Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1897-05-13

soon light movements of the boat dis
turbed me. 1t seemed as if it wa
making gigantic lurches, touching al
ternately the two banks OF the river
then 1 thought that some being of in
visible force drew it gently to The
water, then, raising it, let it fall once
more. was tossed about as though
in the midst of a tempest, l hearC
sounds around me. | rose with ,
bound. The water was cleaning. Al
was quiet.
saw that my nerves were some
what shaken, and | determined to be
off. l pulled at the chain, the puut
bsgan to move; then l felt resistance
| pulled harder, but the anchor die
not come. 1t had caught on some
thing at the bottom of the river, and
l could not lift it. once more com.
menced to pull, but in vain. Then
with my oars turned the boat ur
stream in order to change the position
of the anchor. This was useless; il
still held fast. l was seized with an
ger and shook the chain furiously
Nothing moved. l sat down discour-
aged and began to reflect upon my
position.
could not think OF breaking the
chain or OF separating it from the
boat, for it was very heavy and rivet
ed in the bow to piece of wood thick.
er than my arm. But as the weather
was still very fair, l thought that
should not remain long without en-
countering some fisherman who would
come to my relief. My mishap had
Gained me. l sat down, and at last
was able to smoke my pipe. I had a
bottle of rum. I drank two or three
glasses and was compelled to laugh
at my situation.
1t was very warm, so that [ could,
if necessary, without great discom-
fort, pass the night in the beautiful
starlight. Suddenly soft rap sound
ed against the side OF the boat.
started, and cold sweat froze me
from head to foot. This sound doubt
less came from some piece of wood
born by the current, but it was enough,
and l was again possessed by strange
nervous agitation. | grasped the
chain and strained with desperate
effort. The anchor held firm. l sal
down exhausted.
Meanwhile the river had gradually
become covered by very thick white
mist which hung very low over the
water, so that, standing, | could
no longer see the river, or my feet
or the boat, but only the tops of the
reeds, and in the distance the low
land, white in the moonlight. and
from it great black spots, formed by
clumps of Lombardy poplars, arose. in
the sky. l was wrapped to my waist
as if in muslin sheet of singular white
ness, and fantastic visions came to
me.
fancied that someone whom
could not distinguish was trying tc
climb into my boat, and that the riv-
or hidden in this opaque mist, must
be filed with these strange beings
who swan about me. | felt horrible
disquietude; my temples were tightly
bound; the beating of my heart al
most choked me, and losing control
Of myself, l thought of saving myself
by swimming, but Immediately this
idea made me shudder with fear.
could see myself lost, wandering at
random in that thick fog, in the
midst of the grasses and reeds from
which I could not free myself, quiv-
ering with fear, unable to see the
shore or to find my boat, and | i'm
agined | could feel myself drawn by
my feet to the very bottom of this
black water.
Indeed, as l should have been
compelled to struggle against the
current for at least 500 yards before
reaching point free from grass and
rushes where 1 might gain foot
hold, there were nine chances out OF
ten that l should not be able to find
my way in this obscurity, and that |
should be drowned, good swimmer
as | was.
tried to reason with myself. i
determined not to be afraid, but there
was something in me besides my will
and this other thing was afraid. |
asked myself what there was to fear.
My brave / jeered at my poltroom I,
and never so well as on that day
have / understood the conflict of the
two beings that exist in us--the one
willing, the other resisting, and each
in turn prevailing.
This foolish and inexplicable fear