Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume 06
General
Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume 06
Scottish Borders (Scotland) -- Fiction
"It is John Crawford!" exclaimed those who were enabled to recognise his
features. A loud shriek followed the mention of his name--a female
rushed through the crowd, and the next moment the delicate form of Agnes
Crawford was seen floating on the wild sea. In an instant, a hundred
plunged to her rescue; but, before the scream of horror and surprise
raised by the spectators when they beheld her devoted but desperate
purpose, had subsided, she was beyond the reach of all who feared death.
Although no feminine amusement, Agnes, from a child, had delighted in
buffeting the waters as though she felt at home upon their bosom; and
now the strength of inspiration seemed to thrill through her frame. She
was hidden from the gaze of the marvelling spectators, and a deep groan
crept along the shore. She again appeared, and her fair hand grasped the
shoulder of the drowning man! A shout of wild joy rang back on the
deserted town. Her father, who was amongst the multitude, fell upon his
knees. He clasped his hands together--"Merciful Heaven!" he exclaimed,
"Thou who stillest the tempest, and holdest the waters in the hollow of
thy hand, protect--protect my child!"
The waters rioted with redoubled fury. Her strength seemed failing,
but a smile of hope still lighted up her features, and her hand yet
grasped her apparently lifeless burden. Despair again brooded on the
countenances of her friends. For a moment, she disappeared amongst the
waves; but the next, Agnes Crawford lay senseless on the beach, her arm
resting on the bosom of him she had snatched from a watery grave--on
the bosom of her husband.
They were borne to their own house, where, in a few minutes, she
recovered; but her husband manifested no sign of vitality. All the means
within their power, and that they knew, were resorted to, in order to
effect his resuscitation. Long and anxiously she wept over him, rubbing
his temples and his bosom, and, at length, beneath her hand his breast
first began to heave with the returning pulsation of his heart.
"He lives!--he breathes!" she exclaimed; and she sank back in a state of
unconsciousness, and was carried from the room. The preacher attended by
the bedside, where the unconscious fisherman lay, directing and
assisting in the operations necessary for restoring animation.
In a few hours the fisherman awoke from his troubled sleep, which many
expected would have been the sleep of death. He raised himself in the
bed--he looked around wistfully. Agnes, who had recovered, and returned
to the room, fell upon his bosom. "My Agnes!--my poor Agnes!" he cried,
gazing wistfully in her face--"but, where--where am I?--and my bairnies,
where are they?"
"Here, faither, here!" cried the children, stretching out their little
arms to embrace him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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