Rural Retreat times. [volume] (Rural Retreat, Va.) 1892-1918, 1903-03-20
r L was a very narrow escape,
said the doctor.
Crossing the harbor?"


e exclaimed.
"Yes," said he, with a laugh, then
gravely, sit was my narrowest escape"
"Tell me the story" said 1, much in
terested.
1t was a quiet evening-twilight--
with the harbor water unruffled, and
the colors of the afterglow fast fading
from the sky. We were sitting by the
surgery door, watching the fishing
boats come in from the sea, and our
talk had been Of the common dangers
of that life.
"Do you see the little cottage on the
other .side-back Of the church and to
the left?' said the doctor.
"Under the big rock?" said I. "With
the little garden in front and the lad
going up the path?''
aye" said the doctor "Some years
ago, when that sturdy little lad was a
fodder in pinafores he was taken sud
denly i'll. 1t was a warm day in the
spring of the year. The ice was still in
the harbor, locked in by the rocks at
the narrows, though the snow had all
melted from the hills, and green things
were shooting from the earth in the
= gardens. The weather had been fine
for week. Day by day the harbor
ice had grown more unsafe, until, when
Tommy, the lad you saw on the path,
was taken ill, only the daring ventured
to cross upon it.
'sTommy's father came rushing into
the surgery in a pitiable state of grief
and fright. I knew when I first caught
sight of his face that the child was ill.
Doctor said he, my little lads
wonderful sick. Come quick1
"'Can we cross by the icey I said.
1--WE come that way said he. 'Tis
safe enough t. risk. Make haste, doc
tor, sir! Make haste!'
LEAD the wayr said I.
''He led SO cleverly that we crossed
without once sounding. the ice. TWAS
a zigzag way-a long, winding course
and / knew the day after, though I
was too intent upon the matter in hand
to perceive it at the moment, that only
his experience and acquaintance with
the condition of the ice made the pas
sage possible. After midnight, when
my situation was one of extreme peril,
realized that the way had been
neither safe for me, who followed, nor
easy for the man who led.
My boy is dying, doctorr said the
mother. when we entered the house.
Job. save himp
My sympathy for the child and his
parents-they loved that lad-no less
than a certain professional interest
which takes hold of a young physician
In such cases, kept me at Tommy's bed
side until long, long after dark.
need not have stayed so long-ought
not to have stayed-for the lad was
safe and out of pain, but in this far
away place man must be both nurse
and doctor, and there found myself,
at II o'clock of a dark night, worn out
and anxious only to reach my bed by
the shortest way.
Z" I thinks. sir said Tommy's father,
when made ready to go, that 1
wouldn't go back by the ice'
go, nonsense said I. We came
over without any trouble, and I'll find
my way back, never fear
81 visit you'd stay here the night,
said the mother. If you'll bide, sir,
wen make you comfortable
"'No, no. said /. I must get to my
own bed
"If. you'll not go round by the shore,
sir said the man, leave me pilot you
across
"'stay with your lad said I. some
what testify I'll cross by the Ice
'..'Twill be the longest way home
the night said he.
"When a man is sleepy and worn out
he can be strangely peryerse. | would
have my own way, and, to my cost,
was permitted to take it. Tommy's
father led me to the landing stage put
a gaff in my hand and warned me to be
careful--warned me particularly nci