Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-05-09

that rolled from sAoes - shoss snd d,eo
IN gasvssing erhas kAGh anoag he
m0antain susweA TAsa ~ esnsed 10
struggle, snd kis hsaA fs,l hnply bsck -
NJ ma oiossd rounA his snkin0 foun.
May sssss fssl sesin ths agoay q IN
potent h~lp,s.sasss I saAarsA tAAs mo-
mess, Ny fr,snd. the schooanaas u my
boyhood. the beloved companion II my
lAsss ysass. rusAing 70 horrible death
before my eyes and unable - stretch
out . helping hand We thsse ~ escape
no help
All, yss. brave John. noble heArt Of oak.
A. sit here calmly writing In my study.
how I long " grasp again that sturdy
hand that may msst mine no more!
He had s-sn tho ouaoasls per,l - !
gave my warning cry. and In the mo-
ment of my confusion lad time 10 grasp
the situation and Discern with unerring
judgment the only possihls mode q res-
cue. A man born and bred ~ The sud
den dsnsrrs Ut the Wilderness acts with
slmost Instructive prscasion. while Others
stand helplssaly by. And 20. even - 1
watched with anguishsd hsaSt the strug-
glss Of my friend. - had spsd from my
side. casting away he gun - b went
He reached The brink Of the rapids and
paused. One hasty gisncs 1t the colonels
body. borne on the cr~st Of the speeding
currnt-one swift scrutiny Of the furious
watsrs that seethed aE.A boiled before
him-snd then he gathered hlinself like
= panther about 10 spring.
watched him. spellbound. fascinated
by the noble daring OF the deed he con-
t.mplated. Full Is feet from the shore
In lnidstream rose large rock Of rugged
granite. against which tho angry waters
roared in impotent fury. and toward this
grim buttrcss the colonel's helpless body
was hurrying heed foremost. lie must
reach that rock before the drowning man
or all was lost.
A seconds pause. during which these
objects flashed before me like vision.
and then John made the effort. Like .
panther he had crouched. like panther
he sprung. and ~ his lean body shot out
over the waters my prayers went with
him. Would no make il, Yes. thank
God! He cleared the rapids and gained
foothold on the slippery rock. clutch
ing it with both hands - he landed.
There was not an instants pause.
With the agility of cat he swung round
the crag Just a. my friend shot toward
him. saw him make desperate clutch
saw brief struggle in the mist and
turmoil-and the next was aware .
limp form lay upon the rock beside him.
How human strength could overcome
the momentum Of that furious eddy is
more than l can realize, but John was
more than huInan-he was . man Of
iron.
Then bestirred myself. and under tho
Indians calm directions we got the colo
nel's unconscious form ashore by means
Of ropes. which we always carried with
us. John followed next, clinging TO the
cord had attached to a point Of rock.
The noble fellow made light Of his brave
deed and seemed only anxious ~ escape
any tokens OF gratitude.
Well. we bore the colonel into camp.
where he lay FRUSTRATED for many days.
But he recovered in time and is now
we'll and prosperous And, I've sure. his
prosperity has benefited the savior Of
his life.
And John? ! have never seen the
brave fellow since and probably never
shall again But Of this sm certain
in one corner Of my heart / shall always
hold his memory greene. q. Archer
in Cincinnati Post.