Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-11-12

His coat was off, he had donned q
pair of very thin trousers, and in place
of boots. which he usually wore. slip
pers. of light leather encased his
feet.
This singular attire was noticed by
the seamen, and look of disapproval
was exchanged amongst them; but they
finally concluded that it was merely
''oddity," and not want of respect
for the occasion, which had prompted
the assistant to choose this sort oil
dress.
DIR. Weldon, glancing now and then
at the young man, drew down the cor
ners of his mouth, and arched his brows
in sarcastic manner, while the cap
tain, bluff old fellow. rolled his quid
rapidly, and muttered something about,
young fellows who we're topheavy
with book-larnin' not always being
ship-shape in their toggery.n
Come, ma'am," kindly said the
skipper at last, laying hand on the
arm of the old lady. "l'm sorry. but
we must launch the body. Why, ma am,
what's the use Of takin' on SO? Death
must come to us all; wo can't steer
clear out of that chap, ma'am; and as
the poor lass is dead. why, then, dom
you see. she is dead"
mo, no. no! | cannot--I must not
let her be thrown into the sea!'
walled the distracted mother. s.She
was my all-my own Eva, They saved
her from the wreck, good fortune was
before her, my sight was restored so
that l could see her, and it was never
meant that she should be torn from me
in this cruel manner. Oh, my child
my child! Come backbone back to
your old mother!"
The gruff captain dashed his big hand
across his eyes, the sailors, one and
all. felt their sight grow dim.
And still. as the old lady knelt there,
piteously and vainly calling to her child
to come back to her, gust of wind
howled mournfully through the rig
ging, lifting the thin locks of her gray
hair, wet with drizzling rain which
was falling, and rafting with a dis
NAL sound the half-masted flag at the
mizzen.
At last, with gentle hands, the cap
tain and his officers drew Mrs. Harri-
son away from the canvas-covered
form, the skipper gave the signal, and
away went the body as the plank was
tipped up, sliding off, and falling with
a dull splash into the sea.
But as it struck the water, and the
few weights beneath the feet were
drawing it under, something very much
like gurgling sort of cry seemed to
issue from it.
The sailors exchanged chances of
horror, but young Barker, as quick as
thought, leaped from the gangway into
the ocean, for true to his work, he had
not only studied the art of swimming
and diving. but had thoroughly prac-
ticed it.
One fathom beneath the sea he caught
the sinking form, and worked himself
to the surface with it.
down boat!' roared the skipper,
and in few moments, Eva and the
young doctor were picked up and on
deck.
The girls eyes were wide open, and
she was staring wildly about her, but
she was apparently very weak.
Mere words could not express the
excitement which followed The ugly
canvas was ripped from Eva's form,
and, an instant later. her overjoyed
mother had her in her arms.
Then, with ringing cheers, the sail
ors crowded about young Barker, all
eager to shake his hand, while the old
captain muttered to his mate:
''Book-larning is something great,
after all. now know why the young
chap wore that light toggery, which /
thought was so queer, and | now know
he was right in trying to persuade me
to put off the burial for several DAYS.
de told me why he wanted to, but
spoke to Dr. Weldon about it, and he
laughed at the idea, so | refused to
grant the request"
In fact. after he had surveyed the
face OF Eva, as already described, the
young man had noticed, about the eye
lids. certain look, which, although
he knew that it was no sure sign of life
in the body, aroused his suspicious, and
suggested to him the necessity of eau
ton with regard to hasty burial. The
conversation he held with Weldon in
their room, had reference to this SUBJ
ject, but the elder doctor ridiculed
the notion" rs he termed it, of his
assis tant.
Now, again true to his work, Barker
resolved to prepare for what might take
place. He knew that if there was life
in the girl, the sudden shock of SUBJ
mersion in cold water, after her being
launched in downward direction into
the sea, might cause her to give signs
of 1t by crying out.
He donned light suit, that his move
ments might not be impeded, for he
knew the necessity of instant action,
as the weighted body would otherwise
sink so far that it could not be brought
to the surface in time to save the pa
tient. And thus, through the knowl-
edge, care, and forethought of one who
loved his profession, was Eva brought
back to life and to her mother.
he young lady rapidly improved
under the skillful treatment OF her pre-
server, and never had a recurrence of
the trance which had so closely rescm-
bled death. She reached New Orleans,
enjoyed with her parent the fortune
there awaiting her, and was eventually
married to Baker, whom she had loved
from tae moment he restored her moth
er's sight.
BY this time he had risen high in his
profession, and become rs prosperous
as he deserved to be for having ever
proved himself so True 10 His Work.
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