Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1860-02-16

*' Dreadful" said calmly, g but it was an
error ofjudgment, you are not to blame"
''Oh! sir, there was blame enough, God
Knows usinned-Oh how deeply? But Heaven
knows howl would have given all things ALL
THINGS sir, to have saved my boy. AS soon as
he Was fairly into the water 1 called him back
Il felt strange fear that there was miehter
power in that little quiet pool than | had
suspected. But the Thought came too late, the
deed was done. The game hoated away, cared
not for that, all my thoughts were centered
npon Eddy, now striking out braVely for the
boom he had left but a moment before. He
was only rod away. but discovered that he
made no progress: BraEely he held his own,
and worked for dear life, but with all his efforts
he gained nothing. The current was SO much
stronger than had calculated.
For several minutes he stood still upon the
waters, and then to my horror, began to lose
ground and float down.
" Father, lam going % said Eddy.
There was such a look, such an appeal in the
thrilling gaze which he fastened upon my eyes
as he spoke, that nay heart stood still at the
work had done. l shouted to him to struggle
with might and main for o few moments, and
then jumped upon the boom and ran ashore for
q pole. Nothing Of the kind was in sight, no.
thing that could reach him, nothing to my
view but a confused mass of alders and ash sap
lings. hurried back over the boom, back to
the boat, and he was gone! The swift current
had sucked him between the rocks, and could
see his little arms thrown up sometimes, and his
body rise sometimes, as he went On, on, with
the mad waters, and that was all A chill of
horror chained me to the spot The cold sweat
dropped from my brow. My heart was lead in
my bosom, and only the form of my poor boy as
it rose and fell mid the foaming waters-only
the terrible agony that felt at the sight, stamp
ed Its impress upon my memory. Down, down,
down, nearer and nearer the cataract that
would swallow him up, and yet 1t was an age
to me, strange as it may seem, an everlasting
period, that watched the poor boy go down
over that interval of dashing waters. Down he
went, till every thought and feeling was absorb
ed in the the terrible gaze, down till he stood
upon the brink of the precipice. and then, oh
sir know you cannot believe it, but saw him
lift his head out Of the water, and rise upon his
feet, and look up to his father-and such
look oh it was HoRRlBLE!''
The old man passed his hand over his eyes as
if to shut out the fearful vision, and then
continued.
"Oh Sir, loved that boy. He was all that
/ had left to love upon earth Poor, poor,
Eddy, he has gone to his mOther!"
The old mans voice troubled, and the tears
choked his utterance for moment. "Oh sir.
l hope am crazy, but have seen him
thousand times since, standing upon the awful
brink, and looking 80 unearthly, lean see hin,
nOw. With death leap that threw him far
out of the water, and shrek that pierced nv
soul, and sounded above the roar Of waters, he
went over. 1t was the last of Eddy. hurried
to the foot of the falls and watched and search
ed till night, but never saw him after.
have searched many times since, but all in vain.
His remaint are past finding, but EDDY Is IN
HEAVENm
The old man turned away, and paced the
room with rapid strides, as if to keep down the
choaking thoughts but he said no more
spoke to him but he did not answer. He kept
walking, walking, and left the cabin soon
after, bordering on the strange life scene, and
wondering that such things should be hid in
sensitive hearts.