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

vi uSuluoU tuo oulNto1 OlooO Oh ohoiO
and the big boiling seas breaking
around and over her and over the poor
fellows in heriggiug. Almost crazed
with suffering and fright, they kept
calling to the people on the shore and
grooming desperately They soon
sighted us as newcomers and fairly
yelled, hoping we had come to help
them: Save us, 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 q good deal by this time, and
it had stopped showing. The sea was
still terrific in its violence, laundering
and booming and lashing the shore
with foaming wrath. Nevertheless, it
seemed to me that we ought to attempt
something, risky as 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
hear them call to us. And they've
got to drown here before our eyes, [
reck'n. We can't do anything without
boat, and we can't with boat in
this sea, even if we had one, and
there isn't a boat-likely-- within
three miles.
" 'We couldn't get boat here in
time anyway remarked another.
" She'll break up all to pieces in
an hour, said third.
" Help! Helpr walled the voices of
the imperiled men.
" Good thunder!' said I, 4 can't
stand here and wait and see EN- die
like rats-can you, JESSE
" L shall never have any peace OF
mind again as long as l live if we do, ,
answered Jesse.
Boys said /, let's go down to
the town and get boat and see what
we can do
cat that all turned as 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 lives!
"On 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.
We'll 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 reached Hatch's house
we found that he had nothing better
than 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.
L" She'll leak like q 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 ole
{ boat and lifted her into the cart and
soon were on the way back, the slee'
: driving in our faces and freezing OF
} our boards. The storm seemed to be
rising again, and we felt that the en-
terprise was desperate.
| con the way we were joined by two
t other men, who volunteered to assis
in the undertaking.
|, eve reached the beach at last
} though it seemed doubtful if the ole
l horse that we had pressed into service
' would hold out to draw the cart to the
5 end of the journey.
: eve saw that the ship had lowered
in the water perceptibly during oul
I absence and might go to pieces an,
9 moment. The men, however, were
9 desperately holding on just about al
| we had left them. When they saw III
, they cheered, and this served tc
strengthen our resolution. We an
swered as we'll as we could, while W.
( hauled the boat down to the waters
edge and jumped in. 1t was more O.
less perilous launching dory in sucl
sea, but by watching for a smooth
[ instant we succeeded. The curren
:. ran strong against us, and the heav,
r northeast wind blew us down tn
f shore. But we had made allowance
for this in part by launching some dis
+ lance north of the wreck. Then, will
faces set and muscles tense, four O
: us bent to the oars, while the othe
, two were kept busy bailing the leak,
t craft.
!. "The men on the vessel were silen
0 now, watching our desperate efforts
l. while we were tossed like seaweed IL
, aud down on the roaring waves Twic
We were borne pas: than by the tseath
:, essHs Nndsytew end swspt q quarts
Of a mile dawn the ehsps hsssrs N