Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1899-12-21

factory definition of the qualities that
make hero. Perhaps, after all, II Is only
the lack of opportunity that keeps all OF
Ms from being heroes. When that time
comes, il j. generally the hero himself
that Is most surprised.
That is the way il was with Tim. Two
days before Christmas. the following
year, the weather vancs backed into the
southwest for IA second time. There was
not much wind stirring, but the most
dangerous thing about the weather some
times is its calm. The sea captains emer-
titus said il was weather breeder" and
so il was.
The night before Christmas the south
west wind had freshened up aud at
dawn had reached that point which en-
titled il To being called II ''screamer."
From the south shore life saving sta
ton the captain in charge watched the
waves and the hungry shoals. stretch
ing five miles toward the main, bowling
and flashing like hungry lions. At sun
down there was "A deluge of cold rain,
carried straight out, with wind blow
ing 80 miles an hour The sand cut the
oilskins of the surfmen like Il knife, but
they faced il and walked their beats. for
they were heroes too.
1t was a little after 10 o'clock that
night, when the Christmas trees in the
churches had been unladen, that the
home corners saw an ominous flash across
the southern sky. and the trail OF the
rockets acted like Il cry of fire on the
men.
The dull silence in the Nantucket lanes
resounded with the frantic yell, Wreck
H.. A. IL. n
man was on foot in an instant. Tim
Henderson and all OF No. 4 were there.
too, but not the old hand engine.
1t is not over three miles to the south
shore from the village of Nantucket.
When the men had reached the scene,
the life savers had sent a line over the
mast of the brigantne Henrietta Rog-
ers, less than half mile away. But
the vessel was acting ugly and was loath
TO stand still She pounded on the shoal
and tugged az the line over which ran
the trolley Of the breeches buoy.
Three We're already saved, but every
moment it seemed as il the line would
break. As the mountainous seas heaved
and broke over the cliffs the line and
its burden were buried out of sight.
Then the line. released from its tension,
snapped into the air like a lash, and
yet somehow the breeches buoy held to
its trolley, and its human freight staid,
too, slowly feeling its way To the bank.
The captain of the vessel was the last
to come. The men had cheered them all
as they were picked up. half drowned,
and carried into the station by willing
hands. 1t was ready to cheer now as
the last man was slowly coming shore
ward.
But the words died on their lips, un-
uttered. The line had caught, When re-
leased from the clutch of the waves, a
dark object was tossed into the air. Each
moment it seemed as If the captain would
be thrown into the sea. That moment
would be his last. for nothing, not even
a lifeboat, could live in that sea.
Ii was not Il time TO stop and consider.
The life saving captain was about TO
speak TO his men, to command them to go
TO almost certain death. when a form
shot out Of the darkness and grabbed the
life line. The men on shore swore, not
softly" but above the roaring of the
storm they were heard, and il seemed as
if they called him n fool No one knew
who it was. for he was scarcely in view
long enough. even If he could have been
recognized Each time the line few into
the air the men on shore held their
breath.
Once man and line parted and disap
peared. \ low groan mingled with the
storm. Then the line flew up again, and
the man was again slowly creeping to-
ward the buoy.
There was no timekecper for that race
with death. 1t scented as if hours had
passed when the buoy again yielded to
the pull from the shore and the two men
were brought to safety.
When they picked up Tim Henderson,
already unconscious, they carried him to
the station as tendcrly as a mother gath
ers her child TO her arms. They had for
gotten TO cheer AT first. That came later,
when the waiting crowd saw the fisher
man stepping forth into the open air.
Tim walked back to town. He resent
ed any demonstration. He went home.
Persis Hayward waited all day for him.
but she did not understand him yet. If
she thought ii was for her that he risked
his life, she was mistaken. She learned
about that afterward.
Christmas night the wind had changed
to northeast, and the rain had turned in
to scet and snow. But the weather did
not count with Persis She had the
street To herself rs she half walked and
half blew down Newtown way. Later
she had Tim to herself too.
1t has never been really known what
happened, but il has leaked out that Tim