Manning the Lifeboat.

Evening Star, Issue 7345, 18 October 1887, Page 3

Manning the Lifeboat.

I was on the pier myself, when down the parson came, with his grave resolute face, and asked the men to go. He made no speech—platform oratory is quite unknown at Boddlecombe—but addressed to each singly a few earnest words. There was no attempt to moderate the peril—far from that—but he all the more insisted on the duty. He asked it, too, just as though it were a personal favor; and not a man denied him—no, not one. The nearest approach to a refuspl was an irresolute scratching of the head, or "I suppose I must." His hardest task was to persuade women to let the men go; for you can't pick out your young single men, or those who have no " ties "—no old or young folk depending on them—for such a service; the quiokest eyes, the strongest arms, the coolest heads, must alone be chosen. "What, would you take our Willie from us—our only bairn ?" oricd one old woman. " It's for God's own work," said the parson gravely, "and you will never repent his going." But I oould see that he spoke like a man under the sense of a great responsibility —one who felt that at his door, if Willie was drowned, she would lay the death of her son. The father, a weather-beaten old sailor, by name Michael Hart, whose age incapacitated him from doing any work beyond pottering about the shore and pioking up driftwood, 1 had often spoken with, and he had told me that their Willie maintained both him and " the old woman " j but row he said nothing, and only pressed his lips tight together when the brave young fellow, with his smiling, handsome faoe, answered " Well, parson, I'll go!" There were nine of them in all, stalwart and well-looking men, and with a oertain stamp of nobility which their great enterprise had set there. There was a grip of the hand for their male friends, and a kiss for their wives and mothers j but now that it was settled that the boat should go, the women forebore to hang about them, or melt those hearts which had such urgent need to be strong and unmelting Scarcely a moment was now let slip. The lifeboat was brought down to the harbor at the gallop, and the crew stepped in.—James Payne.