Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1896-10-01

old boat. saw Jimmy apparently
ENJOYING his ride, but being grad
naily carried outward and dow,
stream.
1t seems that the little, fiye-year
old fellow had been playing in .
small scow, the bow of which rested
lightly on the beach, and had rock.
ed It free Of its hold, to his great
delight, and floated serenely away.
| On the west bank Of welland
River. about ESQ yards above it'd
junction, with The NisSara, stood
zH5us.. -maUscdnf snoeshsResx,rs~..
practised oarsman. On hearing the
alarm given. this man wasted no
time in idle ordinations, but ran
at once to where several boats were
moored further up the stream. Se-
lecting one already provided with
sculls, he sprang into it and was
away at full speed before most of
the onlookers had collected their
senses.
Just at this moment I arrived
upon the scene and witnessed all
that afterward occurred.
Now there are two entrances and
exits to and from the Welland !;
one, known as "The Gut" being
on the upper or west side of an iso-
lated bluff, called Hog Island, and
the other-the original channel
on the lower or east side.
1t was from out this last-named
passage that the child had fioated.
and, consequently, he was much
nearer the falls than il he had
emerged in the Niagara from the
Cut.
Lyons, of course, took the east
channel. but he had quite 400 yards
of slack water to row over before
striking the larger river, and when
he reached it the little scow with
its precious freight was at least that
distance from shore and much clos.
er to the rapids than even the bold
est oarsman would ordinarily dare
to 60.
So utterly desperate appeared the
chance Of rescue. that, as he sped
down Chippewa Greek, the shud-
dering spectators. among whom
was Mrs. Lyon. with one accord
called out to the gallant boatman
not to throw away his own life in
so mad an attempt. But the brave
fellow paid no heed to their cries.
Out 20 the broad bosom of the Nj.
agara he pushed, and was present.
ly flying obliquely down and across
stream with the speed of racing
shell. His wife screamed aloud in
an agony Of apprehension, and to
even the coolest among us it seemed
all to horribly certain that we
should witness q double tragedy.
Moro and more earnestly, with
out break or skip, and with
never-relaxing strength, the expert
enced sculler bent to his work, glanc-
ing now and again over his should
ers at the precious prize he had de-
termined to win-or die in losing.
To us, who, hardly daring to
speak or breathe, watched the fear
full venture, the success appeared
well nigh impossible. The child
could, perhaps, be snatched from
the boat before reching the rapids.
But what then? Neither he nor
his rescuer, we felt convinced, could
ever regain the shore.
The poor women, Lyons wife
and Jimmy's mother, sobbed pitt
fully as we all hurried down the
edge Of the river so as TO keep
abreast Of the skiff. None of us
dared to encourage them by hope
full word, for no: one Of as believed
that either would never again be
clasped in the arms Of husband OF
son.
The tiny scow was now quite 60C
yards from shore, and, with gradu.
ally accelerated motion. was draw.
ing frightfully near the rapids.
But the pursuing boat went four
feet toits one and was swiftly closing
the gap between them. The limo
cent babe had ct last become alarm
ed, and as Lyons drew near, b,
stretched his little arms mploringl,
toward him, o sight which drov,
women nearly frantic and causet
tears to roll down more than on,
manly cheek.
"Oh, hush ! hush not q wore
or cheer yet" some one said m T