.MTA4.MTUwNjM

From transcribe
Jump to: navigation, search

68

  1. 13

-64-

After a few strokes, I seen daylight through. I didn't lose any time in getting there. I got to the top of the water. and the two little girls we were swimming this way, going this way. I looked around. I didn't see anyone else on the water. I seen the pier of the bridge. I thought I would make for it During this time paralysis started to come over my hips, and I had to strive my best. I seemed to be five minutes trying to make that pier. I could not make it. I looked around again, saw the little girls paddling in the water. I seen a small board. About this time I stated to lost control of my legs. I could not move them any longer. I was swimming by this time straight up and down. I said I am not going to drown in this say, and I started to swim ashore. I lost power of that arm. I am not going to dive in that way. I saw this little board about a foot square. Put that arm right over. That stick helped me considerably. That practically saved my life. That seemed to hold me up. I was very careful of my wind trying to save it, trying to get shore with one hand. I don't know just how far from shore. It looked to me fifty or seventy-five feet from shore. I can't be positive, but it seems to me, the captain, a man in a rowboat, - I would not know the man again if I seen him,- he just happened to come along when I seen him. I told him to turn the stern end of his boar. He turned the stern end of his boat. He got me in but I just laid there. I heard the cries of of this other poor fellow, Mr Shortreed. About that time Mr Mitchell came along in his rowboat. I would not be sure if it was Mr Mitchell, but the captain told him to hit away up there to this fellow. The captain landed us in a helpless condition, got left on the bank. We were completely helpless. Mr Mitchell helped me get up. I thought all the time I was on the opposite side of the bridge to where we came in. I found afterwards we were on the northside of the bridge. My head was going to split. I started to vomit this water out. As I was standing on