The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-07-13

| The OHIO and Mississippi trained
boys disdained such a stream as that,
and swan from side to side swiftly
as ducks across a barnyard pond. But
poor We we're as helpless chicks, but
| ashamed of our fear and ashamed of
our ignorance Of the life preserving
art. We moved shy of these good
swimmers for fer they would drag
us into the deeper water and half
drown us.
They went OF to chase each other
on the bank at a distance. Now was
the time to do a little practicing in
safely shallow water. 1t seems no
trouble for a duck to swim, and not
much more for a la Those strokes
seem so natural, SO easy, surely all
one needs to do is to strike just so
with the hands, and just so with the
feet.
We move out bravely and are amaz-
ingly encouraged. How the conf
dence keeps up when one knows he
can drop his feet down and stand on
solid ground with his head above wat
er! But who can describe the sensa-
tions Of one who cannot swim, when
be finds himself suddenly beyond his
depth! Instantly the bottom drops
out of his confidence, all his delibera-
ton vanishes, and all order of move
ment merges into the widest beating
and splashing of the waters. You
gasp for air and swallow a raouthful
Of water. The body turns to lead,
and the more desperate the movement
the more helpless n seems. You cry
for help and the water fills your
mouth and lungs. A whirlwind OF
confusion sweeps through your brain.
you are sinking and all hope is van
ishing. In an instant the sensations
and thoughts change in view Of tho
certainty of death. New Impressions
seize the mind. It runs with light.
ming swiftness through the entire pas1
life. Every doubtful and every evil
act starts forth with more distinct
ness than the magnifled pictures OF
the Illuminated canvas.
That act Of disobedience which
resulted in the horse running away
and breaking your arm is now more
henious than it was then, and the
ache in the conscience now hurts
more than the ache did in the arm
when It was broken. That mean act
of revenge returns to give greater
pain than the boy suffered when you
thought yourself "even with him.
The school quarrels are all pictured
on that canvas. in lurid light, and even
the little tricks to cheat the teacher
all reappear to mock at you in that
awful moment. You have gone down
the second time, and now are sink
ing for the third. time. A great hor-
ror Of darkness drops on the mind
and the senses. You have q faint i'm
preston that the crisis has come, and
there is a clutchfng at the hair Of
your head-all then sinks into dark
ness.
The next Is the awakening. You
are lying on the bank and family,
through a rift In the eyelld, III see
boys as trees walking around YOU,
and amid the terrible roaring Il the
ears you begin to hsar tones you rec
ognize.
Hes all right" shouts the Ohio
boy.
You open your eyes, and you are
thankful beyond words that you land
ed on this side the dark river. and
not on the other.
That afternoon dates one Of the
most impressive of the writer's lAe,
and. it has never been for a day lost
from his conscience. Saved! for
what! For good and not for evil. 1t
would be base and criminal beyond
estimate to turn from the right into
the wrong after such a signal token
Of mercy.