The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1898-05-19

washed completely over him. and he
came up coughing violently. swan
close to him, and said, encouragingly:
Keep up, old fellow!"
"Yes." he replied, with difficulty, but
cant get my breath"
I got him to rest one hand on my
shoulder for awhile, until he recovered
himself. Then he struck out again, but
in rather feeble way. We swan some
distance quite slowly, the great, muddy
waves dashing over US all the time.
saw with dis1nay that Harry was again
falling behind. l urged him to renew
his exertions, but he only said, family:
"I'm afraid can't hold out!"
helped him all could, at the same
time imploring him to do his best.
II am doing my BEST" he replied.
bravely.
And a few minutes later we were
cheered by faint but triumphant shout
from Lewis, who had reached shore.
| Harry and / felt our feet touch bottom
with a thrill Of intense thankfulness.
| Now that we were safe, we all felt COM
| pletely exhausted. and could scarcely
crawl along.
We were fully mile and half be-
low town. We had no clothes, and the
wind had become quite cold. The near
est habitation was the hut of an old
negro fisherman, who lived by himself
in the woods not far distant. We knew
old Uncle Clem well, and determined
to make our way to his cabin.
After toilsome scramble through
the dark woods, we came upon his hut,
which was brilliantly lit within by a
great wood fire. We knocked at the
door, and old Glen asked, in fright
ened sort of way:
"Who's dar?"
''Somp % the boys, Uncle Glenn"
"Wha, To- some oh de boys come roun'
dis time 90 de night?"
"Oh. come now. Uncle Glen, let us
in. and then we will tell you."
After considerable preliminary grum-
bling, we heard the old man draw some
thing heavy away from the door. and
the next instant the red firelghtflashed
out on two-Lewis having modestly re.
tired within the shadow of the trees
-shivering, naked bodies, that looked
in the ruddy light like pair of appa
ritions from graveyard.
The poor old negro, whose sight was
not very good, started back, with an un
earthly yell, and fell over chair in 6
paroxysm of terror. He veritabiy be
lieved that some evil spirits had come
to take him to everlasting torment.
Although we were chilled to the
bone, and faint over our exertion, WI
could not resist the absurdity of thu
situation, and we all began to laugh
whereupon Old Glenn stopped bowling
and ventured to look at us more closely
He knew us well, and when he recog
nized us, he began to laugh too, just a
II he had thought the affair immensel.
funny from the first.
"But wha's yo' close?" he asked
powerful chilly ebening to be goin
roun' widout yo' close"
1--WE have not got any. At least, the,
are on the river bank up above tn
town, II the wind has not carried then
away"
Uncle Glenn held up his hands II
1nspeakable amazement. Then he said
starting toward the door:
"I'll hab 'em TO- you, chillen, in jes
no time, an den we'll hab supper"
"No, mol" said I. II have a bette
plan than that. Let US have the SUP
per first, and we'll get the clothes after
ward. In the meantime, where is tina
suit of clothes gave you, Glen, abou
month ago? Let us have that, and W
will get warm here and have our sur
per. Then we can decide about ou
next move"
Clem brought out the suit, his onl
stock of clothing besides what he ha
on, and we appropriated it among III
Lewis took the vest and an old shirt
Harry took the coat, which was muc
too large for him, and came down
his knees, and took the pantaloon
Thus attired, we sat down before th
fire and watched Glenn fry the fish, til
bacon and the potatoes while we talke
over the events Of the evening.
At last supper was ready, and, q
soon as it was disposed Of, Uncle Clel
set out In quest Of our clothes. His r.
turn with the much-needed carmen,
was greeted with prolonged hurra
from all three OF US.
After partly drying them before th
fire, we put. them on, bade Uncle Clel
good night and started for home. whic
} we reached about nine o'clock.
We were very tired. very lame and NJ
, little bruised by our terrible bait
with the wind and waves, but then "
, had it to say that we had swum th
Mississippi river from shore to shol
e In the face Of fearful thunderstorm
, and lived to gain the land in safety
, Golden Days.
p One Word.