Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-11-22
,nds whilo these observations wont

roll was certain now, even should she
sheer off as much rs possible in ra's;ng;
certain, oven if wo had been sudden !
freed from the anchor limo.
Il had passed it through tho ring OF
| the painter before tho bow. and sccuroi
it to tho scat. Thi- fastening tore
away with one jerk, but ;hcro were so
feet moro ropc in the coil lying at my
feet. To run that out through the ring
would require more time than wo had,
and to row off rapidly with tho rope
dragging across our bow was impossible,
even though many minut had boon TO
spare.
"Fccling very hclplcss and dcspcr-
ale, | went through MI my pockets for
the knife, till it ilashcl on mo that,
some time before, 1t had dropped from
the gunwnic in which had stuck it,
and was nov lying out of reach under
the footboard. Harry began to cry
loudly, calling, 'Oh, what will mother
dog
"1hc undulation that prcccdcs a largo
steamer rocked us. Raising my eve,
from vain cndcavor to get glimpse
OF tho knife the steamer seemed almost
upon liz. never saw vessel shoulder
up so monstrously at the distance. So
rlnan hn lnf
could clearly 500 the red paint of her
run cleaning in tho wator about her.
"With tho quick dovico and light
ming activity of despair I soizcd an oar,
and, knecling on tho bow, with ono
downward drive of its handle knocked
tho staple that secured tho ring clear
away and with another motion hung
out tho coil o rope into the water
'But tho bowsprit of the The ban
was not five seconds away then. I
struggled madly 10 got some head way,
hoping to escape tho paddle wheels, but
my poor little boy, wild with foar, i'm
pcdcd me By clinging about my legs.
Using all my forcc on tho oar as pad
die, did, however, manage to give
her sight motion up stream. stern
first, but too laic; III, next moment tho
figure -hca | and swelling bow of the
Thcban blo,tcd out tho sky. and she
was upon us.
Not with her cut water, fort uuatcly,
or we should have been instantly
smashed down; it ran out twenty feet
beyond be foro wc were touched. Had
she not been half slowed down to take
the wln'lings Of the channel, wo should
doubtless have been over whclmcd by
tho roll OF water from her bow; but
somehow tho skill rodo this, AMI the
next momcat was thrust against tho
river, and crowded 80 hard against the
steamer whc:o sho widcncd that wo
moved on IA il glued to her side.
obviously, this strange situation
could endure but for few moments
and then my little fellow anil mast be
drawn under and battered to pup with
the rcmorsclcs' crash Of tho paddle
wheel so terrible and so near.
"To leap far out for escape from them
was impossible. had claspcd Harry
in M arms with some unreasonable
Imagination that my intorros ~ nv
body would slvc him from the cn,'shing
blows OF the floats. Tho hop. to sink
beneath them dill not flush among the
first crow,l ing thoughts OF those dies r.air-
Ing moments. not Till my glance fell
on the fifty six weight that still Law in
the boat.
Instantly stopped, sc;zoi il with
my right hand, and, with M little bo;
close Rugged, lenpcd desperately from
the boat into the water.
"Thc sensation Of being suck Ell or
TAILED through an amizing curyont, tho
roar OF the battered water, the over.
powcring fear Of the cruel paddles
how we'll | remember! Suldcnly-it
WAS rs though wave had flung its mass
at mc-my legs were swcpt down with
the water driven from the impact of the
floats, my hold was nearly i,rkcd from
the fif'y-7ix pounds of weight that |
held, then down. down, d own until tn,
weight touched the rocky bel. let
go and rose through twenty foot Of
water with gasp, to SEQ tho Thcbin
roaring away steadily on her course.
Poor little Hurry had never cease |
struggling; he struggled moro violently
as now he caught half chokcd breath.
| tore his arm' from my neck with n
dcsl crate m,;ion a, NO began to sink
again aad turned his back to me. We
rose again. trcniing water. managed
to support his heal out of the WA. or
long enough 10 max, him undcrsian |
that he must become perfectly notion
\ H..