The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-12-20
though it seemed to him that that morning.
in the daylight, he would have made it in a

though it seemed to him that that morning.
IN the daylight, he would have made it in
lew oar strokes.
PLUNGED IN THE WATER.
All! to the right he saw the black line of
the shore. Good; he would soon arrive.
Once on terra firma he would run quickly.
A quarter of an hour and he would reach
clans within five minutes walk Of each
other. He would surely get one Of them.
The boat was within yard of the bank.
Paul arose to make out where he could
land. A stairway should be somewhere
there, but at need he could leap on the
strand. The most important thing was not
to let go of the chain.
There 1t was-a somewhat wOrm-eaten
stairway-but it would answer. With his
Doat-hook Paul grappled step. The docile
boat drew up alongside. He held the chain
In one hand and with the other pulled away
at The boat-hook. Everything was right.
He lifted one leg out of the boat and placed
has foot on the step.
1t was rotten and gave way beneath him.
He lost his balance and fell into the water.
BY good luck the boat had not budged. He
seized the gnnwae. He was in the water.
but he had the boat; it was easy to climb
init was a forced bath, that was all. He
frightened his hold upon the boat He strove
to lift his leg over the side. He got his foot
up, but was unable to push his foot in. He
succeeded in selling the seat. This time
without doubt, the sustaining point would
suffice. But no!
What he was attempting and could rot
accomplish was what gymnasts style re
establishment" He neither knew how to
nor could he do it. And now IL occurred to
him-he had not thought of it before-that
he could not swim.
DRAGGED BY THE BOAT.
He gave a glance. Around him ali was
black except the water, which always, even
in the deepest night, has reflection. He
saw only the water. The shore had van-
ished. The boat was off-adrift-and he
was in the water up to his shoulders, hang
ing with his stffened nails TO the little
craft, which was dragging him along like a
bit of wreckage.
The flood rolled about his legs and torso
with an irresistible caress He felt that he
could rot Struggle much longer-his hands
were growing benumbed.
Die, drownl Was he indeed, threatened
with that fate? De?-what at his age.
when he felt himself full of life and vigor
He uttered furious oath and again tried to
raise himself. This time he nearly lost his
hold altogether.
He was not afraid He reasoned. All his
ideas converged into this one-he could not
die thus!
AS lie raised himself I'D in final effort he
saw-was it reai?-a tiny gimmer in the
distance. 1t was the lamp which lighted the
chamber at his home where his wife was
waiting for him with the little baby. That
is to say, he was not fifty yards from all he
loved, from all who lived only through him,
and that presently, when his fingers had
grown completely numb-even now they no
longer had any feeling in them-he would
let 20 his hold and all would be oyer-there,
so near his own fireside.
Should he cry for help? What would be
the good? His wife alone would hear and
it would add frightful anguish TO what
she was already suffering. Besides, he no
longer reflected; instinct alone kept him
clinging TO the boat, which was dragging
him along at hazard.
He heard only the food, which. sweeping
over him, made a sound as if some one
were swimming near by.
"a second longer and / should have
been dead" said he to me eight days after
ward.
But by unheard of luck the boat shot
toward the isle and without knowing how,
he touched the bottom with his feet and
found himself standing in water to his waist.
but with firm ground beneath him.
He made for the shore and staggered
home, where he found his wife smiling and
nursing the quieted baby.
1t was not the Group. The poor little
thing had merely SUITE red from some pass
ing irritation of the throat, which had van
ished as quickly as it had come on.
"But, mon Denp' cried the wife, what
a state you are 10 land SO pale! What has
happened to yOu?"
Then he told her of his struggle with the
Angel of Death and how near the latter had
came to victory. JULES LERMINA.