The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-01-30

dow. which overlooked the bay. and no
uced two men on the other side starting
to walk across. This was not an unusual
occurrence. as that portion of the bay
had been frozen over solidly and there
was no danger II the persons taking the
short cut across the ice knew the track
and how to avoid the dangerous spring
holes, where fresh water from Setauket
pond caused the ice to rot.
Supposing that the two men knew the
track, Mrs. Sharp gave the matter no
further thought until about 40 minutes
later, when IL suddenly occurred to her
that the two men had not passed her
house yet, as they were compelled TO do
IL they took the usual and only safe
route across the ice. The thought that
they had fallen into one of the spring
holes instantly flashed across her mind.
and putting on her shawl she stepped out
into the freezing cold night, and placing
her ear close TO the surface of the bay.
listened Her quick ear soon detected
the cries for help, in spite of the fierce
northeaster that was whistling and howl
ing about her. Mrs. Sharp at once grasp
ed long pole. used by her husband for
ceiling. and fastened over the ice to the
rescue.
Her way was beset with the greatest
danger. for there were many spring holes.
and II was pitch dark. II was only with
the greatest difficulty. too, that she could
distinguish the lamp in the window of
her cottage. Placing her ear close to the
ice every moment or two, so to catch
the cries for help, she soon came upon
the struggling men. She shouted encour-
agement to them and they gasped that
they could hold out little longer.
Seeing at a glance that one of the men,
Fritz, was near some solid ice, Mrs.
Sharp cautiously approached the place,
lying down at full length and gradually
working her way toward the spring hole
pushing her eel pole ahead of her.
She at last reached place where Fritz
could seize one end of the pole. and. eau
tioning him to go slowly, she worked her
way backward over the chilling ice, drag
ging the heavy man after her. until he
also reached the solid ice Once there he
painfully rolled himself on TO the ice and
made his way toward his rescuer.
All this time Dieckman was crying for
help. declaring that he would sink the
next moment II he were not rescued. Mrs.
Sharp promptly started out to rescue this
man she had the first one, but Fritz
insisted that he should take the eel pole
and rescue his companion. The woman
consented, as the operation had been
a painful and perilous one for her. She
directed Fritz at every point, and he
finally rescued his friend in the same
manner i'm which he had been saved. I'm
der Mrs. Sharp's guidance the two men
made their way across the ice in the
binding snow and reached the Sharp
home. where a change of clothing and
stimulants were given to them.
Mrs. Sharp. when seen by a Tribune re-
porter, declined to say much about her
heroic piece of work and passed IL off as
matter of little consequence. When ask
ed IL she were not afraid of the exposure
in the bitterly cold night, she said "Oh,
no. We fishermen's wives have to be ac-
customed to all sorts of weather"
But did you not take a pretty big risk
in venturing out on that treacherous ice
on such dark night?" persisted the re-
porter.
"oh, goodness, gracious. no." she re-
piled. Il know every inch of that bay.
both above and below water. Then. be-
sides, l never could have endured staying
in my comfortable home when l thought
those two men might have fallen through
the ice and were freezing 10 death"
This is not the only instance of life
saving that is credited to the Sharp fam
lily Charlie Sharp has rescued a number
of people from drowning in the years he
has fished i'm these waters, while even his
| 12-year-old son George has come In for
| good share of praise in this line. 1t was
| only last summer that three young men
from Brooklyn were fishing I'm the Mar
rows OF Conscience bay, where the water
is the deepest and the tide the swittest.
The boat they were in was of he fia:-
bottom kind. and II happened to be an
old and rotten one. At all events the bot
| tom of the boat suddenly fell out and the
| three young men. not one of whom could
swim, found themselves struggling IN the
water. Little George Sharp happened 10
| be fishing near by in his fathers boat
| and Fastening to the place he adroi.ly
picked up the young men. one after an
| other. and landed them safely. This es-
| pecially considering the size of the little
| beat the Sharp boy was in. was a feat re-
| curing the utmost skill, adroitness and
| caution. For this service George received
| no reward except a scant Thank you"