Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-07-21

''There was the vessel, driven beam
on against the sands, close on shore
and the big boiling seas breaking
around and over her and over the poor
fellows in therigging. Almost crazed
with suffering and fright, they kept
calling to the people on the shore and
groaning desperately. They soon
sighted us as newcomers and fairly
yelled, hoping we had come to help
them: Save MS, save us! We are
freezing to death, freezing to death!
''Their despairing words shrieked
out above the booming breakers and
seemed to fill the air. The wind had
abated good deal by this time, and
it had stopped showing THE sea was
still terrific in its violence, laundering
and booming and flashing the shore
with foaming wrath. Nevertheless, it
seemed to me that we ought to attempt
something, risky rs it might be.
''We men looked at each other with
questioning faces, for none of us at
the moment could see just what could
possibly be done.
Poor fellows!' said Tom. Just
hea" them call to us. And they've
got to drown here before our eyes, /
reck'n. We can't do anything without
a boat, and we can't with boat in
this sea, even if we had one. and
there isn't boat-likely- within
three miles.
'We couldn't get boat here in
time anyway remarked another.
6 Shell break up all to pieces in
an hour, said third.
" Help! Helpr walled the voices of
the imperilel men.
" Good thunder!' said I, Il can't
stand here and wait and see 'em die
like rats-can you, JESSE?
g 4 shall never have any peace of
mind again rs long as live if we do,
answered Jesse.
Boys, said I, let's go down to
the town and get boat and see what
we can do
cat that all turned rs one man tow
ard the village, Jess waving his SOU
wester' as we reached the top of the
sand dune, while we all shouted back:
Hold on, hold on for your livesp
con the way, half running now with
the impulse that had seized us in com
mon, we made our plans how we would
operate for the rescue. We agreed,
for one thing, that Jess should be cap
tain of the enterprise, as he had expe-
rience with boats rather more than the
others of the party.
Wei try to get along with any
thing that Isaiah Hatch happens to
have, then, says Jess. 1T won't be
SO far as the village
"When we reachel Hatch's house
we founG that he had nothing better
than a leaky old dory.
"However, we were not to be dis
couraged now at anything. Our blood
was up, and every man of us stood
ready to risk his own life to save the
poor wretches on the brig, whose cries
seemed to- be still ringing in our ears.
She'll leak like riddle,' says
Jess, critically examining the boat while
others of us harnessed Isaiah's old
horse to farm cart. Get a couple
more bailers, and we'll try her any
how
We hauled out the numbering old
boat and lifted her into the cart and
soon were on the way back, the sleet
driving in our faces and freezing on
our boards. The storm seemed to be
rising again, and we felt that the en-
terprise was desperate.
''On the way we were joined by two
other men, who volunteered to assist
in the undertaking.
"We reached the beach at last,
though it seemed doubtful if the old
horse that we had pressed into service
would hold out to draw the cart to the
end of the journey
eve saw that the ship had lowered
in ths water perceptibly during our
absence and might go to pieces any
moment. The men, however, were
desperately holding on just about as
we had left them. When they saw us
they cheered, and this served to
strengthen our resolution. We an
swered as we'll as we could, while we
hauled the boat down to the waters
edge and jumped in. 1t was more or
less peiiious launching dory in such
n sea, but by watching for a smooth
instant we succeeded The current
ran strong against us, and the heavy
northeast wind blew us down the
shore. But we had made allowance
for this in part by launching some dis
tance north OF the wreck. Then, with
faces set and muscles tense, four of
us bent to the oars, while the other
two were kept busy bailing the leaky
craft.
"The men on the vessel were silent
now, watching our desperate efforts,
while we were tossed like seaweed up
and down on the roaring waves. Twice
we were borne past them by the treach-
erous undertow and swept quarter
Of mile down the shore before we