The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-02-24
A HEROIC RESCUE.
BY BARRY O'CoNNoR.

"Did you hear that, boysY' said Pierce
Ryan TO a group OF which he formed
part, sitting round the CHEEKY turf fire OF
an inn, in a small fishing Hamlet on the
western coast OF Ireland.
Every voice in the company ceased
speaking at once. The roar OF the neigh
boring surf and the wild tumult of the
tempest, as ii whstled and shrieked with
out broke distinctly on the hearing, but
for more than a minute, during which
all listened intently, nothing else was
heard.
at was merely fancy, Pierce" said one
of the group. You ought to -" The
speaker stopped short, for, at that instant,
the deep boom of a cannon, out at sea,
sounded distinctly and fearfully across the
night.
"There is ship on the coast" said
Pierce. "Hark! a third gun, and it
sounds nearer than the last" :" And the
wind is right on the shore and blowing
hurricane" said another. lord be mer-
| ciful to them," calculated Pierce, "but let
us hurry to the coast and see If we can
help them in any way"
With one consent the party moved
toward the door, first, however, calling TO
the landlord to bring lanterns and ropes
| III case tnt ldtter Dt uScutu' ab
| the door was opened gust Of wind eddied
| into the room, flaring the candles in their
sconces, and whistling keenly around the
| corners of the apartments. When the adj
venturers stepped outside they were al
most borne down for moment by the in
tensity OF the gale, which, sweeping un-
checked across the plain that lay betwixt
! the inn and the beach, burst on the house
| with almost incredible fury. 1t was snow
| ing violently, and the flakes, Kissing and
spinning i'm the hurricane, almost blinded
the eyes of the adventurers; but drawing
their frieze top-coats around them, the
| warm hearted travellers bent their heads
| against the wind and hurried to the coast.
The shore to which they turned their
steps was a high, bold, rocky coast,
against which the surf was now beating
with violence that shook the cliffs to
their base and flung the spray in showers
over their edge 100 feet above the raging
deep below. The party had stood some
time, however, on the summit of the rocks
before they could distinguish anything
! through the storm.
At length light shadowy object gradu-
ally assumed the outlines of a ship flying
before the tempest and started out of the
misty distance. For one moment she was
seen driving up toward the spectators.
That moment, seeming to them an age,
was spent in breathless horror. Each one
| invountarily clenched his hands tighter
together and gazed with straining eyes on
the powerless craft that was sweeping on
ward with such mad velocity to the cliffs
at their feet. On, on she came, driving
amid the white foam. moment more
and there was a crash, followed by
shrek that rose even above the storm,
and froze the very hearts OF the listeners.
| IL ceased and the hurricane alone was
| heard.
at is all over" said one of the lis
teners.
"May the good heaven give rest to the
souls of those who have gone to their last
account this blessed night"
"Amen," said another, and again a
breathless silence followed. At length
Pierce Ryan spoke.
"Did you hear that cry?"
81 did. 1t sounds like the wall of
child"
alt is just beneath the cliff" said
| Pierce. "Listen! there il is again-it Is
a woman's voice"
There was no doubt any longer that
living being was crying for succor from
| the foot OF the cliffs, and dozen lanterns
were Immediately lowered over the edge.
For an instant, and an instant only, by
the light OF lantern lowered further
down the precipice, but almost immedi-
ately shattered TO pieces, the face OF
female had been seen, cast upward in
earnest supplication. But what could be
done for her? The frenzy of the gale for
bade any attempt to rescue her by de-
/ lao ,If "a
she could not live until morning, exposed
| TO the driving snow, the intense cold, the
washing OF the surf and the fierce eddies
| OF the gale around the precipice The
/ spectators looked at each other in dismay,
and when, in lull OF the hurricane, the
/ cry OF agony came again TO their ears. a
shiver ran through their frames. Mean
] while, the cliffs were becoming crowded
/ with people, who, apprised OF the wreck
/ by the signal guns she had fired, poured
forth from their cabins 10 render what
assistance was possible 10 the sufferers.
fire was soon kindled on the verge OF
the precipice. As the fire flung it's light
across the countenances ofthe group there
might be traced in every face an express
sion of the most anxious concern, while
each spectator gazed out toward the ocean,
striving TO catch through the neecy storm
/ sight OF the wreck, or peered down over
the cliff to discover the exact position OF
\ the sufferer below.
/ During all this time persons had been
arriving at the scene Of disaster, bringing
| ropes, tackle, and other appliances by
which aid might be rendered to the crew
and passengers of the dismantled ship. At
length the fire, flinging It's ruddy blaze
/ far and wide around, enabled the specta-
/ tors to catch momentary CLEANS OF the
\ wreck. She appeared TO be a ship OF
\ heavy tonnage, and had ran so high up on
/ the rocks that she stuck there as IL inn
paled, her stern falling of seward. while
her bows overhung the boiling vortex on
/ the land side of the sharp rock ON which
she lay. The rackings Of the sea had by
this time broken her hull in two. aud the