The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1897-03-06
in tone eloquent in its very

claimed in tone eloquent In its very
bitterness:
80, if those wretches had but re-
manned and coupled their strength with
mine, how easily we might have sus-
tanned the boat and saved you"
Then finding that he could no longer
force the skiff another atom against the
surging current, he resolutely set HIM
self against the lower gunwale, and
said very quietly:
Louise and Mary, / will battle |
against our fate while my strength |
lasts. Perhaps relief may reach Us |
before am quite conquered
AT that moment clear ringing |
shout reached our ears from the water
a little distance above us, and looking
in the direction whence the shout came
we discovered man fighting his way
toward us with superhuman efforts, in
part supported by a branch Of some
light wood. AS HE drew near we rec
cgnized Charley Cheever, who, as we
subsequently learned, had been ramb-
ling alone about the foot of the island,
and observing the accident OF the oar
breaking at the moment it occurred
had Instantly cast aside his boots, coat
and hat and plunged into the stream,
hoping to oyertake us before we
reached the dam, and aid us as he
might by his superior knowledge Of
water craft.
l o. chit nnifa
as much exhausted as Darwin himself,
and his first word was declaration
| that it was sheer folly for them to at.
tempt to sustain the boat there until
they became utterly helpless, and fin
allv be forced over the dam like an old
saw log.
"sCiye me a hand here-bOth of you
girls. Nova long pull, strong pull,
and pull all together And by the
united efforts of Mary, myself and
Charley. that young gentleman was in
the skiff directly, and not many Sec
opds later he had Darwin in also, ami
the boat was drifting swiftly onward
again towards the dam.
Charley Cheever was discarded
sutton of Mary's, while Fallonsby, who
had so basely abandoned her in tbs
; moments of extreme peril, rumor said
was her accepted lover.
"Oueer arrangement, wasn't ii, girls
There we We're, two foolish girls, drift
ing to destruction with our rejected
suitors. while our accepted ones wer'
perched on a rock away up there in the
middle of the river, like sea-lions, onl.
there was very little Of any sort OF liol
about them.
"sNow. then, Denton said Charley
, gaily but earnestly, let us to work an
=, wreck this craft a trifie more. that W
may have something to save her with
Wrench out that thwart on which 70
are sitting, while help myself TO TIM
!. one. So-we are supplied with tolei
= able paddles-now you take the bow
= and I'll go aft; keep one eye on my INK
, tons. and assist my navigation with q
. the might that is in you. I've bee
three times over that old dam, wit
more water rolling over than there
: this evening. Help me all you cal
!, Denton; and you girls keep quiet, an
IL don't pilot you down that chann
:, without ruffiing feather, I'll agree
!, swim up stream over the DAM
% II can never describe to you the Tea
full plunge, for every sense was merge
:, in that of concentrated vision, and TN
fixed upon the stern, resolute featur
CT the two heroes who We're SO gene
- cusly periling their lives for our salv
n ton.
a, eve passed the seething vortex u
m scathed, and then l think Tainted, L
GO | have no recollection Of anything IL
Their until awakened by the congratul
or lions of our whole party save two, w
nh lad FASTENED across the river, a
~ down the bank to the point where ID
;ly win and Charley had landed us
oh safety.
ay "When the base conduct Of Monta
an and Fallonsby was proclaimed, it "
fl voted unanimously that nights
ad Election ON the rock there by themsel'
ad might be of service to them. In
On following morning, however, they WI
ird brought off; but they were never W
,ed well received in Fairfield society aft
ere wards.
vas "a year later, Charley and Ma
an Denton Darwin and myself, all W.
the over the matrimonial dam together