New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-07

right place. when the sled disappeared from under u.s.
and we found ourselves foundering in the freezing
cold water The splash in the water came without A
seconds warning. We going along so swiftly
that was carried under cake OF ice and had
my chin and forehead cut, but fortunately the cake
was thin. and | managed to push my head through
II and come TO the surface Fortunately. all Of us
preserved our presence Of mind and as soon as the
dreadful nature OF the accident dawned upon us
we held a brief consultation. In which We agreed
not to catch hold Of one another under any crcum-
stances, and II felt that he was going to drown
he agreed not to grasp at his companions Upon
this we separated from each other. each man having
no idea whether not the others could swim. and
each determined to sink alone or save himself
alone | found the plunge into the Icy waters
severe strain or my nerves. Our bodies had been
all aglow with the hearty exercise Of propellng the
sled and to be suddenly plunged into freezing
water was well calculated to take the breath away
from any man.
AS illustrating how entirely unconscious we were
OF our danger. Just before the awful plunge. was
telling them the story OF the Irish foreman Of coal
mine who shouted down the shaft, How many OF
yez are down there The answer coming back.
Seven he replied We'll half Of yez come up and
the other half stay down We laughing at the
idea OF three and half men staying down when
down we went. never could understand how the
rope to tho sled became dsengaged from my feet
when got into the water but at any rate. the lam
tern. the mailbag and the sled went to the bottom.
sequently learned and all we had to look out for
was ourselves Fortunately. knew how to swim.
and striking out. felt the edge Of the ice and
endeavorei to raise myself n cake. but every time
/ put my weight on 1t the ice broke and left me
laundering In the water again. Mind you. all this
time II was pitch dark and showing so that it was
impossible to see more than a few feet away.
Finally reached some ice that seemed to be firm,
but by that time was stiff with the cold that |
found II impossible to lift myself up In fact l
could not any limb except my arms and
those only with great difficulty and pain. My hat
was Off and feeling my hair found that It was
mass Of Icices. | made a number OF en9rts 70
reach for something on the Ice on which could
ing began to feel that languor which knew full
well meant death. II began 10 creep all over me
ward. realized exactly what it meant. but seemed
to It, felt fxe1a . up to % my Sps sno
my vital organs could feel its chilly grasp grad
1 eG Tcf see ny be able TING
next 1--WE; then the next fye and so on suddenly
fore ne and dreamily brushing my hand across my
face. I realized that ! had my gloves on. l don't
Cured to me that If could get at my knife !
could stick the blade into the ice and draw myself
up by IT. But it was hope soon dIspeled, because
after great efforts to get my knife. out. found
that my fingers frozen stif. so that 1t was I'M
fathers house. seemed to have given me new HE !
frequently tried to kick the stump Of cigar or but
Of wood frozsr to the ice and how obstnately they
resisted my efforts.
HELP COMES AT LAST.
This gave me a new idea. l made desperate
effort to pull Off my gloves intending to place them
on the Ice cake just within grasp. and after II
had frozen on tight, pull myself out by It, But my
gloves would come off. They were frozen on
tight. / then pushed one of them into my mouth,
Ice. How long IT was before it froze don't know,
httf .
feeling by treadlng water violently so as to keep
yv w 6y wan 51 fef ha 'hf
was frozen fast. | slowly put my, weight upon IT,
ice. but further than this could not get until l
rested again
Just then heard George call out. Hold on;
Judge. guess am out Turning my head could
eW Of nue. ede @atE to reach %
George had s9t out by means OF hit ssates n They
the heel IL had managed to foe, on his back and
| work his legs over an Ice cake and striking ms
soon rs he out he began his search for me
and found IN the position have just described.
broke the cake under and again was soused in
ne chilly water soon managed to get within
out to place Of safety.
1T was at this junc.ure that we heard De Graww
longer Hold on a minute cried, Wen help
came from tfor It was too dark to see, dld not
consider the danger was running and before knew
where It hard to get out This recalled
me to my senses. and when got out by Georges
aid we hit on plan TO rescue DE oraW. | being
the lighter man OF the two. was 10 slide along the
lee at fun length while George also lying full
length. was 10 hold on 10 my feet In this manner
reached the spot whore DE Graw was in the water.
BY carefully working our way backward We finally
got the man out We carefully made
over the Ice toward land. two miles distant. When
sure that we were on solid ice. We broke into a
for the purpose OF keeping blood in circulation.
When We reached De Graw's house Mrs. De Graw
tainted at the sight of us But IL not long
before we had changed our clothes and sitting
before roaring hot fire. George and De Graw
! |
not take any. much to my regret. for was laid up
with sickness several weeks from the effects OF the
exposure.
We'll, when was myself again took occasion
to look into "A mirror the first had looked into
that eventful night. Imagine my surprise on find
ing that my hair was turning white. IL not
long before IT was completely white. Az only
thirty four years old at the time, and there was
not the slightest suggestion OF hereditary white
hair In my family, cannot account for II excep. by
cxperience that Thu ksgi,Ing nicht -