The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-08-06

HOW GRANDPA CAME BY THE MEDAL
by NJ. A. A. STILES.
NJ. A..
" - y u u y

Kent.
He had picked up from the floor q
arge silver medal that baby sister
lad been biting with her teethless lit
lie gums.
"That? Why, it's the medal that
he United States government gave
ne in 1851-before your mother was
oorn," answered grandpa, as he stud
ed the inscription absently.
"Did the government give you
;hat?" cries Kent, surprised that his
grandfather had been on such familiar
;erms with the government of the
United States. "Why, what for?"
80 l never told you that story, did
r." says grandpa, with some pride in
lis voice. "That was for helping to res
cue the crew of the brig Zilica, bound
or Bay of Fundy and shipwrecked off
his coast. And it astonishes me to
his day to remember that we did not
avery one of us lose our lives trying
70 save them"
ooh, tell it! tell it! Please tell it!'
Urged Kent, now fired with interest to
near about real adventure by his
own grandpa.
"That happened in the days before
jhe United States life-saving service
was organized. That branch of the
marine service was not established
until the year 1871. Some time before
you leave the Cape I will take you to
;he back shore to visit the lifesaving
station and show you some of the won
lerful appliances they have nowadays
or saving life-lifeboats, life buoys,
! petticoat breeches, mortars for throw
ing the lines, red fire to burn and all
the numerous traps besides. l think
you will find these more interesting
than the story, my boy"
"But the story, grandpa; the story!
Tell that now, grandpa" insisted
Kent, impatient for grandpa to begin.
"How many men were there with you
when you rescued the sailors?"
'Let me think! There was Steve,
any brother; Jesse Freeman, Robert
Judson-well l think there were six
Of lis all told"
"Agd did they all have medals like
this~
eyes, every one of us"
''Do tell the story, grandpa"
"Well, it was about dark wheI we
took the last ones off the brig" says
grandpa, beginning at the end of the
narrative. poor fellows, they had
ashed themselves to the rigging, where
they hal remained all day, hungry
and wet and chilled to the bone. They
couldn't have stood it much longer
night a-coming on and the vessel fast
going to pieces.
"Half the men in Wellfleet had
been up to the back shore that day tc
see the wreck and the men. They
would Just 60 and look at the grew
some sight for a little while and ther
turn about and go home"
"Why did you wait all day before
you tried to get them OFF,"
Because the wind was blowing 6
terrific hurricane all day, my boy
The sea was raging like fury, seeth
ing with foam and dashing over thu
wreck every moment. The breakers
were booming and crashing on tn
beach, and nobody wanted to brav
their fury. The most experienced o
them thought it was foolhardy to ri 81
their lives with the certainty of bein,
drowned or dashed to death by tn
waves.
'Tt was the first day of December
and O smothering snowstorm ragged al
day. Ny, how the wind blew tina
day
"l was out of town in the morning
and did not hear of the disaster to tn
Zilica until l came home about 3 il
the afternoon" went on grandpa, nov
fairly back at the opening of hi
story and beginning to stir with awak
ened memories.
" Have you heard the news?" you
grandma asked, as l came into tn
house. There's ship ashore up tn
back side. Eight men, they say, lashe
to her rigging aud no hope OF Saving
them
'Thunderr said l, and rushed GU
again into the gale and started to wal
up to the beach,.
"HOw far?" asked Kent
"Three or four miles. | was youn
then and didn't mind little walk as
do now. ran half the way, I guess
As went along Iovertook three othe
men, acquaintance of mine. One {
them called:
'Hullo, Ben; haven't seen We be
fore. Where ye been?'
" Been to Provincetown,' | al
swered. Just heard about the wreck
" We've been up once before. Blu
it's no use trying to do anything
Going again, because we'd like t
know if the poor fellows are still holt
Ing on, Cad, it is au awful sigh
thoushP
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