Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1888-12-31

that it was sweet, even then and there.
in it's strain of distress.
81 can't carry two," she said; and
not another word was spoken until
Polly cried: ''Now stand up and
jump, and you are all right"
The mother obeyed and in five
minutes Polly was again outside,
ready for passenger.
''keep off !" cried Mason. ssWe're
sinking fast and he fairly tossed
over three children to Polly.
All the good, strong sea blood of
the Carsons seemed to come out in
Polly then; she rowed to the shore
for dear life, and actually throwing
overheard to the woman in waiting
the three children, she got her boat
back once more. There were three
women in the sinking life-boat then
to be saved land it was almost full of
water. One was large and unwieldy,
and could not be persuaded to step
over at the proper moment.
ssCome now,' shouted Polly.
"Step over right in the middle of the
boat, and you are safe"
But she would not step, or could
not, and there was no time to lose.
In Mason's little shell there was no
room for her, and he, poor fellow,
hausted by a night of toll, knew not
what to do.
"Give me two,'' said Polly.
Carefully Mason deposited the
half-helpless passengers in her boat.
The waves were running along the
very rim of it at the stern when Polly
once more pulled away from the is
land. By the flashing of the light
Mason saw her land and the boat pull
out again, and then, with a sudden
gurgliug sound, the waters closed
on the life-boat.
80. save me p shrieked the helpless
woman in her misery.
Mason grasped her and lost his
| footing, but he did not let go his
hold. Coming to the surface, he
managed to gasp, eff you touch me,
l will let you CO. And, with an al
most despairing effort, he set his face
toward the shore.
Before Polly had landed the third
time, the guardsman was on the
shore under the cliff, and Sophron-
las shrieks, joined with his entreaty,
caused her to yield up boat and oars
to stronger hand. Then there
came out to the little shivering group
on the island that terrible cry of
despairing agony from the sinking
lifeboat. Mason's comrade pulled
with a will, but the way was intri
cate and rocky, and only Polly knew
| it well.
sEHe'll never get there !" she moan
ed. And he never did for midway
of the distance the boat shot by a
sight that made him turn. 1t was
| the pale face of Mason thrown back
upon the waves, and struggling for
life. In the next instant all was
darkness. In it he strove to follow
| the swimmer. He knew that even
Mason could not swim the distance
! in a December sea, encountered as
/ he was, and to save Mason every
guardsman on the coast would will
l.54y IIonUu nIo me. w ueu,
by the flashing of the light the man
was found, his strength was ebbing
/ fast, and he was at that moment
sinking into Inconsistencies under
the terrible clutch of the drowning
woman.
1t was desperate work for the
boatman to hold Mason fast with one
hand and get the boat ahead with
the other; but he slowly advanced
shoreward, and at last, in sorry
plight, but alive, every passenger of
the Gfeboat was drawn up on the
land.
No sooner had Polly made certain
that Mr.. Mason was rescued, than
she, calling back to Sophronia to
show the way, sped back to the
house to make ready for her uneX-
pected guests. AS she entered by
one door her father came in at anoth-
er.
60, father how glad | am to see
you - said the girl.
"Where on earth have you been,
all wrapped up in that way, and
dripping wet, too?" he exclaimed.
Father said Polly, "there's
been wreck somewhere, and the
coast guard came for you to help the
lifeboat off the rocks; it got on the
Tush, and-and | went to help, and
in minute they'll all be here there's
nine of them. and they're dripping
wet, and one of them is about drown
ed"
Peter Carson had his arms, all
the way down to his finger-tips, full
of parcels he had brought up from
the boat.
GA wreck on Cliff Island % he ex-
claimed, as he laid the them down.
"The very first one since | came here.
1 hope it wasn't caused by the light
not being lit at shutdown"
81 don't know" answered Polly.
'There hasn't been any chance to
find out anything. Here they come !"
and the sorry little procession, wheel
ing slowly in, dropped into place
arOund the kitchen stove in which