l2
THE TIMES, NEW BL00MFIEL1), PA.. JULY 1. 1879.
A TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE,
on
A SWIM FOR LIFE.
I AM fifty years old now, hale and
strong, but not the Vigorous man I
was at the time of the events described
In this story. I was reared on the Mo
uongfchela river. My earliest employ,
mient was on that stream. I was a ferry
nuan, a fisherman, a boatman, a rafts
tman, Btid certainly a swimmer every
thing that did not call uie away from
ue river.
When the United States declared war
ugalnst Mexico I enlisted Bt Pittsburg In
the Second Pennsylvania regiment, and
went. I passed through General Scott's
campaign with but one Blight wound,
and It was an adventure I had near the
City of Mexico, after the fighting was
over, that resulted, strange as It may
seem, tn a big swim in theMonongehela
two years afterward.
One day while we were quartered at
Cuycan, seven miles from the conquer
ed capital, I, being a sergeant, was order
ed to take a file of men and pursue a
.reckless character named M'Cutchln,
- whe had escaped from the f4'uard house
;. and fled toward the city. He was one of
the worst men in the regiment, and had
'lately been confined in the guard house to
await a trial by court martial on a charge
of murderous assault on a superior
officer. We caught sight of the fugitive
'befwe we had gone half the distance to
like city, and he immediately left the
toad and plunged into a dense thicket of
a square mile In extent. We immedia
tely scattered through the bushes In pur
suit, and five minutes later I came upon
him hiding in a very thick clump of
the chaparal. I expected he would run
for it on being discovered, but to my
surprise he sprang out and rushed upon
uue like a tiger, flourishing a large knife,
il had 'barely time to club my musket
when he was within two feet of me, and
had lie been one second soouer he cer
v tuiuly would have stabbed me. But
with one blow from the butt of my
vn&sket I felled him, and immediately
vailed fur my companions. They were
both within hearing, and soon at the
spot.
"Here he is, boys," I said. "The
rascal made an assault on me with his
knife, and I knocked it down. Watch
Jiim. Where is that knife?"
' Here it is," said one of the boys,
picking it up.
M'Cutchln had not got upon his feet
and was rubbing his head, every now
and then scowling upon me In a very
terrible manner.
"Oh, I'll pay you for this!" he finally
said.
"M'Cutchln," said I, "in arresting
you I simply obeyed orders, and lu
knocking you down I simply acted in
self-defense. You know you attempted
to kill me 'with that knife. Now I
want none of your threats, or I'll make
your case worse than it Is. March him
to camp, boys."
We proceeded to camp, the desperate
prisoner all the while glaring upon me
like a demon, and repeating muttered
threats. He was a very wicked and re
vengeful man.
He was soon after court-martialed
and sentenced to wear a ball and chain
about his ankle for one month,and after
that he was dismissed from the army in
disgrace, forfeiting all all his back pay.
So two months later he was put on board
a transport at Vera Cruz and sent to
New Orleans.
During the second summer after my
return to the United States I was em
ployed as a mate of a steamboat on the
Monongahela. She was a light draught
boat called the Merry, and as the water
did not usually fall low till late in Au
gust, we plied between Pittsburg and
New Geneva nearly all summer the
distance being one hundred miles. Oc
casionally, when there was any consid
erable rise in the river, we ran up to
Morgantown, W. V., twenty miles
above New Geneva.
One rainy evening, when" we arrived
at New Geneva, we found the water
high enough for a venture to Morgan
town, and the captain decided to run
up.
Just before we left the landing a
strange man came aboard, stating to the
clerk that he wished to take a deck pas
sage to Pittsburg, and asking permission
to remain on the boat while running up
to Morgantown and back, that he might
at once " turn In," and have an unbro
ken night's sleep, to which the clerk
assented, the passenger paying his fare
to Pittsburg.
He was a rough looking man, with a
rsandy beard that covered three-fourths
of his face. However, I pale" but little
.attention to him, and hs soon passed aft
to where the freight was stored and the
deck Lands slept.
