Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1874-07-01

of alarm, the tone of which told his
heart too plainly that some imminent
danger impended. Springing to his
feet he ran in the direction of the cries,
and quickly saw the cause of excite
ment. Recent heavy rains had swollen
the mountain stream, the hurled waters
of which were sweeping down with
great velocity. Two young girls who
had been amusing themselves at some
distance above in a boat that was at
tached to the shore by a long rope,
had, through some accident. got the
fastening loose, and were now gliding
down, far out in the current, with fear
fully increased speed. toward the breast
of a nilldam some hundreds of yards
below, from which the water was thun-
dering down a hight of over twenty
feet Pale with terror, the poor young
creatures were stretching out their
hands toward their companions on the
shore, and uttering heart rending cries
for succor.
Instant action was necessary or all
would be lost. The position of the
young girls had been some distance
above, and there happening to be an
other boat on the mill-dam and that
nigh at hand, Logan and two other
young men had loosened it from the
shore. But, the danger of being car
ried over the dam, should any one ven
ture out in this boat, seemed so in
evitable, that none of them dared to
encounter hazard. Now screaming and
wringing their hands, and now urging
these men to try and save their com
panions, stood the young maidens of
the party on the shore, when Wilson
dashed through them, and springing
into the boat cried out:
"Quick, Loganl Take an oar, or all
is lost"
But, instead of this, Logan stepped
back pace or two from the boat, while
his face grew pale with fear. Not an
instant more was wasted. At a glance
Wilson saw that if the girls were saved
it must be by the strength OF his own
arm. Bravely he pushed from the
shore, and with giant strength born Of
the moment and for the occasion from
his high unselfsh purpose, he dashed
the boat out into the current, and,
bending to the oars, took direction at
an angle with the other boat, toward
/ luc DOlut luo WalCI
over the dam. At every stroke the
light skiff sprung forward dozen feet,
and scarcely half minute elapsed ere
Wilson was beside the other boat.
Both were now within twenty yards
of the fall, and the water bearing them
down with a velocity that a strong
rover. with every advantage on his
side, could scarcely have contended
against successfully. To transfer the
frightened girls from one boat to the
other, in the few moments of time left
ere the down-sweeping current would
bear their frail vessel to the edge of the
dam, and still to retain an advantage
was for Wilson impossible. To let his
own boat go and manage theirs he saw
to be equally impossible.
A cry of despair reached the young
mans ears as the oars dropped from
his grasp into the water. 1t was evil
dent TO the spectators of the fearful
scene that he had lost his presence of
mind, and that now all was over. Not
so, however. In the next instant he
had sprung into the water, which near
the breast of the dam, was not more
than two feet deep. As he did so he
grasped the other boat, and bracing
himself firmly against the rushing cur
rent, held it poised few yards from
the point where the foam-crested waters
leaped INTO the whirlpool below. At
the same instant his own boat shot like
an arrow over the dam. He had gained,
however, but small advantage. 1t
required his utmost strength to keep
the boat he had grasped from dragging
him down the fall.
The quickly formed purpose of Will
son, in thus springing into the water,
had been to drag the boat against the
current. If be were to let the boat go
he could easily save himself. But not
once did such thought enter his own
heart.
"Lie down close to the bottom" he
said, in a quick coarse voice.
The terror-stricken girls obeyed the
injunction instantly.
And now, with a GOODNESS that was
wonderful under all circumstances,
Wilson moved the boat several yards
away from the nearest shore, until he
reached the point where he knew the
water below the dam to be more ex.
handed and free from rocks. Then
throwing his body suddenly against the
boat, and running along until he was
within few feet of the dam, he spranp
into it and passed over with it. A
moment or two the light vessel, as il
shot ont into the air stood poised, and
then went plunging down.
The fearful plunge was made il
safety. The boat struck the seethine
waters below and glanced out from the
whirlpool, bearing its live freight un
. injured.
(Which was the coward?" ''Tht
words reached the ears of Logan, as ht
gathered with the rest of tine company
around Wilson, and the pale, trembling
| girls he had so heroically saved. Fail
lips asked the question One maideI
, had spoken to the another, and in ;
, louder voice than was intended.
"Not Edward Wilson," said Logan
, as he stepped forward and grasped th'
hand he had so wronged and insulted
Not Edward Wilson, He is the mobiles
and the bravest y
Wilson made an effort to reply. Blu
) he was for some moments too mucl
excited anu eAuduStcu W Spcah. "A
, last he said,-
: 81 only did what was right. May
ever have courage for that while
e live."
Afterward he remarked, when alon
with Logan.
cit required far greater exercise o
, /, courage to forbear when you provoked
and insulted me in the presence o
, those who expected retaliation, than
did to risk my life at the milldam.
: There is moral heroism that fe,
, can appreciate. And it will usually b
= found that the morally brave man is tn
! quickest to lose the sense of persona
. danger when others are in peril.
Flax.
a Flax has been grown in India chief
: for its seed for some years, but OF lat
u l.