The suburban citizen., 1902-12-13

down the sound the whistles blew con.
tinualy, some faint and distant others
louder and nearer, My fingers were
numb from clutching the coarse
strands.
At last / knew that l was drawing
near the barge. The cable no longer
sank beneath my reach. could hear
the rush of water before the PROV.
And now the rope was above the sur
face altogether High in the air above
me blunt stem loomed through the
mist 1t was the barge at last. with
the cable rising at a sharp angle and
disappearing over its bow.
Wearied by my efforts felt that
could never climb that steep slope
without help. l shouted but my voice
could not be heard above the rushing
foam. Despairing at last of attracting
the attention of anyone on board,
saw that my only chance was TO as.
cend the hawser. I was fairly strong
in the arms. and had 1t not been for my
previous struggles the feat would have
been an easy one. In my present state,
1t seemed a tremendous task; but
had no choice in the matter. My life
hung on my power to lift myself hand
over hand. If l let go. the barge would
ride over me like marine car of
Juggernaut, drowning me at once. ]
began the ascent.
The rope tightened, lifting me so that
my toes barely touched the water
Again it grew loose, and | was sub.
merged to the waist l was now fairly
in the spume in front of the boat
Inch by inch 1 drew nearer Once
more the hawser frightened, and 1 hung
suspended over the surge boiling be.
fore the PROV. 1t slackened and
was thrown against the stem.
This continual motion was my worst
trouble. Had the rope been perfectly
still could have climbed much more
easily; but it was a dead lift, and
every inch cost me untold agony. Over
and over again l gave UP all hope of
being saved Then l would resolutely
put out of my mind the thought of the
entire distance, and focus my whole
attention on the handhold Immediately
before me. When by heart.breaking
effort l had gained that. fixed my
aim on the next, and so on. Thus little
By little progressed, crawling upward
with snaillike slowness.
At last l was almost up to the
"chocks" through which the hawser
ran; but my strength was utterly eX-
hausted. and l knew that / could never
Chamber on board. With one supreme
effort I raised myself so that my head
came for an instant above the bull
warks, and looked into the eyes of a
deck-hand who was not more than
three feet away
The CONSERVATION and terror on the
mans face would have been ludicrous
under any other circumstances. For
moment we remained staring at each
other. l was too weak to speak, and
he was too frightened. Then l began
to slip back, still clinging desperately
TO the hawser
The end of boathook reached eau
tiously out over the bow and moved
down toward me. 1t caught the back
of my shirt and did not mind that it
pierced through and drew blood In
deed, did not know it, for at that in
stant my fingers relaxed their hold, and
lost consciousness. l afterward
learned that my preserver would have
been unable to get me on board but for
the opportune assistance Of another
bargeman.
spent the greater part Of the next
day in bunk ON board the barge at
coal dock in Hobollen. But the follow
ing morning found me little the worse
for my adventure, and l went back
to Connecticut that forenoon for the
remainder Of my vacation
Companion.