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

:" Yes and he's gone to the mill-dam
all alone. He's most too small a boy to
be trusted there by himself-and he's very
ventursome. If father hadn't said what
he did. would 60 there, just to see that
Jacob didn't come to any harm"
You mustn't disobey your father it
will make him very angry" said Mrs.
Lloyd.
! Maybe" suggested the boy, " if [ we're
to go to the top of the hill, just above the
dam, and sit and watch JACOB, he wouldn't
mind. That wouldn't be going to the mill
dam, you know. And if you told him just
how it was, and said that you had thought
it better for me to go there on Jacobs
account, L am sure he would say that
had done just right instead of wrong"
Mrs. Lloyd thought for little while,
and then replied
Jacob is small boy, and there are
dangerous places about the mil-dam. I
wonder how his mother can let him 90
there alone =? o, if he should fall in, to
be swept down under the gate, or over the
dam, nothing could save bin. think you
had better 60, Frank, ano I'll make it all
right with your father. Only be sure and
not 60 down to the water, unless something
happens to Jacob"
Thus permitted and cnoiped, Frank
started off to the mil-dam. which wos
about quarter of mile distant, in n
lonely valley, surrounded by woods and
hills. He walked along rapidly for the
idea that Jacob Green might fall into the
water at any moment having taken pos
session Of his mind, he felt anxious to
reach the neighborhood of the dam rs
quickly as possible, On gaining the
wooded hill that rose sternly above the
point where the water, swollen by the late
rains, leaped roaring, over the dam, Frank
searched with his eyes, hurridly, along the
shore, up and down, for Jacob Green
But the lad was no where in sight. He
would have shouted his name. but secret
sense OF disobedience, and fear of discov.
cry by his hasty-tempered father, who
might hear his voice, kept him silent
Descending as near to the edge of the dam
as he deemed it prudent, under the cir.
cumstances, to go, he examined every point
in the range of vision with the most care.
full scrutiny.
A sudden fear now seized upon the bows
heart. Jacob must have fallen into the
water and been swept over the dam His
heart beat like hammer in his breast
respiration became difficult he felt
choking sensation in his throat. For some
moments he stood bewildered. But anxi.
ETY. for the little boys safety became su.
perior to all other emotions.
"He may have fallen in noar the head.
gate" he now said to himself And then
as the image of Jacob, clinging to some
frail support, amid the whirling, sucking
eddies, presented itself to his mind, Frank
sprung to the spot where the water from
the dam flowed into tho mill race. Hold
ing on to piece of wood he leaned over
the brink of high stone wall, or pier, and
as he looked down into the water that
seethed and struggled above the ha.fopen
ed gate, he held his breath in momentary
suspense. But no sign of the lad was Wis.
ible' Frank drew himself up, taking
deep inspiration, and stood for some mo.
ments bewildered and at fault. Then he
stepped lightly over narrow plank that
had been thrown across the sluice into
which the head-gate opened, and standing
on one OF TIE abutments of the dam, leaned
his body over and looked down, distance
Of twenty feet, into the mad whirlpool of
waters that lay beneath. His head swan
and he lifted himself up and moved back
with feeling of terror in his heart. If
he were to fall headlong there, no power
on earth could save him
A little while Frank stood ON the abut-
ment that Jared to the heavy fall of water.
Then he stepped carefully across the mar
row bridge that separated him from the
land, and took long breath as he felt
himself in position Of safety. Slowly
and anxiously were his eyes now thrown
around him, and every point within their
range searched with the most careful scru-
tiny. But the search was entirely fruit.
less. Ascending the hill that rose above
the dam, Frank now ran along its brow,
for some distance, up the stream, letting
his gaze fall upon every part of the shore.
Suddenly he stopped, with an exclamation
Of relief, for Jacob had come into full
view, sitting upon rock that projected
ia into tho nj a Al