Our boat steamed up the river a little
'before dark, and we passed the mouth
of the Cheat river just as night fairly
set in which it did in terrible earnest.
The clouds thickened up, the rain came
down' in torrents, and I never before or
since saw a night so intensely dark
The Merry could hardly proceed far
without running aground, for the tall
shores entirely disappeared from view
in the awful gloom ; but the doors of the
furnace were thrown open and the blaz
ing fire under the boilers shed a dim
light ahead, which enabled the pilot to
pick his way along for a time, by run
ning very slowly.
We had gone about two miles above
the mouth of the Cheat river, when, de
scending from the cabin deck by means
of a very narrow flight of steps on the
larboard side, I saw our deck passenger
skulk away from the foot of the stairs
and pass Into the quarters aft, ns though
to escape observation. Ashe did so I
caught a brief glimpse of his face for
the light of a lamp at one of the engines'
shone on it and it immediately struck
me that It was not unfamiliar. A mo
ment later, while I stood pondering, the
face re-appeared at the door, and the
deck passenger stepped out, saying, in a
low tone :
" Do you know me?"
" I was just thinking I had seen you
somewhere," I replied.
"Must I tell you my name ?" he ask
ed. " Yes, I would like to know it."
The mysterious deck passenger step
ped closer to me, so as his bearded face
was within an inch of my ear, and
whispered, " M'Cutchln."
I had scarcely time to think ere he
gave me a violent push with both hands,
and I fell backward from the low deck
into the river, immediately forward of
the crashing wheel. A blow of one of
its paddles would have crushed me, but
fortunately I sank to the bottom and
before I arose to the surface the wheel
had passed over me. I shall never forget
the sensation produced by the thunder
ing of the paddles over my head and the
rushing and bubbllug of the muddy
water about my ears.
My plunge into the water had been so
entirely unexpected that I strangled
badly at first, but being one of the best
of swimmers I soon recovered, rested
upon the surface with but little exertlou,
and began to deliberate as to what I was
going to do with myself. The clatter of
paddles, rapidly receding from me, re
minded me that I ought to make some
effort to attract the atten Hon of those
on the boat, and I shouted with all my
might, but to no purpose; and the
faint lights that peeped from the after
cabin soon disappeared beyond a bend
In the river, a little way above.
The rain was pouring down, and the
darkness so intense that I strained my
eyes in vain to catch the outlines of the
tall hills against the sky. The heavens
themselves were as black as the rushing
river. Nothing was to be seen ; I could
only feel ; and it may be relied on that
I felt very uncomfortable. The water
was not decidedly cold, but it was
much too cold when taken in such
quantities.
But I was too familiar with the water
to be easily daunted, and although I
could not say with Byron that I was a
"child of the ocean," I deemed myself,
at least, as near as a brother-in-law to
the Monongahela river. So I struck out
vigorously for what? Shore? Well,
yes, I had some vague notion of getting
to shore before morning, but how was I
to get there ? In which direction should
I swim ? For the life of me and that
life was at stake I could not guess in
what direction either shore lay. So I.
struck out at random. There was a
strong current in the river, but as I
moved along with it, I had no means of
calculating its course. Still, I swam
away through the black torrent, confi
dent that I must eventually reach one
shore or the other.
"When I had Bwam at least four times
the width of the river I lay-to a mo
ment, and again endeavored to pierce
the awful gloom, but in vain. My eyes
actually pained and head throbbed with
the effort. It was so perfectly dark
that I remember wondering if it ever
could grow light again. There was no
means of ascertaining where the shore
was, and I endeavored more than once
to " touch bottom" with my toes, but in
vain.
I then struck out again, and after
swimmimg with all my might for ten or
fifteen minutes, I began to be tired, and
became really alarmed. Suppose whole
hours should pass, and I should still be
unable to discover the shore or strike it
by accident ? The danger of my situa
tion now burst upon me with bewilder
ing force, and I felt that my strength
was failing. I grew impatient and an
gry, and began beating the cruel waters
in my frenzy, and screaming loud curses
against the murderous M'Cutchln,whose
revengeful spirit had prompted him to
hurl me into the fearful peril.
