The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1903-02-18
THE COWARD


At about 2 o'clock ON a raw, blus-
orv March morning the inhabitants
afthc little village of Shickshinny,
~ the upper Susquehanha, were
roused from sleep by hoarse shouts
md By the violent ringing Of the
church bell. Men and boys dressed
IN haste, and o crowd soon congre-
Gated on the river shore.
There was good cause for excite
ment. The ice, which seemed COM
naratively firm on the previous
ivening, had broken during the
n;rht. The yellow tide, already swol-
len TO many feet above its normal
level. was almost hidden by the
leaving, grinding cakes.
And, worst of all, this unexpected
event had placed an unknown hui
man being in peril. From Scrub is
land came hoarse shouts for help
and at intervals the discharge Of a
rl,n. The red flashes could be plain
lyseen. u
Scrub island lay in midchannel
directly opposite the village. It was
hardly more than bar, for nothing
Grew upon it but bushes. Near the
lower end was a small cabin, which
some of the village boys built for
amusement out Of driftwood. Here
the castaway had probably taken
refuge, and his situation was ex-.
tremely critical. In a short time the
cabin would surely be carried off by
the rising flood and ice..
AS the crowd were specializing on
the unknown ones identity and dis
cussing the hopelessness of rescue
Squire Tyson, the most wealthy and
influential man Of the village, came
running down the shore.
casper is on the islard," he
cried, wringing his hands in agony.
"He went over this afternoon to
shoot ducks and has net returned
home. He must have fallen asleep
in the cabin, and the ice has carried
away his boat. Will no one save my
poor boy? Are you all towards ?"
The unhappy man grasped a boat
that lay bottom up on the shore and
tried to drag it into the water.
Ealf q dozen men caught and held
him.
"You will only throw your life
away" they cried. mo boat could
move a dozen yards in that ice. We
could save your boy if there was any
chance ct ell"
The squire suddenly realized that
this was true. He stood gazing mute
" toward the island, his face rigid
with despair. A groan Of pity burst
from the crowd as another gunshot
was heard, followed by hoarse ap-
peals for help. The tide rose higher
and higher, but now clear spots were
visible here and there, and all at
once the river seemed to become free
of ice.
The meaning of this was plain.
The ice had formed a gorge some
where up stream. Here seemed a
chance of rescue, but no one was
willing to take advantage of it. The
crowd knew by past experience that
the gorge would likely break in a
moment or two, and then the freed
ice would sweep everything before it
like an avalanche. In vain the squire
appealed to them. In vain tie poor
boy on the island cried for help.
Not 8 man would risk what seemed
certain death.
Suddenly q stoutly built lad of
sixteen separated from the throng,
and, running up the shore a few
yards, he hauled a light skif into
the water. He seized the oars that
lay in the bottom and pulled sturdi-
~ into the swirling current, heading
l a diagonal course up stream.
A simultaneous cry of amazement
burst from the crowd. Some cheered
the daring Lad; others warned him
back.
God bless him!' cried the squire,
bursting into tears.
Indeed Curt Webb was the last
one any person would have believed
capable of such a brave deed. He
was an orphan and worked hard for
livelihood in a grocery store. The
village boys, headed by Jasper Ty-
son, despised and hated him because
he had persistently refused to join
any Of their mischievous depreda-
tons. He could never be induced 10
hight his tormentors, though Jasper
and others dared himAto combat
many a time. So the boys gratified
their malice by calling him the
coward" and by this epithet he was
known. in'the village.
But the Coward" was surely as
tonishing his enemies now, and his
progress was watched with breath
less interest. No one expected to see
him come back alive.
Steadily the boatcrept towardth
island. Curt bent to the oars with