Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-05-24

readiness. Ny heart sank within me
as [ thought of my old grandfather's
gray hairs dishonored in the felou's
dock-for I had once seen a man
| trled-anL his kind old face bidding
me farewell forever. | bowed nv
head on my hands and longed to cry.
Suddenly raised my head and my
heart beat with loud resolve. would
save him! Yes, l! The skill that
had attained for my own needless
pleasure should be put to stern pur-
pose. My resolve was this. When
the lugger showed her signal in answer
to that treacherous one from shore,
would swim out TO the buoy and keep
myself afloat at the entrance of the
channel until I could hail our people
and warn them Of their danger.
[ never hesitated after I had formed
this resolution. | forgot that l was
tired and hungry, put aside the thought
| Of cold and exhaustion in the water,
and began at once to make my prepa-
ratlons. On the narrow ledge of rocks
where [ now knelt, [ undressed and put
on my little bathing dress, which con.
sisted only of a tunic and drawers. NV
own clothes I made into bundle ano
'towed away behind 8 stone. Then,
like cat, clambered up the rocks.
hiding behind every projection and
keeping fearful watch upon the sen
tinel at the head of the gully. Forum
ately, the gully was not very deep.
When l got to the top I crept on nv
hands and feet until judged was we'll
out of sight, and started for the end of
the point. [ took my time, for there
was no hurry, and 1 had to husband nv
strength, and at last l reached the rock
from which [ meant to start. There I
sat down to wait.
[ did not know the time and could
only guess it by calculating from the
sunset. How long should [ have to
wait? How long did [ have to wait?
Heaven knows; but it seemed an sge.
| got sleepy from my days exertion.
The night air was cold, too, and my
clothing, however well adapted for ex-
ercise, was somewhat scanty for sitting
in. Besides, it was damp. The wretch
| edness of that long watch comes to me
now. Oh! would the slow minutes
never pass?
Thicker and thicker grew the gather
ing darkness. The water and the heav-
ems were blended in obscurity, and
| there, at the end of the rocks, [ sat pa
t;ently, poor little figure shivering in
| the gloom, listening 10 the lap of the
waves SIS they beat upon the rocks, and
peering out to sea with my heart in my
eyes. [ waited SO long that I believe |
must have fallen asleep and missed the
signal, and at that thought I was bury
ing my face in ny hands to give way to
despair, when something stopped me-
q flash! far out upon the dark sea
there it was! [ sprang to my feet, every
nerve tingling. The moment for action
had arrived.
paused for moment to picture to
myself the bearings of the buoy. I
knew exactly how it lay from the
point, for | had swan round it often
enough. But not in the dark. Not
with the water vast black plain, ming
ling with the black sky. Not with the
fear of sinking to those mysterious
depths, unseen, unheard, unhelped.
But | never hesitated. Into the cold
flood [ plunged and struck out boldly
in the direction | lad determined
upon. After s. few vigorous strokes
the sense of active exercise, exultation
of physical power and use of skill
overcame my misgivings. But they
came on again when looked around
upon that murky waste OF water.
Could [ be sure I was going in the
right directions? Might I not swim and
swim and never fnd that for which !
was in search, lose myself and become
exhausted--to sink beneath that silent
| sky alone?
But on [ went, struggling hard to
keep my wits about me III spite of the
horrors that would rush over my brain
again and again. 1t was physical
work, too, for the tide was coming in;
there were breakers in the shadows.
and in the channel the stream was
fast and strong. It was impossible to
see more than few yards ahead, level
as | was with the water. With the
tide running so hard against me it was
difficult to see how far out [ had sue
ceeded il getting. Once I all but gave
up. l got out of the channel into the
breakers, and the bufeting and beating
| bewlldered me SO that fell in a sort of
panic. [ threw myself on my back,
and IN the very act-thanks to nv
practiced eyesight, that could more or
less see in the dark caught sight of
the buoy. There it was bobbing I'D
and down, louking to me like thing
of life. | swan to it and kept close
by. 1t was like friend ia all this des-
| olation of heaving seas. But now came
the worst watch of the whole. The
lugger must inevitably pass within
hail of me, but what if my strength
was ebbing fast? I had been without
food since noon. I had walked many
miles. Swimming is an exacting, ex-
! erting exercise, and had still to exert
myself resolutely, with the tide run
ming fast, to maintain my present posi-
ton. My limbs moved mechanically,
my head was dull and heavy, and
there was sort Of tingling in my ears.
[ knew l was going fast.
A little gleam OF parting waters, q
black mass looming blacker than the
darkness, and I summoned all nv
energies for p shout. Little Lady,
ahoyw
A voice came from the darkness:
Little Lady it is. Who are your
clay to and throw arope over your
starboard quarter"
Tee lugger was not thirty yards dis
tant. | made my last effort and swan
to her. A rope was thrown; they haul
ed me on board, and had just time to
give my warning before I fell faintipg
on the deck.