The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1883-08-15

One lady stopped Tor a cup of wafer
lost her balance, and was GU Of reach
aud over the falls almost before her
amazed husband knew what happened.
Anoiher lady sto ,ped to pluck . 1owei
on the brink OF Table rock. She wa.
aiken up dead from the rocks below ~
1873 an accident equally sad and foolish
occurred. An engaged couple wen o.
hind the falls, into the ave ofthe wind.,
without the guide. She actually sought
to battle In a pool which even the guides
never visited.
tier lover lost his life 10 trying to save
here. Perhaps the most dramatic acci.
lent was the following: A playful young
man caught up a charming child who
was watching the tumbllng waves. Now,
L zzle, am going "a throw you into the
water, he said, and swung her back and
forth. She screamed, struggled. and
shipped from his hands. He gazed after
her, realized what he had done, and leap
ed: Rescue was hopeless. Perhaps he
did not deserve death, aud at least ecu
sure may die with him.
Of escapes, there are one or wv mar
row almost beyond belief, and which in
volve stories of skill and bravery well
worth telling. Not many years ago a
painter was at work on Second Sister
Island. when he fell into the water. He
was old and weak. aud while his position
Was not very dangerous at first, he soon
Heated dow and toward midstream when,
JUS as he seemed lowering on the brink,
and exactly 40 feet from it, If contempor
ary records are to be believed. he caught
on a rock How long would his muscles
eudure the strain? And who would res
u him, aud how? The crowd was help,
less until a guide appeared with a coil OF
r pc. One end he left il trusty hands,
and with the other he PLUNGED into the
boiling tide. When he reached the poor
painter the oil man still held In his hand
the putty knife with which he had been
working. He shifted the knife to his
pocket, tied the painter to the rope, and
they reached the shore safely. La an
other case a boatman was crossing the
river above the falls, when a fog suddenly
"a ne up. He lost his bearings and knew
he was drifting to death. His cries
alarmed the village, and bells We're rung
for him to row toward them, then an oar
broke.
His only hope her lay in a paltry lit
tie anchor, aud a common rope, which
was. moreover, much WORT. He exam
lned every foot. ney every inch of II; he
tugged at the knots at each end. Time
aud space were precious, but he could
not afford to make a mistake. Then he
brew 1t over. lt bumped along the
stones, and his heart beat each time it
failed to catch a gtip. At last it caught
aud brought the boat up standing, while
the tense string thrubbed like the bass
gnt of "a harp For the il he 4.
How soon would II part He shrank from
!eellig along the strands. lie wa, more
afralt not To, lest he should read his fate
IN the twine tence and twinging under
he current. Inch by inch hi, tinger-
trave,ei to his arm length ;, long a.
IT held there he was safe. Time and time
again through the long night he aid this
out never, lie said, wlthour a heart like
cad and hands qulvering like a eff
When morning dawned. as at last it did
he was easily saved. In another case the
hanger to lite, though considerable, was
Tot imn lnent. A tug was towing three
| cows, when one went adrift. With ad-
mirab c promptness and address the can
tain of the tu. cut loose the rest of his
tow and steamed for the drifting barge.
There he held it by steam power, and
when the others came along a line was
passed, the throttle was thrown dead open,
and it was sought to make way up stream.
But they had drifted fairly within the
grasp of the spirit of the waters, and for
a time it seemed he would not let 90 his
own. Finally a foot was gained, in a few
minutes another, and then the tug of wal
vas virtually over. An escape Of
another ,rt was that of a murderer. The
sheriff was behind him. the river in front,
and only the wires of the old bridge al
Lewiston to help him across. Har d Over
hand he began the passage. His hand,
quickly blistered. and then they bied
Again and again he rested his arms by
hanging BY his legs. At last he reached
the opposite bank and lay painting full ar
hour before he continued his flight. The
teat was certainly a remarkable one fol
an amateur.