The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1858-09-08

! ,
and the fear of hasty misjudgment on the
part of his father, when tho fact of his
disobedicnce became known, sobered his
feelings and made him prefer solitude to
companionship. So he sat down, conceal
ing himself among the trunks of three or
four large trees; yet keeping his head in
position to see Jacob through small
opening between them. Nearly half an
hour passed, when Jacob, tired of watch
ing his immovable cork, drew up his line,
and moved down the bank to position
nearer the point where the swollen water
went rushing over the dam. As he threw
his line again, Frank arose and walked
along the hill above him, until he came
nearly opposite the laundering waterfall,
and then sat down again to watch the
lonely boy-himself more lonely.
The clearing at which Mr.. Lloyd was
at work with his men lay about quarter
of mile from the mll-dam. The father
had just leveled an immense sycamore, and
stood gazing at the white trunk, with its
giant limbs, when a neighbor, emerging
from the wood behind him, came up and
said
Good.day, Mr.. Lloyd"
"Ah /! good-day to you Maxwell p re-
sponded the farmer, in hearty tone
"Splendid land this" said the other,
"but heavily timbered."
GA year or two will show its quality"
Lloyd remarked.
Heavy freshet," said Maxwell.
Yes; you can hear the dam roaring,
even here, when the wind sets this way"
q" Dangerous place for boys. 1 should
think" said Maxwell in tone that made
the farmer look at him with a sobered as
pect. 1 saw your boy there as I came
along"-
"What" The axe dropped from Mr..
Lloyd's hand, while dark shadow fell
over his countenance.
" saw your boy there, skipping about
the head-gate with as little concern as if
he had been on level floor"
go! isn't that to much And | posi-
lively forbade him going near the dam !'
Mr.. Lloyd's excitement was sudden and
intense.
Gift was my boy. I'd take the hide
off Of him." said Maxwell.
Hell be sorry for this to the latest
day Of his life" And with these threat.
ening words on his lips, Mr.. Lloyd turned
away, and disappeared in the woods On
ly once he paused, and that was to cut
thick, strong, little birch rod-then he
strsde forward with long reaching steps in
the direction of the mill-dam.
Near the place where Jacob had Drop
ped his line, the decayiug trunk of a fallen
tree was projected several feet into the
water.-Soon growing impatient from
want of success in his sport, the boy, in
something of spirit of desperation, walk
ed out to the end of this trunk, and threw
his line as far up the stream as he could
fling it. Then he watched the cork as it
hoatcd rapidly down the current, hoping
that some fish would seize the bait and
drag it under, But no denizen of the
turbid stream saw the tempting morsel, or
seeing, was lured to take the treacherous
food. Excited, now, by the real danger
of the little boy, Frank started up, and
was about calling him to come back upon
the shore, when the crack of fallen limb
broken by heavy tread, caused him to
turn suddenly, and there stood his father,
with face made dark by cruel anger, one
hand outstreached to seize him, and the
other uplifted and grasping heavy rod.
90, father, don't ~ exclaimed the
frightened boy. Don't Ask mother p
I" Didn't I tell you not to come here %
was the stern response, and the fathers
grip tightened on tho rod, as he seized the
boys arm. The hand was already des-
cending freighted with fearful blow,
when wild cry of terror swept up from
the waters, and arrested the arm midway
in its course. The eyes of father and son
both turned to the direction from which
the cry came. Jacob had already fallen
into the dam, and was gliding away in the
rapid current. Making sudden spring,
Frank freed himself from the grasp of his
father, and then went leaping down the
hill with wind-like speed. 1t was some
moments before Mr.. Lloyd recovered suf-
6cient presence of mind to follow. But
ere he was half way to the water, Frank
had reached point below the floating
boy, and was creaping out upon the slsn-
dor trnnL of n sonl;no IN A boo4 L.. a,,.,.