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

chalueu III tOue eiOQueut IN us very
bitterness:
40, If those wretches had but re-
manned and coupled their strength with
mine, how easily we might have sus-
tanned the boat and saved your
''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, 1 will battle
against our fate while my strength
lasts. Perhaps relief may reach us
before l am quite conquered
AT that moment a clear ringing
shout reached our ears from the water
little distance above us, and looking
in the direction whence the shout came
we discovered man fighting his way
toward us with snperhuman efforts, in
Part supported by branch Of some
light wood. AS ne drew near we rec
ogniZed 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 1t occurred
had instantly cast aside. his boots, coat
and hat and plunged into the stream,
hoping to Overtake us before we
reached the dam, and aid us as he
might by his superior knowledge Of
water craft.
con reaching us, Charley was quite
as much exhausted as Darwin himself,
and his first word was a declaration
that it was sheer folly for them to at.
tempt to sustain the boat there until
they became utterly helpless, and fin
ally be forced over the dam like an old
saw log.
"'Give me 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
onds later he had Darwin in also, and
the boat was drifting swiftly onward
again towards the dam.
SnCCNC1 was IL
sutton of Mary's, while Fallonsby, who
had so baseiy abandoned her in the
moments of extreme peril, rumor said
was her accepted lover.
Queer arrangement, wasn't it, girls?
There we We're, two foolish girls. drift
ing to destruction with our rejected
suitors, while our accepted ones were
perched ON rock away up there in the
middle of the river, like sea-lions, only
there was very little of any sort of lion
about them.
Now, then, Denton said Charley,
gaily but earnestly. let us to work and
wreck this craft tritle more, that we
raay have something to save her with.
are sitting, while 1 help myself to this
enc. So-we are supplied with toler-
able paddles-n0w you take the bows,
and I'll go aft; keep one eye on my mo-
tons, and assist my navigation with all
the might that Is in you. I've been
three times over that old dam, with
more water rolling over than there is
this evening. Help me all you can,
Denton; and you girls keep quiet, and
il don't pilot you down that channel
without ruffling feather, I'll agree to
swim up stream over the DAM
Il can never describe to you the fear
full plunge, for every sense was merged
in that of concentrated vision, and that
fixed upon the stern, resolute features
CT the two heroes who were so gener-
ously periling their lives for our saliva
ton.
I'VE passed the seething vortex un-
scathed, and then / think tainted, for
have no recollection of anything fur
Their until awakened by the congratula-
tons Of our whole party save two, who
had FASTENED across the river, and
down the bank to the point where OAR
win and Charley had landed us in
safety.
when the base conduct Of Mountain
and Fallonsby was proclaimed, it was
voted unanimously that nights re-
Election on the rock there by themselves
might be of service to them. In the
following morning, however, they were
brought off; but they were never very
well received in Fairfield society after
wards.
"a year later, Charley and Mary,
Denton Darwin and myself, all went
over the matrimonial dam together"