The Jennings daily record., 1902-12-27

down the sound the whistles blew con-
tinually. some faint and distant, others
louder and nearer. My fingers were
| numb from clutching the coarse
strands.
At last knew that 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 a blunt stem loomed through the
mist. 1t was the barge at last, with
the cable rising at a sharp angle and
disappearing over it's bow.
Wearied by my efforts felt that
could never climb that steep slope
without help. 1 shouted. but my voice
could not he 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. was fairlS strong
in the arms, and had it not been for my
previous struggles the feat would have
been an easy one. In my present state,
it seemed tremendous task; but I
had no choice in the matter. My life
hung on my power to lift myself hand
over hand. If let 60. the barge would
ride over me like a marine car Of
Juggernaut, drowning me at once. I
began the ascent.
The rope tightened, lifting me so that
my toes barely touched the water.
Again 1t 6rew loose, and was sub
merged to the waist. I was now fairly
in the spume in front of the boat.
Inch by inch I drew nearer. Once
more the hawser tightened, and I 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 I could have climbed much more
easily: but it was a dead lift, and
every inch cost me untold agony. Over
and over again I gave up all hope Of
being saved. Then 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 I had gained that, I fixed my
aim on the next. and so on. Thus little
by little progressed, crawling upward
with snail-like slowness.
At last I was almost up to the
"chocks'' through which the hawser
ran; but my strength was utterly ex.
hausted, and 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 |
a moment We remained staring at each |
other. 1 was too weak to speak, and |
he was too frightened. Then I 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 ii ]
pierced through and drew blood. In
deed, did not know it, for at that in.
slant my fingers relaxed their hold, and |
l 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.
l spent the greater part of the next /
day in a bunk on board the barge at
coal dock in Hoboken. But the follow.
ing morning found me little the worse
for my adventure, and I went back
to Connecticut that forenoon for the
remainder of my vacation.-Youth's
Companion.