St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1871-04-21

clitSICu h'lliuo anu lCi'iiui, pC9eeNhi'G
eyes she prayed for help with agonizing
earncstnc;s
In the meantime, the two young men
were taxed to their utmost to keep on
their feet. and follow the swift motion oil
the flying wheel. They could not spring
out. The great arms were too nulhei-
Gus. and passed too swiftly, to allow any
opportunity to escape. -,
The water rushed furlously on the
vhirlinr wheel; faster and faster it
seemed 70 revolvc, TO the terrified gaze
] Of the Young mems sisters, who stood
like statues, chilled, as it were, to stone,
by the terrible scene.
During ali this excitement, which
might have occupied two or three min
utes, stood looking on, as much terri
fed as the rest, but at length l thought
Of running for some one to stop the
wheel, and started off at full speed for
| home.
\ GLANCE at the wheel as | left, made
me shudder, and lent wings to my feet.
Seth and Slas could scarcely keep on
their lcgs by the utmost exertiOn, 1t
they missed their footing, or lost their
presence CT mind, nothing less than a
fearful death seemed to await them.
They would be carried up to the top of
the wheel, and dashed down again TO
the bottom, with every revolution OF,
if caught between the arms and the
frame, they would be instantly crushed
to pieces.
40, Aunt Jane! the wheels going,
and they'll all be killed. was all L had
breath TO say to my aunt, who was the
first one | met.
But this was en- )ugh; III 4 moment
tie old lady was going over the hill, the
nearest way TO the forge, with the speed
Of deer. On It's top, overlooking the
forge, she caught Il glimpse of the wheel,
and saw Silas fall from the top, appar-
antly dead.
She stopped suddenly. The terrible
situation was too clear to her mind, and
she knew ii would be impossible for her
to help by going further, though she did
not know but some OF her children might
be inside the wheel. But, raising her
voice TO its highest pitch, she cried for
help with all her might.
Standing on the highest ground in the
vale, she continued to yell with all her
strength, glancinG in every direction for
the help she expected. In q few mo.
mcnts she saw Uncle Dan open his cabin
door and put out his woody head to lis.
ten The old man was not slow to rush
to her assistance without hat or shoes
lie Jumped the fences, and, in a few
minutes, passed by Aunt Jane ON hi;
way 10 the forge.
She had told him, il short, sharp sen.
, fences, rs he ran toward her, the nature
of the trouble, and he soon saw, himself
the water rushing over the wheel. IIt
did no; stop TO think. lie saw at q
glance, that tie handle which regulated
the gate WAS cone, and he knew ii
would be useless TO attempt t. stop the
wafer in the ordinary way. But his
wit did not leave him. He caught up Il
large stone, and made his way carefully,
but nimbly, along tie top Of the tiume,
stepping from beam to beam, over the
deep and rushing water, rs rapidly rs a
boy CT sixteen, rather than a man of six
ty.
The moment be reached the end of the
fumc, over the wheel, he sprang on the
gate, and pounded it down with the big
stone he carried The opening through
which the water poured was gradually
closed. Ii few seconds the speed OF
the wheel was checked, and Silas. who
had not fallen to the bottom, as Aunt
Jane supposed, but had clutched one OF
OH the arms with the energy of despair
: ard thus revolvcd with the wheel, now
crawlcd out more dead than alive.
In the mean time, Seth had fallen OK
, harlsted, but Callic Waters Immediately
sprang into the wheel, notwithstanding
;. the danger, rs ii still slowly movet
p round, to keep him from rolling between
! the arms and the frame.
Il was a heroic act, and required all
, her activity and presence of mind tc
keep herself from falling, and Seth from
being crushed.
BY this time l had returned with pr
, and ma, WHO had Silas Immediately car
ricd to the biz spring, where they
: sprinklcd his face with cold water, as he
. lay III a swoon, with his head on Callic'
lap. He soon recovered, and felt thank
! ful, happy, and comparatively easy, not
withstlnding his bruised and tired limbs
=, while Callie's sweet sympathy made th'
moments delicious, and the life which he
,, had dcspaircd of again delightful.
Uncle Dan had succeeded in stoppin:
the wheel a moment before cur arrival
. and Seth had been taken cut by CALI,
r and his friends, and was left to the
a care. lie was not seriously hurt, bu
thoroughly exhausted, having run fo
: nearly fifteen minutes, with all his encr
gies taxed to their utmost endurance, hi
> mind, and heart, ana soul joining in tn,
maddening effort te escape destruction.
When Silas and the party entered til,
! wheel, at first, l felt it very hard to obey
n my father. l thought they had delight
. full fun, and deemed myself an unfortu
f nate little boy in being excluded from
, the best part of the amusement. The
girls called me frequently, and said
q WAS d Co"atu, anu was ailal't ~ Hct lilt'
! the wheel.
But l could not disobey, and wa
. about to 60 home, with heavy heart
when Joe Sturdy raised the gate.
O, how glad l was then that tn
i temptation had been resisted. Joe wa
laid in bed with delirous fever, and for
Q long time 1t was doubtful whether or no
p he would recover his scattered senses, O
9 be OF sound mind. lie was 4 change,
boy, and never more INDUCED in foolisl