The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-07-13


Kent.
He had picked up from the floor n
large silver medal that baby sister
had been biting with her teethless lit
tie gums.
"rhat? Why, it's the medal that
the United States government gave
me in 1s5l-before your mother was
born," answered grandpa, rs he stud
led the inscription absently.
'Did the government give you
that?" cries Kent, surprised that his
grandfather had been on such familiar
terms with the government of the
United States "Why, what for?"
$50 1 never told you that story, did
I?'' says grandpa, with some pride in
his voice. "That was for helping to res
cue the crew of the brig Zilica, bound
for Bay of Fundy and shipwrecked off
this coast. And it astonishes me to
this day to remember that we did not
every one of MS lose our lives trying
to save them"
''Oh, tell i'll tell i'll Please tell it,"
urged Kent, now fired with interest to
hear about real adventure by his
own grandpa.
''That happened in the days before
the United States life-saying service
was organized. That branch of the
marine service was not established
until the year 1871. Some time before
you leave the Cape will take you to
the back shore to visit the liie-saving
station and show you some Of the won
derful appliances they have nowadays
for saving fe-lifeboats, life buoys,
p0tticoat breeches, mortars for throw
ing the lines, red fire to burn and all
the numerous traps besides. | 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.
Glow many men were there with you
when you rescued the sailors?"
''Let me think There was Steve,
my brother; Jesse Freeman, Robert
Judson-well l think there were six
of us all told"
Sand did they all have medals like
this?"
LES, every one ol US.
"Do tell the story, grandpa"
swell. it was about dark wheE we
took the last ones off the brig" says
grandpa, beginning at the end of the
narrative. Poor fellows, they had
lashed themselves to the rigging. where
they had remained all day, hungry
and wet and chilled to the bone. They
havn ! al,
night a-coming on and the vessel fast
going to pieces.
"Half the men in Wellheet had
been up to the back shore that day to
see the wreck and the men. They
would just go and look at the grew
some sight for little while and then
turn about and go home"
"Why did you wait all day before
you tried to get them OFF,"
"Because the wind was blowing a
terrific hurricane all day, my boy.
The sea was raging like fury, seeth-
ing with foam and dashing over the
wreck every moment. The breakers
were booming and crashing on the
beach, and nobody wanted to brave
their fury. The most experienced of
them thought it was foolhardy to ri SIX
their lives with the certainty of being
drowned or dashed to death by the
waves.
at was the first day of December,
and smothering snowstorm ragged all
day. My, how the wind blew that
dayl
II was ont of town in the morning
and did not hear OF the disaster to the
Zilica until 1 came home about 3 in
the Afternoon" went on grandpa, now
fairly back at the opening of his
story and beginning to stir with awak-
ened memories.
Have You heard the news?" your
grandma asked, as 1 came into the
house. There's a ship ashore up the
back side. Eight men, they say, lashed
to her rigging and no hope of saving
them.'
'Thunder!' said I. and rushed out
again into the gale and started to walk
mp to the beach"
"How farY" asked Kent.
"Three or four miles. I was young
then aud didn't mind little walk as /
do now. ran half the way, I guess.
As ! went along Iovertook three other
men, acquaintances OF mine. One of
them called
'Hullo, Ben; haven't seen ye be-
fore. Where ye been?'
been to Provincetown.' an.
swered. Just heard abont the wreck
We've been up once before. But
its no nse trying to do anythina
Going again, because we'd like to
know II the poor fellows are still hold.
1ng on. Cad. 1t Is an awful ight.
thopGhl'
4 thought 80. too. little later,
vhsn versn down 70 The beach.