Year: 1878




itself in his thoughts. A resolution to
be on guard would have proved sufficient
to remove the concern that was troub-
ling him, if it had not been that the
fear of another and more dangerous un-
dertow had found lodgment m his
mind-a fear that he was trying to
shake off but the more he tried the more
closely it clung, and the more it magni-
fed itself. He paused as his feet ttouch-
ed the water, and an infowing wave
lifted itself halfway up to his knees.
But the returning drift was scarcely
perceived, and he moved forward until
he reached the line where the surf comb
ed and broke.


AS wave after wave struck and went
over him, Medairy felt the old life and
exhilaration coming back, and he aban-
doned himself to the excitement of the
hour. 1t was not long before he found
himself a little beyond the breakers !;
but being good swimmer, few strokes
brought him nearer shore, and within
the line of safety. He felt such vigor
in his arms-such pride in his strength
and manhood. Fear sense of danger
These were for weaker men So, dis
porting now amid the breakers, and now
venturlng beyond them, Medairy spent
nearly half-an-hour, sustained more by
the stimulation of excitement than by
normal strength.


Suddenly, as he was struggling in a
surf that broke unexpectedly over him,
while further from the shore than any
of the prudent bathers had ventured, he
felt his strength depart, and at the same
moment the reflex movement of the un-
dertow struck him with unusual force,
and bore him out from the land. By
the time he was able to recover little
self-possession, to get the water out of
his eyes and mouth, and to bring into
action his skill as swimmer, he found
himself drifting steadily from the shore,
and unable to make any head against
the outmoving current. He threw up
his hands in sign of distress, and called
loudly for help; but SO long time
passed before his danger became appar-
ent, or the life-boat could reach him,
that he lost consciousness, and sank
twice below the surface. AS his white
face came cleaning up through the dark
water second time, strong hand
grasped him. But life was apparently
extinct.


at was that cursed, treacherous un-


Medairy's three young friends, Hen
derson, Bradford, and Milwood, were
seated around his bed, discussing the
accident and its well-nigh fatal termina-
tion. 1t was Milwood who made the
remark.


Cursed and treacherous You may
well say SC" answered Medairy. whose
memory held a vivid impression of that
brief struggle in the surf when the break
ers threw him from his feet, and he
found himself helpless in the grasp of
the undertow, which seemed to spring
upon him treacherously in the moment
of his weakness. "You see," he added
81 stayed in too long. l ought to have
known that it was only the excitement
and exhilaration of the bathing, aud not
my reserve of strength, that was keeping
me up, and that they could not last for
ever"


"There is," said Milwood, speaking
with great sobriety of manner, IAN un-
dertow more fatal and treacherous than
the one which came SO near dragging
our friend Medairy to watery grave.
Some of us have felt it; l for one; and
it has come near tripping me on more
than one occasion. To-day [ have
strength to stand against it. But is
there not danger, if remain too long
amid the rush and excitement of the
breakers, that it may fail in some strong
cr sweep of the undertow, and that
may float out seaward, helpless, and
drown ? Such things happen every day
and we know it. There is in every
glass of champagne, or brandy, or beer
that we take an undertow as surely as
in the wave that strikes the shore and
draws itself back into the sea. Yes, we
know it, friends-all of us; for we have
INDUCED in too many champagne-sup
pers, and been to too many wine-parties
in the last year or two. not to have hac
good opportunities for discovering the
fact. And besides, we see almost daily
one and another drifting out from th'
shore and drowning, while we stant
looking on unable to rescue. A thous
and are lost every year in the drag o
this undertow to one in that from which
Medairy has just escaped. There, I'v
said my say, and you must make tn
most of it. If the other side wants t
speak, the floor is vacant. I'll listel
and weigh the arguments.


But no one answered him. Each fel
the force of utterance; and with eacl
was a solemn sense of danger.