I remember distinctly of falling into the water. At the noon hour father
sent my three brothers out in our little boat, just a few rods from
shore, to bring a jug of fresh water for the dinner. They took me with
them and in some way I fell overboard. Father and mother, with other
neighbors, stood on the shore and saw it all. They had no boat to come
to us and our boys were so frightened they knew not what to do. Father
shouted for one of them to dive after me, which brother Toney did. I
could hear little brother Charley crying as I lay at the bottom of the
lake. I remember coming to the top, struggling, and going down again. At
last I lay quiet on the bottom. I could see the sun shining through the
water as the great bubbles of air went from my mouth to the top. Brother
Toney being an excellent swimmer and diver, dove down into the deep
water, grasping me in his strong arms, bringing me to the surface, where
we both were taken into the boat and soon rowed to shore. There my
mother took me in her arms and ran to the house, with others following,
doing all they could to restore me. After a little time I was able to
sit up. Brother Toney was praised by all for his brave act, but the
praise was nothing to him in comparison to the joy he felt in knowing
that he had saved his little sister's life. Then I remember crying to
have on my little red flannel dress. Mother said to me, "If you stop
crying I will dry the dress and put it on you." I was sick, I remember,
father walking the floor with me in his arms, singing, "When I can read
my title clear to mansions in the skies," that being one of his favorite
hymns. I was rocked in the cradle several days; when able to play again
mother made me a little raspberry pie in a little tin, which made me a
happy child. Mother often said she could recall many pleasures as well
as sadness in that summer on the little "Isle of St. Helena."
St. Helena--dear little drop in the sea. How can I describe it as I saw
it in after years? I called there on a trip down the lakes, on the
steamer "Galena," with Captain Steele as master. We steamed into a
pretty little basin of a harbor almost surrounded by green trees. The
sun was just rising out from the water in the far distance, the sky was
purple orange and pink. As I looked out of my stateroom window and saw
before me the beautiful little Isle of St. Helena, I cannot describe my
feelings; a few of the memories of my childhood days came back to me. My
little brothers, with myself, playing along the shore, but now all was
quiet and still. I had heard father and mother speak about it so many
times, it seemed as though I saw it all through their eyes. It now
looked to me like a lovely little toy. The water so clear and sparkling
in the morning sunlight. The dock was in good repair, everything seemed
clean, quiet and still. Mr. Newton's house I recognized at once, it
being the largest. The little harbor seemed almost a perfect horseshoe
in shape, the shore all around was covered with clean white gravel, the
trees were mixed with birch, balsam, cedar, pine and poplar. The island
is much greater in length than breadth. At the extreme eastern point a
lighthouse is now erected. The red beams from its tower shine far out to
guide the mariner on his way.
Sweet, dear, little Isle of the sea!
The grand old waves shall dash upon thy shore,
When we who once have trod thy lovely beach
Shall be known to earth no more.