Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-08-06
LIFE SAVING IS PERILOUS.
Dangers Encountered by Those FL
gagged in the Rescue of Others.

Much of importing Of life is de-
manded in the mid-ocean rescuing of
drowning man, and such al incident
always furnishes intense dramatic in
terest for a spectator. The Baron De
Malortie, in a recent interesting work,
recalls all exciting scene he witnessed
years ago while crossing the Atlantic.
The ship was several days out, when
one afternoon lie vas idly Iounging
about the upper deck.
Suddenly" he says, L saw a man
approach the bulwark. He threw
overheard some objects-we learned
afterward that they were his bible and
a rosary-and followed them with
header into the foaming sea. Man
overboardr l cried, but the storm COW
cred my voice, and l rushed up to the
bridge to call the attention OF the Of
f1cer on duty to the accident. Stop!
Half speed aSteTn, and orders of a min
ute or two. Volunteers to man the
the boat" shouted a young midship-
man, cutting a lifeooat from the davits.
Ten men came forward for every one
wanted, and selecting four of the most
powerful tars, the MILDLY was lowering
the boat, when a young doctor, quickly
FCcketiLg flask of brandy fer a res
toratiVe, let himself down che of the
ropes, and reached the boat as monu-
mental wave was dashing over it. The
men pulled with will, and the gallant
little nutshell fought bravely up and
down the mountains of angry waters.
AS to the suicide, he was far astern,
and only from time to time could we
see the something like a human emerge
on the top of a white crested wave:
oh, the anxiety with which We
watched both boat and goal Disap-
pearing altogether at moments, when
we feared we had seen the last of those
noble fellows, another gigantic wave
would toss them up again like cork.
1t was exciting. But the boat was gain
ing; nearer and nearer it came, while
we were slowly following in it's wake.
There! The doctor threw the life belt
They were only some yards off now.
But, no, cruel wave has tossed them
past the object of their tremendous eff
forts. There, they are throwing
around her nose; the MILDLY has passed
the rudder to an old quartermaster.
and, armed with bOathOoks, he and the
doctor stand ready for action. Another
second and the life belt is hooked; the
man is grasping it desperately; but ne
has no strength left: there-all is lost
just at the critical moment.
But who is that jumping overheard?
Three cheers for the brave man-its
the doctor! But he, too. disappear3
Are there to be two victims, instead of
one? No, no! And there-humah!-
there is the doctor, his precious bur
Gen before him. The men pull like
mad to reach them ere they sink
again. The gallant young MILDLY is
watching for the right moment More
life belts are thrown. They help the
doctor to keep above water; another
pull and the boathoOk has done its
duty, and, while two of the men stick
to the oars, the others are busy drag
ging reSCuer and rescued on board.
The long, cold bath, the fright and the
proximity of death, had wonderfully
sObered the WOuld-be suicide, whom re-
morse foG drunken spree had driven to
this mad freak. It did not require
restoratives to bring him to, and two
hours later he had an opportunity OF
recapitulating his adventure in dire
solitude, having been condemned to be
kept in irons for the rest of the voyage,
a well-deserved punishment for expos
ing six valuable lives in this perilous
venture. montreal Star.