Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1893-11-04
A HERO.

little village of Shickshinny on the up
per Susquehanna were reused from
sleep by hoarse shouts and by the vio-
lent ringing of the church bell. Men
and boys dressed in haste, and crowd
soon congregated on the river shore.
There was good cause for excitement.
The ice, which seemed comparatively
firm on the previous evening, had broken
during the night. The yellow tide, al
ready swollen to many feet above its
normal level, was almost hidden by the
heaving, grinding cakes. And worst of
all this unexpected event had placed an
unknown human being in peril. From
Scrub island came hoarse shouts for
help and at intervals the discharge of a
gun. The red flashes could be plainly
seen.
Scrub island lay in midchannel di-'
rectly opposite the village. 1t was hard
ly more than bar, for nothing grew
upon it but bushes. Near the lower end
was small cabin. which some of the
village boys built for amusement out of
driftwood. Here the castaway had prob
ably taken refuge, and his situation was
extremely critical. In n short time the
cabin would surely be carried off by the
rising flood and ice.
As the crowd were specializing on the
unknown ones identity and discussing
the hopelessness of rescue, Squire Tyson,
the most wealthy and influential man of
the village, came running down the
shore.
Jasper is on the island" he CRIED
wringing his hands in agony. HE
went over this afternoon to shoot ducks
and has not returned home. He must
have fallen asleep in the cabin, and the
ice has carried away his boat. Will no
one save my poor boy? Are you all
cowards!'
The unhappy man grasped boat that
lay bottom up on the shore and tried to
drag it into the water.
Half dozen men caught and held him.
"You will only throw your life away"
they cried. mo boat could move a
dozen yards in that ice. We could save
your boy if there was any chance at all. +"
The squire suddenly realized that this
was true. Hestood gazing mutely toward
the island, his face rigid with despair
A groan of pity burst from the crowd as
another gunshot was heard, followed by
hoarse appeals for help. The tide rose
higher and higher, but now clear spots
were visible here and there and all at
once the river seemed to become free of
ice.
The meaning of this was plain. The
ice had formed a gorge somewhere up
stream. Here seemed chance of res
cue, but no one was willing to take ad.
vantage of it. The crowd knew by past
experience that the gorge would likely
break in moment or two, and then the
freed ice would sweep everything before
it like an avalanche. In vain the squire
appealed to them. In vain the poor boy
on the island cried for help. Not man
would risk what seemed certain death.
Suddenly stoutly built lad of 16 sep
arated from the throng, and running up
the shore few yards he hauled light
skiff into the water. He seized the oars
that lay in the bottom and pulled sturdi.
ly into the swirling current, heading in
o diagonal course up stream.
A simultaneous cry of amazement
burst from the crowd. Some cheered
the daring lad; others warned him back.
"God bless him!" cried the squire,
bursting into tears.
Indeed, Curt Webb was the last one
any person would have believed capable
of such brave deed. He was an or
phan and worked hard for livelihood
in a grocery store. The village boys
headed by Jasper Tyson, despised and
hated him because he had persistently
refused to join any of their mischievous
depredations. He could never be in
duced to fight his tormentors, though
Jasper and others dared him to combat
many time. So the boys gratified theil
malice by calling him the coward and
by this epithet he was known in the vii
lage.
But the Coward" was surely astonish
ing his enemies now, and his progress
was watched with breathless interest
No one expected to see him come back
alive.
Steadily the boat crept toward the is
land. Curt bent to the oars with al
his might and managed to hold his owl
against the fierce current. Occasionally
he glanced over his shoulder and was
relieved to see no trace of approaching
ice. The shore soon faded from view
and as he neared the island he shouted
cheerily to give notice of his approach
Jasper shouted back and fired bunch
of grass to guide his rescuer.
The water had already reached the
cabin, and just as Curt swung the boat
into the little eddy behind it he heard Q
grinding noise up the river and saw 6
white mass looming into view. The
gorge had broken, and the ice was com
ing down with sweeping force.
} Jasper stood in the cabin door, ant
when the flaming wisp of grass showed
him the face of his rescuer he blushet
with shame.
"Your' he exclaimed, and that single
word spoke volumes.
Don't stop to talk" cried Curt hur