Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1893-06-01
Mechancown Frederick County, Maryland Thursday June ;893

ledge that Willie had voluntarily relin
quished his only hope Of life in orde
that he might be saved sent thrll
through his chilled frame and he man
aged to call out brokenly:
Johnnie the boat quick quick
Willie Is goneY
But JOHNNIE had just dragged hlmsel
by Il supreme effort ashore, and coulC
not have stirred, at the moment, to save
world.
oh! Willie, Willie cried Alf, az
If his friend could hear him: i CAM
dive for you. l must die. too. There's
no hopc!'
Is there, indeed, none? ALI, yes, by
Heayen's mercy. one, slight though 1t
may be as gossamer thread; tor at this
instant there came, running swiftly
down the slope to the water g edge, the
two men who owned the boats and who
from the window of an overlooking
house, had seen the exhausted boy 60
down.
Never pausing in their eager race,
not even stopping to ask question
they sprang into the ready skitf and
shot like an arrow from the shore.
Don't stayl Don't stop for me J.
faltered Alf Hughes, as they swept
alongside. "A few yards further out
straight in Il line with the other boat
Oh. hurry, good men, hurry!
One man IS rowing, the other watch.
ing, and now. ten yards beyond the
self forgetful Hughes, LIE sees, while
peering anxiously over the side, a white
bedy lying motionless on the bottom
twelve feet below the surface.
Back water, steady her, George he
cries to his mate, and down like a
plummet he darts to the rescue. In
two seconds he is up again, his hand
twined in the boys long hair. Anoth-
er second and both are III the boat.
Will has been submerged one and a
half, possibly two. minutes. He may
yet be saved No breath is wasted in
words, no fraction of time in dallying.
The hardy fishermen who still holds the
oars, with one long, sweeping stroke
turns the bow shoreward; his compan-
ion picks up the exhausted ALI as the
boat flies along, and the fifty interven
lag yards are passed oyer in a flash.
Then the dry man lifts the drowned
youth out to the hot sand, takes off MS
own upper garments and wraps him up,
while his friend goes tor the anchored
skilf. Quickly returning, the two bear
the still form tendery to the house
whence they themselves have lately
come, leaving the now reviving John
and Alfred to resume their clothing and
follow when strong enough.
While one of the rescuers assists the
good people Of the house IN their efforts
at resuscitation, the other hurries Oft to
the village for doctor, and soon every
thing which skll. can suggest is beng
dole for the unconscious sufferer.
Meantime a swift footed messenger
had been sent to Mrs. johnson and
the distracted mother Arr;yes to find her
only son apparently beyond all all hu
man help. Not a sob, nor murmur. nor
complaint does she utter hing to
disturb the work in hand but with tear
less eyes and pale cheeks lends herself
to the doctors aid with an enforced
calmuess sadly belied by her bursting
heart.
Minutes pass away-a quarter. and
a half hout has gone-anI yet there is
no sign of returning life. John and ALI
arrive, and with unwonted solemnty
seat themselves in an outer room, await.
ING IN awe stricken silence the dread
verdict which to both seems inevitable.
But the skilled physician, man OF
large experience IN such cases, works
steadily on, never despalrlng, yet '!ar
ing to whisper to the self repressng
mother only yaguest words OF hope
The labor is hard and the perspiraton
pours down the good mans face as he
tries, by alternately pressing and re
leasing his patients chest and raising
and depressing his arms, to restore the
action of the lungs Nearly an hour
has glided by, and still the beautiful
clay lies there inanimate as marble
image. A portentous image, profound
as that of death itself, prevades the
room the Lsely drawn nerves of the
praying woman-the widowed, perhaps
childless, mother begin to give away.
All seems in yam. Her darling, will
full, Ioying boy is certainly dead and
she--she is henceforth alone. Is this,
then, the end of fourteen long years Of
tender care? Blessed be His name,