Presently I heard the rippling of wa
ter near me, and, thinking it was the
current flowing among the rocks or
bushes at the shore, I struck out in the
direction with new hope. I put out my
hand and touched something solid. But
it was not the shore ; it was a large snag
that barely peeped out of the water.
Gladly accepting a respite, however,
I climbed upon it, almost exhausted,
And sat half immersed in water, shiver
ing, trembling, and wondering whether
the morning would see me alive.
The rain was still pouring down, And
I caught the glimmer of a faint flash of
lightning, which was followed by the
low rumbling of distant thunder. But
the lightning was too dim to reveal the
hidden shore. Presently I felt the snag
sinking beneath my weight, and I
plunged into the current again And re
sumed my swimming in what direction
I did not know.
At last, when I felt that I could not
stay up much longer, I caught a glimpse
of a light in the distance. It was evi
dently shining from a window, aud I
was sure it must be on shore ; so, with
new courage, I steered for the light,
which for the first twenty-five minutes
seemed to recede from me like an Ignis
fatuus. But I persevered, determined to
strike as long as a muscle would move,
for I was swimming to some purpose
now. Ten mlnuteB more, and I found
that I was undoubtedly Hearing the
light. Hope lent me new strength and
courage, aud I think that, exhausted
though I had reoently felt, I now did
such swimming as I had never done
before.
Ten minutes more,' I was rapidly
Hearing the light, when to my dismay,
it suddenly vanished. My heart sank
again ; my strength was fust leaving
me, and I was about to go down with
a half uttered prayer on my lips, when
my feet touched the pebbly bottom, and
I found myself In shallow water. I
stood up, and with a tottering step,
waded out and found myself on shore.
I crawled up a steep and muddy bank
and for a few minutes lay down almost
helpless.
The rain had abated somewhat, tho'
the darkness hud not, but presently a
flash of lightning revealed the whole
scene to me among other objects, a lit
tle log house, not more than fifty yards
distant. I arose from the wet earth,
and with trembling steps went stagger
ing toward the house. Another kindly
flash of lightning guided me to the door,
at which I knocked without, hesita
tion. " Who's there?" came from within.
" My name is M'Cann," I replied. " I
live at New Geneva, and am mate of the
Merry. I fell off, and have Just swam
ashore."
" But what was the steamboat doing
on Cheat river ?" asked the man of the
house, striking a light.
"Cheat river 1" I exclaimed. "We
haven't been on Cheat river."
The door was cautiously opened, and
the farmer appeared, with a candle in
one hand and a gun in the other.
" Oh, come in," he said, as he recog
nized me (for he had Been me before,)
"what's all this?"
I tottered in and fell to the floor ex
hausted. I must have been a picture to
look At with my wet And muddy clothes,
hair disordered, and without hat or
coat.
"Dear me, I presently heard him
say in a low tone to his wife, who came
in from an adjoining room, " I've often
heard he drank too much, poor feller,
but I never know'd he got on such ter
rible 'uns as this."
But I soon convinced them that I
was not on a " terrible 'un." A roaring
wood fire was started in the huge fire
place, and some coflee made for me,
which I drank, and found myself ma
terially revived.
Then I told my story.
Mr. Davis' house stood on the right
bank of the Cheat river, a mile from its
junction with the Monongahela ; and it
began to appear to mind and such was
the fact that after having swam a cou
ple of miles down the Monongahela, I
had varied the exercise, in the blind
night, by swimming a mile up the Cheat
river, and against a strong current. I
presume that I had first decried the
light shining from Mr. Davis' window
while still floating in the Monongahela
at the mouth of its tributary.
Such was my swim for life.
Not long after I had been pushed
from the deck of the Merry she ran
aground, as I afterwards learned, and
stuck till morning. M'Cutchln, the
malevolent deck passenger, thinking it
a good opportunity to escape, attempted
to leap ashore ; but the boat was not so
near the shore as he supposed, and he
landed in the water, and was soon car
ried beyond his depth by the swift cur
rent. Not being such a swimmer as the
man he had endeavored to murder on
that dark night, he soon sank beneath
the muddy torrent and his body was
found a few days afterwards a short dis
tance below Brownsville.
