Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1858-07-21

"Nothing," was answered, "only fail
er always speaks to me as if he woul
take my head off.
"What did he say"
''He told me that 1 must not 90 to th
mill-dam."
"Why did he tell you that?" inquire,
Mrs. Lloyd.
81 don't know
HE had some very good reason, n,
doubt; and you must be sure not to dis
obey him."
1t was perhaps two hours later in th,
day, when lad named Jacob Green
met Frank on the road, little way from
his fathers house. He had a fishing
rod and line in his hand.
"Where are you going" asked Frank
"To the mill dam. Won't you &C
along?"
"Not to day." he answered.
Jacob strongly urged a compliance
with his wishes, but Frank resisted all
temptations.
81 met Jacob Green, Just now," said
Frank, speaking to his mother a little
while afterwards.
"Did you," Mrs. Lloyd replied in an
absent way.
Eyes; and he is gone to the mill dam
all alone. He is most too small a bov to
be trusted there by himself-and he is
very ventursome. If father hadn't said
what he did, l would go there, just to
see that Jacob did not come to any
harm"
"YOu must not disobey your father, it
will make him very angry" said Mrs.
Lloyd.
MAYBE" suggested the boy, if 1 were
to go TO The top of the hill just above the
dam. and sit and watch Jacob, he
wouldn't mind. That would not be 60
ing 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, 1 am sure
he would think that l had done Just
hight instead of wrong"
Mrs. Lloyd thought for little while,
and then replied:
"Jacob is a small boy, and there are
dangerous places about the dam. 1 won
der how his mother can let him go there
alone? Oh, if he should fail in, to be
swept down under the gate, or over the
dam, nothing could save him. 1 think
you had better go Frank, and l will
make ii all right with your father. On
ly be sure not 10 go down to the water,
unless something happens TO your friend
Jacob"
Thus permitted and eHioined, Frank
started off for the mill dam, which was
about quarter of mile distant, in a
lonely valley, surrounded by hills and
woods. He walked along rapidly, for
the idea that Jacob G. cen might fall iu-
to the water at any moment, having TAX
en- possession of his mind, he felt anxious
to reach the neighborhood of the dam as
quickly as possible. On gaining the
wooded hill that rose steeply above the
point where the water, swollen by late
rains, leaped, roaring, over the DAM
Frank searched with his eyes hurriedly
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 discovery 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 pru-
dent, under the circumstances, to go; he
examined every point in the range of Wis
on with the most careful scrutiny.
A sudden fear now seized uron the ;
Boys heart; Jacob must have fallen into
he water and been swept over the dam.
His heart beat like hammer in his ,
,reast: respiration became difficult; he ,
elt choking sensation in his throat
fol some moments he stood bewildered.
But anxiety for the little boys safety ,
became superior TO all other emotions.
''He may have fallen in near the head I
,ate," he said to himself. And then, as I
he image of Jacob, clinging to some c
rail support, amid the whirling, sucking c
ddies, presented itself to his mind, S
rank sprung to the spot where the wa d
er from the dam flowed into the mill. f
ace. Holding on to piece of wood, he t,
eaned over the brink of high stone n
7all, or pier, and, as he looked down in. F
} the water that seethed and struggled b
bove the half-opened gate. he held his Il
reath in momentary suspense. But no b
gn of the lad was visible. Frank drew S,
imself up and taking deep inspiration, a
nd stood for some moments bewildered b
nd at fault Then he stepped lightly Of
yer a narrow plank that hal been
lrown across the sluice into which the te
cad gate opened, and standing on one
the abulments of the dam, leaned his "
ody over and looked down, distance q
some twenty feet, into the mad whirl. III
Dol of waters that lay beneath. His de
cad swan; and he lifted himself up and bl
owed back, with feeling of terror in fir
is heart. If he were to fall headlong m
Iere, no power on earth could save him. ia