Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-09-06
HIT A DROWNING MAN.
A Blow With Clenched Fist Called
Out Protests, But 1t Was Justi-

A Blow With Clenched Fist Called
Out Protests, But 1t Was Justi-
fed.
It happened at one Of the Long Is
land sound resorts one afternoon week
or so ago. The day was hot and scores
of bathers were enjoying the still, cool
water. Suddenly there was a cry from
the crowd of spectators on the wharf
and a craning of necks. Some distance
out in the sound a swimmer, who had
been doing stunts" for half an hour,
had SUDDENLY begun splashing about fu-
riously.
Help! H-e-l-pI' he cried in fright
ened Shrek when he came to the sur
face after sinking once.
"A shark must be after him." said
frightened woman.
mo sharks in the sound" corrected
man in the crowd. Hes got cramp,
and Is frightened to death"
Why does not some one save him."
cried the woman, as there came another
agonizing cry from the struggling man.
Even as she spoke a strong-limbed
youth threw off his coat and tore away
the fastenings of his shoes. One more
glance to assure him that none OF the
men in bathing suits were going to the
rescue, and he plunged into the water.
"Get a boat!' cried some one, but as
usual in such cases, at that particular
moment there was no boat around.
The rescuer was swimming out and
the drowning man still splashing. The
crowd cheered and cheered again. 1t
was plain that he would arrive in time.
THAT young chap is hero,' said an
elderly woman.
"He ought to have a medal for It,"
cried another.
Where Is he?" demanded girl, who
lust worshiped heroes on or off the
stage.
Then a change came over the crowd.
The rescuer was loafing. With another
stroke he could have grasped the
drowning man, but he held back. Was
he going to let him drown after all?
The man with the cramp struggling and
fought his way toward the rescuer and
seized an outstretched arm.
The rescuer struck out with his
clinched fist, hit the man In the face.
It was an awful blow and the drowning
man sank like a shot.
"Brute!" cried the crowd. Murder!
He's trying to kill the poor fellow! lie
ought to be hanged. Just wait until ne
gets back to shore!" These and other
exclamations came from the frenzied
crowd.
Then came another change. The head
of the drowning man appeared. He
had ceased to struggle. The rescuer
was all action. Two strokes brought
him within reach Of the sinking head.
He grasped the hair, rolled over on his
back and started for the shore.
The crowd which a moment before
had been reviling him began to cheer
again. They made for the point OF land
to which he was heading that they
might receive him with open arms.
Some of them worried because the head
of the unconscious man occasionally
went under the surface. They were told
that it did not matter
THAT was the cleanest, most sk1iitui
rescue I've ever seen," said man VINO
seemed to know what he was talking
about. "The big fellow that was
drowning was so frightened over his
cramp that he would have taken the
youngster under with him had ne not
held off. He did just the right thing
when he hit him, and now he's bringing
him ashore in the best possible way.
He'll have to be resuscitated anyway
and q little more water in the lungs at
this stage of the game will not hurt
him."-New York Tribune.