Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1856-07-04

would have done so, had not the impa-
tient temperament of Logan carried him
little beyond good feeling and gener-
Gus department towards others. With
out due reflection, yet in no sarcastic
spirit, Edward Wilson made remark on
some act of Logan that irritated him ex-
eeedinglY. An angry spot burned in
stantly on his cheek, and he replied with
words of cutting insult, so cutting, that
all present expected nothing less than a
blow from Wilson as his answer to the re-
mark. And to deal blow was his first
impulse. But he restrained the impulse /;
and it required more courage to do this
than to have stricken the insolent young
man to the ground. A moment or two
Wilson struggled with himself, and then
moved slowly away.
His flushed and then paling face, his
quivering lips and unsteady eyes, left
on the minds of all who witnessed the
scene an impression somewhat unfavora-
bic. Partaking of the indignant excite
ment of the moment, many of those pres
ent looked for the instant punishment of
Logan for his unjustifable insult. When,
therefore, they saw Wilson turn away
without even a defiant answer, and
heard the low sneeringly uttered word,
coward from the lips of Logan, they
felt that there was a craven spirit about
the young man. A coward we instinct
lively despise; and yet, how slow we are
to elevate that higher moral courage
which enables a man to brave unjust
Judgment rather than do what he thinks
to be wrong, above the mere brute IN
stinct which, in the moment of excite
ment forgets all physical consequences.
As Edward Wilson walked away from
his companions, he felt that he was re-
garded as coward. This was for him
bitter trial; and the more so, because
there was one in that little group of star
tied maidens for whose generous regard
he would have sacrificed all but honor.
1t was, perhaps, half an hour after thi,
,1uu ulaacoot oocurrono,, +bo+ ,,,,,, -.t.<..
heart still burned with an uniorgiving
spirit, encountered Wilson under circum-
stances that left him disturbing the rest
OF the party, who were amusing them
selves at some distance, and beyond the
range of observation. He did not sue
ceed in obtaining a personal encounter,
as he had desired.
Edward Wilson had been for some
been sitting alone with his his unhappy
thoughts, when he was aroused by sud-
den cries of alarm the tone of which told
too plainly that some imminent danger
impended. Springing to his feet he ran
in the direction of the cries, and quickly
saw the cause of excitement. Recent
heavy rains had swollen the mountain
stream, the turbid waters of which were
sweeping down with great velocity. Two
young girls, who had been amusing them
selves, at some distance above, in a boat
that was attached to the shore by a long
rope, had, through some accident got the
fastening loose, and were now gliding
down, far out in the current, with fear
fully increasing speed, towards the breast
OF milldam, some hundreds of yards
below, from which the water was thun-
dering down height of over twenty feet.
Pale with terror, the poor young crea-
lures were stretching out their hands to-
wards their companions on the shore
and uttering heart rending cries for sue
cor.
Instant action was necessary, or all
would be lost. The position of the young
/ girls had been discovered while they
were yet some distance above, and there
happening to be another boat on the mill.
dam, and that nigh at hand. Logan and
two other young men had loosed it from
the shore. But, the danger of being car.
ried over the dam should any one ven.
ture out in this boat, seemed so inevita.
bic that none Of them dared to encounter
the hazard. Now screaming and wiring
ing their hands, and now urging these
men to try and save their companions
stood the young maidens of.the party, OF
the shore when Wilson dashed through
them, and springing in to the boat criec
out:
@Quick, Logan Take an oar, or al
is lost"
But, instead of this, Logan stepped
back pace or two from the boat, Will,
ms face grew pale with fear. Not al
instant more was wasted. AT a glanc,
Wilson saw that if the girls must wer,
saved it must be by the strength of hi
own arm. Bravely he pushed from tn,
. ! shore and ..1