Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-04-03
ICE BOUN
By W. CLARK RUSSELL,
Author of "7he Wreck Of the Grosrenor. -
Jacks Ccnrtship," my Watch Be-
(CoNTIaURp.l

My first step was TO heat some brandy, and
while this was doing pulled open his coat
and freed his neck, fetching coat from the
cabin to serve as pillow for his head.
next removed his boots and laid bare his feet
(which were incased in no less than four pairs
OF thick woolen stockings, SO that I thought
when came TO the third pair should find
his legs made of stockings), and after bathing
his feet in hot water, OF which there was
kettleful, rubbed them with hot brandy as
hard as could chafe then dealt with his
hands in the like manner, having once been
shipmate with seaman who told me he had
seen n sailor brought to by severe rubbing Of
his extremities after no had been carried
below supposed to DO frozen to death, and
continued this exercise till could rub no
longer. Next opened his lips, and finding
he wanted some of his front teeth, yery
easily poured dram Of brandy into his
mouth. Though l preserved my astonish-
ment all this while, l soon discovered myself
working with enthusiasm, with mos pas
sionate longing indeed to recover the man,
not only because it pleased me to think of my
being On instrument under God of calling
human being, so to speak, out of his grave,
but because / yearned for companion some
one to address, to tighten the hideous solitude
Of my condition, and to assist me in planning
our deliverance.
l built up great fire, and with much
trouble, for he was very heavy, disposed him
in such manner before it that the heat was
reflected all over tho front of him from his
head to his feet. / likewise continued to
chafe his extremities, remitting this work
only to rest; and finding that the brandy had
stolen down his throat, l poured another
dram in, and then another, till think he had
swallowed pint This went on for an hour,
during which time he never exhibited tho
least signs Of life; but on sudden he sighed
deep; tremor ran through him; he sighed
again, and partly raised his right hand, which
fell to the deck with blow; his lips twitched,
and small convulsion Of his face compelled
the features into the similitude of a grin
that instantly faded: then he fetched a sue
cession CHS, and opened his eyes full upon
me.
was warm enough with my work; but
when observed him looking at me I turned
Of q death like cold, and felt the dew of an
intolerable emotion wet in the palms of nv
hands. There was no speculation in his stare
at frst-his eyes lay as coldly upon me as
those of a fish; but as life quickened in him
30 his understanding awoke; he slightly knit
ted his brows, and very slowly rolled his gao
of me to the furnace, and SO over as much OF
tho cook room as was before him He then
started as If to sit up, but fell back with a
slight groan and looked at me again.
"What is thisr' said he, in French, in a
very hollow, feeble voice.
I knew enough Of his language to enable
me to know he spoke French, but that was
ALL I could not speak q syllable of that
tongue.
You'll be feeling better presently; you
must not expect your strength to come in o
minute" said !, taking my chance of his un-
derstanding me, and speaking that lie might
not think me ghost, for doubt not was
as white Us one-since, to be plain, the nero
talking TO figure that had got to consider
~ sheerly dead as anybody in grave yard,
was alarming enough; and then, again, there
was the sound Of my own voice, which had
not exerted in speech for ages, as it seemed
to me.
He family nodded his head, by which I
perceived he understood me, and said very
family in English, but with true French
accent, "This is a hard bed, sir"
"I'll speedily mend that" said !, and at
once fetched a mattress frcm the cabin next
mine; this placed beside him, and dragged
him on to it, he very weakly assisting.
then brought clothes and rugs to cover him
with, and made him high pillow; and as he
lay close to tho furnace he could not have
been snugger had he had wife to tuck him
up in his own bed.
was very much excited; my former ter
rors had vanished, but my awe continued
great; for 1 felt as if l had wrought mir
acle, and l trembled as man would who
surveys some prodigy of his own creation. 1t
was yet to be learned how long he had
been in this condition; but was perfectly
l. L.I I - -
pie; and as had guessed her to have been
here upward of fifty years, the notion of that
man having lain torpid for half century
held me under perpetual spell Of astonish-
ment; but there was no more horror in me
nor fright. He followed me about with his
eyes, but did not offer to speak; perhaps he
could not. l put a lump OF ice
into the kettle, and when the water
boiled made him pint Of steaming
brandy punch, which l held to his lips in
pannikin, while supported his back with my
knee; he supped it slowly and painfully, but
with unmistakable relish, and fetched a sigh
of contentment as he lay back. But he would
need something more sustaining than brandy
and water; and as l guessed his stomach,
after SO prodigous fast, would be too weak
to support such solids as beef or pork or
bacon, mused q little, turning over in my
mind the contents of the larder las call it),
all which time he eyed me with bewilder-
ment growing in his face; and then thought
could nos do better than manufacture him
broth of oatmeal, wine, bruised biscuit and
piece Of tongue minced very small.
This did not take mo long in doing-the
tongue being near tho fun mace, and soft
enough for the knife, and there was nothing
to melt but the wine. When the broth was
ready kneeled as before and fed him. He
ate greedily, and when the broth was gone
looked as if he would have been glad for
more.
"Now, sir" says l. 'sleep If you CAM
with which he turned his head, and in a few
minutes was sound asleep, breathing regu-
larly and leanly