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Show A BIT APIECE. The Reward Given for l'our Lives Saved Was Fifty Cents. Boston, Mass.", Aug. 1. Captain Thomas McKinley, of east Boston, is one of tho oldest boatmeu iu Boston harbor. He has saved twenty-one persons per-sons from drowning, and on Sunday credited four more to his record, though over three score and ten years of age. He has received numerous medals for bravery, but the ono that he prizes most was engraved today. It is a 50c. silver piece, and bears this inscription: "Reward of merit, for rescuing four men from drowning, 120. apiece." The story of his bravery is best told In his own words: "It was rough as blazes," he said, "when I saw the four men in a sloop near Governor's Island. I watched them for some time and knew by the way they were monkeying around the boat that she would soon 'turn turtle,'- Sure enough, over she went, only to fill and sink, leaving the fellows floundering in the water. Then I rowed toward them as quickly as possible pos-sible and caught one by the collar and another by tho slack of his pants. In they tumbled like logs, and in a few minutes I had the others. Tho funniest part of tho affair was that one fellow who had a 'pint' in his pocket whipped it out and saying 'Here's luck,' and passed it to his churamics; then they all fell on ruy neck and were profue in their thanks' for their timely rescue. I refused to drink, and a fat fellow proposed pro-posed a tarpaulin muster to pay me for my trouble. They had plenty of money and proceeded to make change, and when they settled matters satisfactorily to themselves 'Fatty' passed me the half of a whole dollar. Well, it ain't i any use for me to say that if they sunk to the bottom the crabs would slide away from them for being generous ; fellows, yet they were the meanest j gang I ever pulled out of the swim. However, I took the 50c. piece over to j an engraver's, and when I wear it as a niedaf they may read the inscription." ! |