Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1885-11-13
ENDURANCE.
Ten Hours in the Central Park
Reservoir.
The VIII I-Eyed Strangers Narrative OF
His Experience--A Tantaiixing Bat
Cold Plunge and n Night
of Narrowing Suspense.
IN. Y. Tribuno.1


They wers talking about swimming
matches, and mans power of endur. /.
an ce in the water. One had just told of
a race in which he was fvs hours in
the water without assistance, and the
rest were gag ng at him in a reverent
sort OF way, when q wild-eyed person
near the group caused all eyes to be
turned toward hum by disdainful ex.
clamation: That's nothing"
The group looked expectantly at the
speaker, as much as to say. "Can you
give US anything better?" The intruder,
conscious of this. did not wait for a
further invitation, but said:
was orce In the water for ten
hours, end not soul near to offer me
help"
''Shipwrecked?" suggested one
Fell overb rboardp" Observed another
mo; it was neither. 1t was worse
than both of them"
"What was it?" chorused two or three
well, Pill tell you. One night in Au-
gus, several years ago, was saunter ng
around in Central Park enjoying the cool
OF the evening and a good Havana cigar,
when foun1 myself near the reservoir
thought it would bs @ good id "a to go
up and take seat on thu 8 one wall and
e-j1y quiet half hour's rest. This pro.
ceeded to do, and soon found com fort-
al ID seat near the tower. l smoked the
cigar up that l had in my mouth anl soon
lehte another. l was eoutemplativ ly
wa ch ng the smoke curl upward from it,
when my attention was attracted by bat
that few directly in front of my face and
circled round the tower near me- 1t soon
came back aga n, however. and made it,
self familiar with my nose, as it a, ,w with
in few feet OF it in each circle. So close
did it come that once or twice attempted
to hit it with nv hand, but of course
failed to touch it At last l became ex.
cited in my end cav ,rs to strike it, and
taking off my hat leaped upon the ston ,
wall, and waited for favorable onportu-
nifty. 1t came, and / made a desperate
effort to reach it; but in doing so lost my
alance, aad the next moment I was
fioundsring in the reservoir"
Here the speaker c,ased for a moment,
and drew long breath of relief.
Gentlemen" he then continued, "you
know how hopeless my case must have
been. swan to the edge, but could not
climb up the almost perpendicular wall
that inclosed the water. But rested my :
self against the WALL and raised my voice
to its highest pitch. 1 called help
murder and all the other names with
which the police are familiar, but to no
eff ct. Then finding no chance of help
from that quarter, I commenced SWIM
ming around the reservoir, follow ng the
walls closely in my journey. Pretty soon
heard the sound of rushing water, and
knew l was near the dam where the wat n
entered the reservoir. This seemed to
offer ray of hope to M, and 1 renewed
my exertions. l c.ept along closely to
+. the wall, for the dark night and rumb =
water made me shiver with terror. |
reach ID thu dam, AMI then leaving the
wall l manfully breaste the stream. Bat
it was of no good, for as 1 approached
rear the opening the current of infiowing
water beclme too stron, for my strength
and carried ma towarl the middle
of the reservoir. Three times I re-
peated the fl )rt and then with thu last
hope dissolved l sought the walls again
was now indeed in a hopeless predica-
mem. looked up at the heavens. and
wa:c1e the big stars gazing down at me
so calmly and peacefully. They seemed to
meek me as gazei at them, until act-
ually became indignant But just then
what should fly over my head but bat
the cause of all my m msery, or one Of its
mates. My anger was unbounded, and
felt as if 1 would willingly stay In the
wat T all night IL / could but wiring that
hats neck As II conscious OF my thoughts
it f w directly toward me, and began to
aggravate me again as it did before my
mishap. But 1 remained perfectly silent
for a long time The bat seemed TO be-
come more AMI more daring at this and
approached nearer than ever Suddenly
gave a spring cut of the water, and gave
1t such lbt that it swerved to the
right in careless way and few directly
against the s'oas wall. There was a dulI
crushing soaud, and then splash in tn g
w ter. and the next MON msnt had the life
less body of nv old ensmy in my hands"
what next!" exclaimed a breathless
listener.
"Well, there wasn't much more. I
swan around and rested by turns. l
heard clock in some slant ch urch tell
the hours and 1 ecu rel diligently the
number OF times it struck. Ny siren 9Th
Lecame nearly exhausted before morning.
but managed TO hang on"
"Who rescued you?" interrupted an
other.
WHO rescued me?-why, nobody.
About hundred feet from where I was
two small boats were anchored. Owing
to the darkness could not sse them; and,
instead of swimming toward them in the
dark had gone In just the opposite di-
rec.lon. OF course didn't let il take me
long to get to them and get out of the res
ervoir and run home.
"And now, gentlemen, that's worse
than being in five-h race, lem tell
you, for the terror that l experienced
that night has made me ten years older"