Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1883-03-08

showed her signal in answer to that
treaCherous one from shore, | would
swim out to the buoy, and keep myself
ailoat at the entrance of the channel
until | could hail our people and warn
them of their danger.
| never hesitated after | had formed
this resolution. l forgot that was
tired and hungry, put aside the thought
of cold and exhaustion in the water,
and began instantly to make my prep
arations. On the narrow ledge of
rocks where | now knelt, undressed
and put on my little bathing dress,
which consisted only of tunic and
drawers. My own clothes | made into
bundle and slowed away behind n
stone. Then, like cat, clambcred
up the rocks, hiding behind every pro-
lection, and keeping n fearful watch
upon the sentinel at the head of the
gully. Fortunately, the gully was not
very deep. When | got to the top, l
crept on my hands and feet until |
judged | was well out of sight, and
started for the end of the point. took
my time, for there was no hurry, and
had to husband my strength; and at
last | reached the rock from which |
meant to stalt. There | 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 | wait? Heavens
knows; but it seemed an age. | got
sleepy from my days eXerlion. The
night air was cold, too, and my cloth
ing, however well adapted for exercise,
was somewhat scanty for sitting in.
Besides, it was damp. The wretchcd-
ness of that long watch comes over me
now. Oh. would the slow minutes
never pasSP
Thicker and thicker grew the gather
ing darkness. The water ard the
heavens were blended in obscurity,
and there, at the end of the rocks,
sat patiently, poor littlo figure Shiv-
cring in the gloom, listening to the lap
of the waves as they beat upon the
rocks, ard peering out to sea with my
heart IN my eyes. 1 waited so long
that believe that | may have fallen
asleep and missed the signal, and at
the thought Twas burying my face in
my hands to give way to despair, when
something stopped mc-and flash! far
out on the dark sea, there it was! |
sprang to my feet, every nerve ting
ling. The moment for action had ar
rived.
paused for moment to picture to
myself the bearings of the buoy. !
knew exactly how it lay from the point,
for | had swan roundit often enough.
But not in the dark! Not with the
water a vast black plain mingling with
the black sky; not with the fear of
sinking to those mysterious depths, I'M
seen, unheard, unhelpcd. But never
hcstated. Into the cold flood plunged,
and struck out boldly in the direction |
had determined upon. After few
vigorous strokes the sense of active ex-
ercisc, exultation in physical power
and use of skill, overCame my miSgiy-
ings. But they came on again when |
looked around upon that murky waste
of water. Could | be sure | was going
in the right direction? Might | not
swim and swim and never find that Of
which was in search, lose myself and
become CXhaustcd-to sink beneath
that silent sky alone?
But on | went, struggling hard to
keep my wits about me in spite of the
horrors that would rush over my brain
again and again. twas hard 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. 1t 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 diff
ticult to Judge how far out had sue
ceeded in getting. Once all but gave
up. got out of the channel among
the breakers. and the butleting and
beating bewildered me, 50 that fell
in sort of panic. | threw myself up
on my back, and in the very act
thanks to my practiced eyesisht, that
could see more or less in the dark
caught sight of the buoy. There it
was bobbng up and down, looking at
me like thing of life. swan 10 it
and kept close by it, 1t was like Il
friend in all this dcsolation of heaving
seas, But now came the worst watch
of the whole. The lugger must newt
ably pass within hail OF me; but what
if my strength gave out before she
came? For my strength was ebbing
fast. | mad been without food since
noon, had walked many miles; SWIM
mingis an eXacting exercise, and | had
still TO exert myself resolutely, with the
tide running fast, to maintain my pres
ent position. My limbs moved me-
chanically, my head was dull and
heavy, and there was sort of tingling
in my ears. | knew l was going fast
A little CLEAN of parting waters, a
black mass, looming blacker than the
darkness, and | summoned all my en-
crgies for q shout: Little Lady, ahoy!"
A voice came from the darkness,
Little Lady it is. Who are youP"
"Lay to and throw rope over your
starboard quarter" )"
The lugger was not thirty yards dis
tant. / made my last effort and swan
to her. A rope was thrown they
hauled me on board, and | had Just
time to give my warning before fell
faintng on the deck.
When | came to, the last keg of our
cargo was being lowered into the sea.
We were some little distance up the
coast, and floats were attached to the
kegs so that we might be able to find
them again. So eXpeditiously was all
this done that it was only some two
hours afterwards when we beat cauti-
ously up the channel and cast anchor
opposite the mouth of the gully. We
pulled ashore in our boat. As she
grounded and we leaped out, dark
figures started up around, lights
flashed upon us, and we were sur
sounded by soldiers.
sin the kings name,n said the
young officer, advancing with his
sword drawn and his cloak thrown
back to show his scarlet uniform.
1t was a picturesque group, illumin-
ated by the Pickering light of the
soldiers torches. My tall old grand
sire, with his weather-beaten face and
gray hair; the boyish, handsome young
officer, bright with scarlet and steel;
the stolid seamen in their jerseys and
-westers; the soldiers with tn cir
hrnu1nb fonac ond ,rlittarinu onooutyo