The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-10-09

was now or never. Together we fired
round after round and shouted Justify
i'm unison. But the wind a risen as
the sun went down and the terrifying
roar and crash OF the giant foes as they
were ground together by the swirling
tide defeated our puny efforts. Just as
We were beginning to fear the worst
n had actually recommended our
chastity voyage our salvation came.
The irresistible force behind the ice
a evidently broken up the jam ahead
Suddenly our corporal cried out that
he saw signals. I sprang on 30 the
hillock once more and shouted with the
desperate energy of a man whose life
and the lives OF many others depended
on the power OF his lungs. II seemed
that the Ice bed had been driven
asunder and subdivided below, as well
as above. the town and the check that
had brought US to a temporary stand
still had been caused by the central
mass itself. released. but unbroken.
jamming helplessly in the bend of the
giant river.
The advancing up-river Zoe were
hus arrested until some portion of the
obstruction had come away. II seems
that one OF my stan In the town itself.
going on night duty. thought he de-
scribed human figures or one OF the
foes as he was gazing from the jetty
at the appalling war OF the ice masses
IN the river. Tie COulu not tOS IN
dividuals. OF course. but he saw fellow
creatures in sore peril. and he acted
with promptitude and skill.
Without a moments delay he dashed
of to the barracks and called out the
men. In a wonderfully short space of
time he had our iifeboat ready for
launching. Now. before joining the
Chinese service. Mr.. T. had been an
officer in the mercantile marine. and
his nautical training certainly stood
him in good stead that night. He cal
culated that the career Of the Hoes
would soon be blocked again in the
big bend. and he felt sure that a back
current would be set up under the near
bank. II turned N exactly as he had
anticipated. His boat was then carried
over a rough region Of ice TO the lane
~ water made by the eddy aforesaid.
and soon eight staiwart rowers were
pulling in our direction.
VIII my readers try 10 imagine the
feelings with which I and my half
dazed comrades suddenly heard the
sound OF oars in the ~rowlocks. almost
instantly. followed by a CHEEKY English
hail. Ice ahoy?" Now began the finaf
struggle. Our rescuers were within $50
three or four huge MASSES Of ice
smaller. however. han the one on
which we stood. Thee smaller oes
We're necessarily mote sensitive than
our own TO the action uf the eddies. and
they were now tossing and whirling In
wild confusion. And the darkness Of
night began TO envelope this utterly in
describabie scene. Under these desper-
ate circumstances 7 don't suppose that
any sane man wou have attempted
the Passage to the boat on foot. but the
thing had To be don Anyhow. where
i and my hardy NOrsemen went my
stanch Manchus unhesitatingly fol-
lowed We ran. We jumped and we
slipped we swayed like drunken men
as We stepped from foe To Zoe. which
ruse and fell and swirled and crashed
round and round bcneath rs. but we
never actually tumbted down Al last
We reached the boat and sunx our
selves into IL. speechiesx and almost
fainting. Mr.. T. wasted no words Of
congratulations: no sooner were we all
over the gunwale han the oars swung
10 work g more. and the sturdy gall
lev shot down the open passage up
which she had come.-Cincinnati En-
Quirer.