CjJ"The "Suuday Afternoon" says
One of the most remarkable things in
human nature is the willingness of wo
men to sacrifice a girl's life for the
chance of saving the morals of a scape-
grace man. If a pious mother can on
ly marry her Beelzebub to some good,
religious girl, the chance of his refor
mation is greatly increased. The girl is
neither here nor there, when one con
slders the necessity for saving the dear
Beelzebub.
A Woman'i Thumb,
THE female thumb is said to be an
important index of the female
character. Women with large thumbs
are held by phrenologists, physiogno
mists, eto., to be more thAn ordinarily
intelligent what are called " sensible
women," while women with small
thumbs are regarded as " roniantlo."
According to certain authors, who
profess to have been observers, a wo
man's hand Is more indicative of a wo
man's character than her face, as the
latter is to a certlan extent under the
control of temporary emotions, or of
the will, whereas the former is a fact
which exists for any one who under
stands It to profit by. Consequently a
few hints about the proper reading
of a woman's hand may be very useful
to certain of our readers, especially mar
ried men, or men contemplating matrimony.
Women with square hands and small
thumbs are said to make good house,
wives and gentle wives. These sort of
women will make Any man happy who
is fortunate euough to win them. They
are not at all romantic, but they are
what is better thoroughly domestic.
Women with very large thumbs have a
' temper" of their own, and geiinerally
a long tongue.
There Is a hint In this to a lover. Let
him, the first time he seizes hold of his
mistress' hand, ' examine under some
pretext or Another her thumb; and if
it be large let him make up his mind
that as soon as he becomes a married
man he will have to be a good boy, or
else there will be the very deuce to
pay.
Again, if a young man finds that his
ladly-love has a large palm, with cone-
shaped fingers and a large thumb, let
him thank his stars, for in that case she
Is susceptible to tenderness, readily flat
tered, easily talked into or talked out of
anything, and can be a readily managed
partner. But if she is a woman with a
square hand, well proportioned, and
only a tolerably developed thumb, why
then she is either one of the two dis
tinct classes of woman she is either
a practical female who will " stand no
nonsense," or she is a "designing fe
male." She is a woman who cannot
be duped, or a woman who will dupe
him.
A Darkey's Opinion.
Pompey hired himself as a laborer
to a farmer who was very fond of
laying out the work so that there was
always something pressing when Sun
day Arrived. When haytime came, he
would sometimes cut down a lot of
grass on Saturday that would require
turning over in the morning.
One Sunday at daybreak, he called
his new servant.
" Now, Pompey, get up I"
"Don't want to get up. Sunday
morning, massa."
"But you must get up and get your
breakfast 1"
"Don't want no breakfast. Sunday
morning, massa: rather lay a-bed than
breakast, massa."' -
" But get up and help- to shake the
hay."
" Don't do work on Sundays, massa.
I didn't hire out to work Sundays."
" Oh ! but this is a work of necessi
ty." " Don't see dat, massa, at all ; don't
see dat; it's no work of necessity."
" Well, but would you not pull your
ox out or tne pit on tue aobatu day .'"
" Oh, yes, massa 1 oh yes ; but not if I
shoved him in on Saturday night."
Horrible Death.
A singularly painful experience has
been that of a burglar who has been
emulating the exploits of Mr. Peace, at
Sheffield. The plunder-seeker determin
ed to enter a pawn broker's shop by the
chimney. Descending to within six
feet of the fire place, he stuck fast, and
despite all his efforts, utterly failed to
get free.
For four long hours he struggled in
vain, and then the servant of the pawn
broker came and lighted the fire below
Then the roasting of the burglar began
What kind of sens ation the robber ex
perienced we are left to imagine ; all that
is known is that after three hours of tor-
ture,his groans became so audible that the
proprietor of the place heard them , and
sending for the police an d a builder, did
the best he could to extricate the thief.
