Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1883-09-10

white head barred to the storm. AS
he ceased, Wentworth approached
and said to him:
ssSend the women up the beach,
sir, if you please"
ssWhy, Wentworth?"
.sBecause / must strip; the last
rag of clothing may be fatally in my
way"
''Why, what are you going to do,
my boy y asked the president in as
tonishment.
'sTm going to carry line to the
steamer said the youth calmly.
'sIt is impossible PIT is madness
to try!' exclaimed the president.
$50 it isl said an old fisherman
who. stood by. ''That sea will beat
you-to a jelly in two minutes"
II suppose it is impossible" re-
piled the boy; tbut I am going to
try, SIR.
The president looked into the
youths face, and catching something
of the enthusiasm of his heroic pur-
pose, laid his hand upon Wentworth's
head, saying:
"When God gives it to you to at
tempt such service to your fellow
men, it is not for me to interfere.
May He strengthen and keep you p
Wentworth bowed his head to re-
ceive the benediction, and then strip
ped himself at once, while the people
looked on with awe-struck admira-
tion at such heroism, and shuddered
at the thought of its seemingly GER
tain end. The symmetry of the
youths person, his superb beauty of
body, seemed to make the matter
worse for was it not special pity
that youth so full of life should
be given as a sacrifice to the fury of
the storm.
''Now then, Thorpe" said Went
worth, after tying slender cord
around his body, 81 want you to pay
it out carefully. Remember that a
single ounce of unnecessary pulling,
may cost all these people theirlives ;"
"And your life, too," said Thorpe.
"Yes, 1 suppose so; but l wasn't
! thinking of that
After giving his fellow students
careful directions as to the manage
| of the line, Wentworth stood for
moment eyeing the water, his pur-
pose being to dive under the wave,
and come to the surface beyond the
break of the surf.
A moments suspense followed ;
then the people saw the lads body
lifted up and borne in on the crest of
the wave. He had failed, but he
was unhurt. Taking time to recov-
cover breath, he plunged in again
and disappeared in the bank of in
coming water. The slow seconds
passed with no sign. Men felt their
hearts beat as they waited. The
wave came in and broke upon the
beach, but still the diver did not re-
appear.
"That ended him, poor fellow !"
said the fisherman.
''No, there he is" cried Thorpe,
as entworth's head came to the sur
face. Unfortunately the dive. long
as it was, was not long enough, and
as the diver came up he was caught
on the next wave and dashed on the
beach.
For time Wentworth seemed ex-
hausted but the breath came again,
and looking toward a lumber yard
near at hand, he bade the people
bring lumber and make spring
board.
''Put it on the edge of the bluff
down there where it overhangs the
water-as near the edge as possible. y
The students obeyed, shuddering
for they knew that to be dashed
ashore against the bluff would be
certain death to their comrade.
"He can't try that more than
once" said the old fisherman but
somehow nobody thought it worth
while to beg Wentworth not to try il
at all. There was resoluteness in
his look which made them feel per.
suasion would be useless.
When the spring-board was il
place, he examined it, and then
walking backward a dozen yards
ran rapidly up the board, gave 8
great leap forward, and went dowr
among the waves. There were sec.
onds of breathless waiting and eager
scanning of the water. Then
"Hurrah I see him. shouted 6
student, sand he's beyond the breal
J of the SURF
eyes, and he's swimming steadi
ly," said another; "but he'll never
make the ship in such a sea as this. ;
"He,s the strongest swimmer
ever saw said Thorpe.
"That might be, but this is an aw
full swim. 1t is quarter of mile
to the ship, and with such a sea as
: this on it might be ten miles"
1t was impossible to see the swim
mer, buried as he was in the raging
r sea, and blinded as the people were
by the mist and spray. But the lint
: was slowly drawing out, and tha
{ showed that Wentworth had still