The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1894-11-10
SAVING HIS BOY.
A MINUS Adventure While boating with
His Little Son.

His Little Son.
"My story is short" said he, II
heard the dog booming down from the
mountains; heard the deer In the
woods Just where / was listening to
him; saw him break out into the open
exactly where was watching for him.
and then shot him."
"And hit exactly the spot you aim
ed for, suppose?" said his companion.
mot precisely. 1t was an inch and
quarter to the left, for he was travel
ling fast, and I did not try for extra
fine sighting. But this was not my
first, and since we each agreed to give
our first deer stories, you may as well
have mine now. 1t was years ago.
got him under the jack light, float
ing it is now called. 1t was simple
case Of brutalizing assassination, and
1t would be easy to believe that AL
| mighty Cod punished me for it with
out delay. I shall never do it again.
at was just at break Of day, and
leaving my guide to dress out and
hang up tho deer l took my little six
year-old boy in the boat and rowed
across the lake on an errand. When
we started to return I paid out troll
ling line and passed the rod to my boy
in the stern. Presently a bass-I sup
pose it was bass-struck the spoon,
and struggling SO Violently that poor
little Russell's strength and skill
weren't equal to it, and he partly
stood up to reach for it. Now, you all
know what fifty-pound Adirondack
boat is capable of. Properly handled,
1t will live in the highest waves ever
met in these waters; but any green
| horn can get under one in an instant
in fiat water.
II was careless. The boat tipped
and nearly filled and then righted. I
instantly placed each hand on oppo-
site gunwales Of the boat and,
strengthening my arms, raised my
body free from the boat and gently
balanced myself out into the lake and
swan to the end of the bow. OF
course, in balancing out I completely
filled the boat with water, but I kept
1t right side up and hoped that,
swamped as it was, 1t would sustain
the boy and also allow me to bear q
part of my weight on 1t while swan
and pushed 1t along. The boat sank
at first until the water came up to
Russell's mouth. bore no more
weight on 1t, apd kept soothing and
encoura ging him to sit absolutely still.
The water was bitterly cold. My
hunting clothes and boots were heavy.
I swan and pushed as steadily and
carefully as could, aiming for the
point of an island. 1t was slow-ter-
ribly slow. eeonomiZed my strength
in every possible way, and began to
speculate ON the time when complete
exhaustion would overcome me. 1t
was certain to come long before I
| IL, tell o.
ing and directing the boy to sit per-
at the top Of his voice. I used the
fewest possible words and expended
the least possible amount Of breath
"a numbness, beginning at my feet,
crept gradually up my legs until they
were ali but useless. I swan only
with my arms, and at every second
or third stroke pushed the boat care
fully with one hand. 1t was plain
now that I could not possibly get to
the island, and that no boat could
possibly get to us IN time to be Of any
service to me. l therefore gave Rus
sell final precise directions; trying to
give him the impression that 1 was
simply going away after help. l want
ed, oh! SO much! to say good-by to
him, and to give message to his
mother. but l cid not dare risk the
little fellows emotions.
"My pains were now so intense that
1t required no courage to let myself
slowly sink. 1t came as blessed re-
lief. 1t came almost as disappoint-
ment after I had sunk to find that my
feet struck bottom.
"We had Just reached the edge Of a
shoal and were in trife over six
feet Of water. thought that was
dying, ard the hope that footing gave
was only languid stimulus. 1t was
the thinking Of that dear, courageous
boy that gave me enough vitality to
thrust my head above the surface
again. A few more siakings and a
few more thrusts brought me to wad-
Ing ground.
"'Are you on bottom, papa?'
II had only enough strength to say
YES my son., and / slowly-very slow
ly-pushed the boat to the island. /
lifted the boy out and said, Russell,
say thank Gcd!'
"'Thank God, papa! New York
Mail and Express.
A Lasting Taste.
,, Che is gt0Ilt anple-chaek old