This proved, however, to be no easy
matter, for before the entrapped rascal
could be rescued the brickwork had to
be taken down. When found the miser
able man was imbedded firmly, his
mouth and eyes were filled with soot
and he was dreadfully scorched so that
he died immediately after he was taken
out.
A Great Enterprise.
The Hop Bitters Manufacturing Com
pany is one of Kochester's greatest bust
ness enterprises. Their Hop Bitters
have reached a sale beyond all precedent
having from their intrinsic value found
their way into almost every household
in the land. Graphic.
DR. WIIITTIER,
No. 802 Ponn Street, Pittsburgh, Pa.,
Continue to afTorrl reliable special treatment of
I'HvatA a tl1 It.ln... ,1 . ...... .
mi
" , i Mini y I'lnrmnrn. rm imjii uuio
irHiuf ru. npermRtori hiwa or Seminal weak-
ill,
prod
"..-Ji..iji1iiiuuuBi.iiiii.j1 nisnc emissions, u
ifn(leny, dlMlnPfm, dlntneM of Blent, pimples
iiolng iim roiiiMlebimy, night emissions, de-
na
i II v Imiinr.Ariftv ninf ....! .i,..nu..
v. .""-"v """""n vi ininu Biiu vmiy, unci
.unfitting the i Tictlm for marriage or biislnem
rftnflnrlii a I fft m t.i. - ....
.it o. i . 1. 1' i' i (y ume. uonorrnpas.
Oleet. Strictures, al Urinary diseases and Byphl-
j.. ... ... .,.,,.,. ur ,, inner pans or me
body, are perfectly cured, and the brood poison
WHITTIER la a regular graduate ot medicine, as
III, illnlnln. .1 nHln. ahnn. U. III. ... .
..i.u.uiiiiiiniHviiiuDniiiinni mn urn long special
enperlence In all private diseases, with purest
medic ne prepared by himself, enables him to
onre dllllcult cases after others fall It l self-eTl-dent
that a physician treating thousands of cases
every year acquires great skip. The establish.
...I. ,n uvu.ini aim m.iicu, auu flu BrrnilEHu iliac
patients see the doctor only. Consultation and
nnrrniniiiiilanna nrlvala nml Ih. I; ....... 1 . 1 ... - .
. ...... .v... w uh'iiid miu iicn. niiiiuiGi3 nsilb
sealed for stamp. Medicines sent everywhere.
lours v a. M. to r, w.. and 8 r. M.. to g P. M.
nmlAva from In A m tn l v Xf i?Ar.......i..
should read the
MARRIAGE AND HEALTH GUIDE,
144 pages, fine Illustrations, price 20 cents. A
book for private, careful Trading by both sexes,
married or single, explaining wonders and mys.
terles of sexual systemf reproduction, marriage
Impediments, etc., causes, consequence and cure.
Bold at olllce or by mall, sent securely sealed, on
receipt oi price In money or postage stamps. Ad
dress DK. WIIITTIKK, Mo. 302 1'enu Bt.. Pitts,
burgh. Pa. W 46 ly
JyJEW WAGON SHOP.
THE undersigned hrvlng opened a
WHEELWRIGHT SHOP,
IN
NEW BLOOMFIELD,
are now prepared todo any kind of work In their
line, in any style, at prices which cannot fall to
give satisfaction. Carriages of all styles built
and all work will be warranted.
8TOUFFKB & CRIST.
New Bloomtleld, April 23,187".
J. M. Girvik.
J. H. Girvih
J. M. GIRVIN & SON.,
FLOUR, GRAIN, SEED & PRODUCE
Commission Merchants,
No. 64 South Gay, St.,
BALTIMORE, MD.
We will lmv strict attention tn the snle nf nil
kinds of Country Produce and remit the amounts
promptly. 45 lyr.
J. M..OIKVIN & BON.
M
USSER& ALLEN
CENTRAL STORE
NEWPORT, PENN'A.
Mow offer the public
A RARE AND ELEGANT ASSORTMENT OF
DRESS GOODS
Consisting si all shades suitable for the season.
