Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1918-05-24

Here's to the whole Of it-s
Stars, stripes and pole Of Il.
Here's TO the soul Of it,
Red, White and Blue.
JOHN J. DAILY.
went IN. We we're standing n Oh,
water waist deep, diving through III,
breakers, when the tide came ia, in two
big waves. The bottom seemed I,
drop out Of the ocean. Where We had
been standing waist deep, III was
fathOms deep. The horrible under.
tow and cross-curfents caught us
Some Of the fellows couldn't even
swim.
"0f the seventy-five people IN,
about twenty-five Of us were much
farther out than the rest. Five Of Us
out Of this bunch were good swim
mes and were making for the beach
at a pretty good clip when the rest
started yelling for help. -Four Of us
couldn't stand II and turned back to
help them. Out Of the four who
turned back ] am The only one alive,
The rest drowned right in front Of
me. God, il was awful
had an awful fight getting to the
man ] was trying to save, and be was
drowned before ] got 10 him. ] could
see him floating face down in the
water, and the next big breaker threw
him right on top Of me. / turned him
over and his face was horrible. 3 Re
was dead. All the time ] had been
trying TO get to him the big waves
beat me in the face and lmookh q the
breath out Of me SO / had very little
strength left Itnned and went fOl
the hoaah, hut my siEeneA Mas einn
and the great walls Of water breaking
over me buried me under them time
and again. ! gave mp al hope. /
simply knew / was doomed, but
kept on swimming. l began to gasp
for air and 10 swallow the salt water
and didn't seem to be gaining 4 BIZ
towards shore. Twice The kelp (sea-
weed) wrapped around me and both
times ! thought il was my last but
somehow ! kicked loose and came
up again.
"They put out 10 save me ID tbe
ifebOat, but II turned over right IN
front Of me. gave up hope then
entirely and pretty near quit swim
ming. The next big wave carri@ me
within twenty yards Of the shore. The
life savers formed a life chained By
grabbing each others wrists and
managed to get me just as | swan NY
last stroke, Just as they grahhea me
] crampsd, ! can really and truly
say, for know, that death isn't hard,
but life seems awfully sweet when
yOn are about to lose h. ] didn't tpt
frightened and lose my head like most
Of the poor fellows did, Mna pf
those who drowned Lost their heads,
Hugh didn't, He was 0ns Of mose
who gave their lives to help q com
rade, one OF the four Of us to turn
back and face those mighty walls Of
water TO help one Of the poor fellows
who couldn't swim, A brave, true and
wonderful man, one N Q millIOnl a
man 10 b. proud Of, q real hero, and
one Of The best friends ever had.
His death was not painful, l know,
for ] was nearly dead when they got
me. It's inst like going to sleep With
beautiful bells ringing. Oh. It's SO
easy TO die yourself, but SO horrible
to see other peQRle die. get hYsleri-
cal whep | talk ~ think Of those poor
fellows drawning all around mo aaa
! couldn't CT IA them. ! Wanld
gladly have given my lie IA saya
Hugh, hHl I diaaH have he chance
q have beeA publicly thanked "a
my efforts IN turning hack for tie
mag that drowned hefore / reaehed
him. Ppl The men Who iuTpsd back
and never came back are TIE veal
hqFaes, and ] wish IA Gad sometimes
that ! he'd gene down With them, 81
don't seem right for ne 10 BE- alive
and well With them dead. II al,
sixty were saved and fourteen were
drowned.
GRANT NAKls 81