in smooth water with their
clothes on, the passengers would doubtless
conclude by keeping as far away from the
side railing a. possible and even read the
next published account Of A Determined
Suieide" on the ferry line with as much
skepsleiS,u ss interest. Aud yet our steam
boat inspectors 10 not look as If a few bun
dred indirect murders weighed very heavily
on their possible minds. somehow. twas
December again and, lacking few daye, a
year had Slipped By since the hon had re.
vcrsed the fable BY gaawing the net for the
mouse 10 escape That morning the mer-
chant. who. for some iuscrutablc reason,
resided in that corporate cemetery known
a. Oakland. had srcd the imagination Of
his little daughter BY reading At the break-
fat table the inspiring news that two baby
tiaeys had lust been koya 1t WoodwaTds
gardens. Is Necessary squenee he bad
finally yielfed 10 the mandate Of the Do.
nestle slsspot that she shoslld be conveyed
forthwith to the rcalm u juvenile delight.
So pspa. mamma and the goldcn-hzired
midget Of the family took an early beat %
the city-the grown folks grayely pre-
tending. for some riaicuioas re5son peculiar
10 grown folks everywheEe, that they did
not themselves care 70 look al the animals,
bat thai j, wouldn't DO to trust the nurse,
although in such place,
As the ferTybaat neared the wharf On
Ssse city side The mather Vas in the cabin
engaged in the discussion n nursery myS
teaies with ssae neighbOriBg nsasron, stsilc
the merchant. who had desceuded 81 the
lower deck With the child, was head over
ears ia a political lisquisision regarding the
new cabinet. Little Lille. At length getting
tircd of hanging to she unr@ponsiYc big
faFefincer al her fathers hand. srotted Of
unaoticcd 10 the SIDE of the bpat tn peer
timidIy fTosa i-encAih the gsngWay rail AZ
the great tall poles that we're sweeping eloae
pasi a. the boat enicrsl the slip, They ~
nsiidesf her IL - many soldiers cn parade.
As the steamers bow erunehed against
the piles with more than usually violent
preliminary jar sudden inarticnlate shout
Of terror rose from the passengers. The
little bundle Of chubby prettiuess bad tot
tered and disappeared over the side
@My God : shrieked the paralySed faith
or. a the crOwJing Of the boat against the
slip shat the drowning child from sight and
rendered help impossible. ~She VIII be
crushed under the wheel.
@Back back r shouted the passengers
to the pilot. and while the frantic screams
OF the hvsterical mother were wringing their
hearts. and 4 dozen kindly hands restrain
inc the insane father from aimirSSly leap
ing from the opposite side, the engine bells
jingled furiously. and the huge mass halted,
and then began slowly 70 move outward
again.
Hoping against hope, the coolest Of the
passengers crowded 10 the rail with boat
hooks. until, after what seemed 90 be an
eternity Of time to the white, watching faces
above, narrow streak Of water was re
vealed. which grew wider and wider.
sWeT, said one Of the deckhands who
was peeriRg under the side, ''if wharf rat
hasn't gat it,
But the shuddcr caused by this strange
remark was unnecessary, for presently the
eager eyes above beheld swimming below
them creature whose elosely ely-er0pped head
and bead-6ke eyes sufficiently resembled
rat ;, but which in reality belonged 10 an
under-sized boy swimmer, master Of the
art withal
Floating behind him with its fair head
upturned and resting upon the wiry little
shoulders that struck out 80 manfully
through the churning water was the mer-
chant ! little daughter Towing the inseR-
sible infant BY means Of her long sunny
eurIs passed over his shoulders, aud gripPed
firmly in his mouth, the boy struggled on
to the nearest pile, to which he finally elung
ike the small amphibious animal he really
was.
A boatehook twisted into the garments
Of the girl soon relieved him Of his charge,
which was placed in the trembling arms of
its mother, whose heaven-raised eyes told
plainly that she felt the baby's head still
beating against her own.
As they lowered the hooks again to draw
up the almost equally exhausted rescuer the
men noticed that the drops that fell back
from his clothes made red stain on the
water. As they lifted him gently over the
edge of the wharf, and laid him down on
his back, aterrible wound, extending around
his side and cutting clear through two of
his ribs, was exposed
"Stand back + said one of the men to the
crowding bystanders, she's all broke up.
Must have dived under the wheels for her.