Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-08-06
A Nameless Hero

in many parts below the level OF the sea.
and the latter is kept out by artificial
embankments. The canals which inter
sect the country in every direction, are
closed By means of slnices - large oak
gates placed at regular distances, which
are opened, more or less, as water is
wanted for the country, by men who live
beside them for the purpose Were
these sluices not properly attended to
the canals might be over-fl!ed, the coun-
try flooded, and the inhabitants ruined.
Many, many years ago, sluicer las
these guardians of the sluices are called,
who lived at the ancient and famous
town of Haarlem, sent his son, boy
eight years old, to carry some cakes TO
an old blind man who lived about three
miles Of. The boy discharged his
errand, received the blind mans bless
ing, and returned to go home
The canals were quite full, tor the su-
tumn rains had been heavy AS the boy
ran merrily along the thought occurred
to him that as he had plenty of time to
spare, he would 20 aside into the fields
by the canal, and gather some forget-ne
nots, which always grew in abundance
there, and which his sister used TO tie up
into circular wreaths, and layin saucer
of water, where they would blow ior
weeks together, and even take root. de
had collected large bunch. when he
began to find that it was growing dark,
and that he must hasten home, lest his
mother should be frightened. All was
now still: as he went over the held on
the homeward footpath not person was
in sight Suddenly, In the stiffness, be
heard slight noise, as of water trlckiinrg
on pebbles He was close to one OF the
sluices, and he ran forward and looked
at il carefully. Then he saw that there
was slight hole in the wood, through
which the water was flowing. He had
been much with his father, and his expe-
rience thus gained taught him that the
action of the water would soon enlarge
the hole, through which it was now only
dropping, and that in very short time
there would be a great inundation, and
consequent ruin. He threw down his
flowers and climbed along the sluice
until he reached the hole, put his finger
into il, and found, to his great JOY, that
he had succeeded in stopping the How OF
the water
To his great JOY, we say, for at the
first moment his present success was the
only thing that he thought Of But the
second thought was not so pleasant
Night was fast closing in, and it was now
damp and very cold He looked all
around-not creature was moving in
the landscape, now rapidly growing dim.
L
perfect stiffness followed. What shall he
do The child of eight years old resolved
that he would stay there all night and do
his duty.
But already he was beginning to suffer
severely from the cold, which was now
increasing bitterly. The finger which he
held in the little gap was benumbed, and
the numbness extended itself first to the
hand, then to his arm. The pain became
almost intolerable, and still the boy
moved not He thought of his pa
rents distress, of his sister sleeping
soundly, of his own vacant bed, and
the tears ran down his poor little face.
But if there was any faltering Of pur-
pose, any failure of courage, we know
il not there is no record of il. All we
know is that the day bad broken, when
his heart broken father, who had been
seeking him all night, strayed near the
spot, heard groans, and ran forward.
There he found his child seated OIL
beam, writhipg with pain.
why, my boy, my dear boy What
in the name Of folly are you doing
there p
Keeping the water from running out,
father"
Well, dear reader, you have heard of
great heroes" dare say, who have
won the title by destroying the lives of
thousands of their fellow-creatures. But
was not this hero, too, seeing that he
had that night saved the lives Of thou
sands of his neighbors He can not be
compared with those great men, it is true,
for not even his name has been pre-
served, and no monument exists to him;
but be was good, great, heroic, for all
that