Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1899-02-10

AS they fell into the water, a
recoiling wave dashed them hack
under the wharf. The little purse
girl, faithfully clinging to her
harge, caught the woodwork with
one hand, and'by a desperate effort
climbed into the stone filed CRIB
work underneath the wharf, where
The water was less than three feet
deep. Fortune favored McDuf1
and Alan also. The bov had learn
ed to swim, since the beginning of
his holiday at Strawberry Island,
and. swimming, he was thrown
against McDnff. The two were
then flung. as Ethel had been, ur-
der the wharf, and succeeded, as
she had done, in climping into the
crib.
Here, in two or three feet of sur
ging water, they spent the night.
Had il been daylight and calm, all
were now 80 weak thev could have
made little further effort to save
themselves. Overhead vas the
planklng of the wharf, around them
water teh feet deep. In the dark
ness and the storm, exhausted as
they were, they shouted for help
for time, but soon 'deslst0d, for
the bowling storm Knocked their
feeble cries. All through the night
huge waves dashed against the
wharf, broke and rolled IN upon
them underneath.
Z bel and McDnff strove still to
spare the children as far as pOssi'
BILE. The little nurse held the in.
fant close to ner breast, while Nc
Duff held first Ethel and then
Alan up out OF the water as long
and as frequently as he could.
Daylight came at last, though
the fury of TIE storm continued al
most unabated. McDnf felt sure
that search-parties had been or
canized on bis failure to return
with the children, and hoped the
search would be extended az far as
Beaverton. This indeed proved
to be the case.
All night a weary, anxious par
ty had explored the shores of the
lake Tor a distance of twenty five
miles and more. Some Of them
reached Beaverton, and soon after
daylight McDuff saw two men
whom he knew on the shore near
by-Arthur Cudabee and JOhu
Seele-and was sure they were
looking for the wreck.
He halled them AS loudly as he
could, but tue storm was high and
his words were lost. Ethel joined
her voice to bis. but to no purpose.
Cudabee and Steel never thOnght
of looking under the wharf. They
had seen the coat upturned, aud
1t was only bodies they sought now
along the shore.
McDnff says his heart sank ana
that be aud Ethel we're IN utter
despair as they saw the men turn
on their heels. But at that MON
ent twig was bOrue in to them
Oh wave, and gleaa OF nope
came to Med fl with an idea 1t
gave him. UnroIlinG piece OF cot
ton that he had tied around a
wounded hand, he fastened it to
the twig and pushed 1t between
the plauks overhead, where 1t stood
as a signal OF distress.
About half past eight O'Clock,
six teen hours after the boating
party had lett Strawberry Island.
two men standing on the shore
saw the rag waving on Med # :
tsIg, aud hastened TO see wl a.
caused so curious an object. The
storm had now sensibly alb bited'
. and as they drew near the dag,
unseen by the party underneath
! the wharf, they heard the baby't
feeble cries. They shouted and
McDnff replied.
Hardly believing their ears, the
men took off the planking OF the
! wharf-a difficult task, vet the
| quickest means OF rescue-and hit
ed L bel, the baby and ali out OF
q the crib.
The boy, Alan, was at the last
! stage of exhaustion when rescued
+ aud Elhel Smith was in hardly bet
e ter pl GIT. When tue strain upol
,, them ceased, the reaction for
' short time proved almost as dan
;. gerous as the perils through which
| they had come. + bel and Alal
IS became delirlous, and McDuf' re
m nned for hours in a state Of ut
e ter collapse and suffering in
t tense pain. For days lie was una
'r bic to close his hands aud had b
d control over his muscles.