BLACK ALP AC CAS
AND
Mourning Goods
A SPECIALITY.
BLEACHED AND UNBLEACHED
MUSLINS,
AT VARIOUS PRICES.
AN ENDLESS SELECTION OF PRINTS!
We sell and do keep a good quality ot
SUGARS, COFFEES & SYRUPS
And everything under the head of
GROCERIES I
Machine Needles and oil for all makes ot
Machines.
To be convinced that our goods are
CHEAP AS THE CHEAPEST,
IS TO CALL AND EXAMINE STOCK.
No trouble to show goods.
Don't forget the
CENTRAL STORE,
Newport, Perry County, Pa.
BOOKS?;: IVSILLIOfJ
a i' jr, ii w ana cimipin uhjuV V
Wedlock, containing, witn mtov
othen, tlt tuUuwiiiK enapfrrti A
competent Womanhood, HtsWiion of
Witt, Uvidtncr ot Vujtiiiiiy. Tem
pcnuiitiiu, cotitpuiblt it 4 hicomptii-
U.. SUiriiitV lit iuwn. ium m.nA
lfttiiiti!i, iu onut'Bruuin, Advice Id nuiDanU.
Advic to wive, Fruniiutiun, U rfttur. Celeb cy tiitl
jniinmonT compan u, vonnugi mine, Lonti ption, con
f) iiement, Xov and Courtthiu. IiupeUiment to Marriage,
to mala an1 female). Science uf lU-p reduction. Sin tie lite
eonndereU, Law uf Martiae U f Divorce, Jfalnghn
of mamad women, ere., including DIsomm peculiar to
Woman, their cauaet aiid treabtient. A ttoh for print
mod eoniidcraie reading, ol 320 ptiit-a, with nil 1 lata fc n
graiuiga. by mail, eeiled for AO ccuu.
. ''The Private Medical AuvirV '
on Syphilis, Oouorrbrca. titet, Biricture, Vrloo4et
c, aleo on Spormati orhoaev Saxual Dbility, at.d Im
potaner, from Je:i-bue ami Lxc . rauiing Seminal
hnuHi'im, N rvoueiiei, Avercion to Society, Confunon ot
Idea, Phvairat d cay, bimutesor tieitC, lietn-tivw Memory,
Lom M $iual Powir makm- niarrufra improper
or onheppv, iririnf treatment, and flrral mtny
valuab.e receipts: fr t!) cm vf ail pmW duaaaw Hutl
itt, OVW 6U platil. BO cetitt.
. "Medical Advie."
Uctar on Manhood and woniwuUod, 10 etkt fr
ail three, in on nicely bound Toluni. $1. They cutitaia
6O0 pRei and over 10U llluietraUcna. rmhracinx every
thing on th irencrailvt rtyeteiu that in wortli knowing, and
Btuca that Ife not puiiiiaht-d in aity other work. 'J'ii ctr".
bined vol unit i uoiiiiwLjr the tV't Popular &ldkl Jlowk
fmbliahrd, atid tiitM diMiriVd alter kiiiujc U can hav
lieir money refund. -d. The Author it an experienced
Phytirian of many yean practice, Mi tn well kiutwit.) an l
the adrica jnven, and llulre tor trenhnent laid dowu, will
befouud of (treat value to thie iilWrum fri.m iinpuritie
of the (yet-m, early errorOoet v!ror. or any t,t the numer
out truublve coming under thu head tf Jriwt or
Chroma" diie. -Sent tn eiHia volumee,ur complet
In on, for JVor iu Sump, Silver or Currency. CoiteuL
totion CuDfUeiit-al, and kttrra ra pr-mprly and trauk'f
annrered without charge.) Add ream Dr. Butts' Oiipan
ry, 18 N. flih St, M. Louia, Mo, (EsUbUahod lt47 J
i.J For ulabyNowiDofllort. AGENTS wanttd
(1'it. tw 119 ineiiaa au peraonn tuirmnf from
Rl ITtHE to aend him their name and addraes,
and hereby atiuret them that tht-v will Iwn