Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1875-05-06

rolled up, and amt going to get wet,
said Link. Then, whispering to Jack
There's leeches in this river they gel
right into fellows flesh and suck his
blood like sixty"
Rufe went in bare-legged, and stood
on the edge of the deep hole, where the
water was hardly up to his knees. Much
as he disliked, ordinarily, to set about
any work, he was strong and active wher
once reused and the pals of water went
up ON the wagon about as fast Wad cared
to take them.
"Hullo Don't slop so! You're
wetting my feet !" cried Wad
81 can't keep from splitting droI
once in awhile. You might have takel
off your shoes and rolled up your trous
ers, as did,"
The barrel was soon two-thirds full
and Wad called upon Link to help hin
move it forward. Link left his seat by
Jacks side, and walked back to the real
Of the wagon. Wad, as we know, was
already there. So was the barrel Of
water, standing just back of the real
axletree. So also was a fresh pail OF
water, which Rufe had placed at the ex
treme end, because Wad was not ready
to take it.
At that moment the oxen, hungry fol
fresh grass, and having nipped all within
reach of their noses, started up little.
Jack, thinking to prevent mischief by
running to their heads, leaped from the
front of the wagon.
This abrupt removal Of weight from
one end, and large increase OF avoirdu-
pois at the other, produced natural but
very surprising. result. Choke in his
tub, though at the long end of the beam,
so to speak (the rear axletree being the
fulcrum), was not heavy enough to coun-
terbalance two brothers and barrel OF
water at the short end.
He suddenly felt himself rising in the
air, and sliding with the empty tubs.
His brothers at the same moment felt
themselves sinking and pitching. There
was chorus of shrieks, as they made 8
desperate effort to save themselves. Toe
late. The wagon bottom reared, and
away went barrel, boys, tubs, every
thing.
The oxen, starting at the alarm, helped
to precipitate the catastrophe. Fortu
ately, Jack was at hand to stop them, o,
the aismantled wagon might have gone
flying across the lot, even fast enough to
suit Links notion of speed.
Rufe made one quick effort to prevent
the boards from tipping up, then leaped
aside, while the discharged load shot pas
him.
Choke, screaming, held fast to the
sides of his tub with both hands. Wad
intending to jump, plunged into the
deepest part of the river Link made 6
snatch at the barrel, and playing leap
frog over it very unwillingly), went
headlong into the deep hole.
Choke met with a wonderfully gooC
fortune his tub being launched Sc
neatly, and ballasted so nicely by hin
sitting in the bottom, that it shipped but
splash of water, and he foated away
unh,irt and scarcely wet at all, amidst the
general ruin.
The wagon-boards, relieved of then
load, tumbled back upon the wheels. II
add to the confusion. Lion barked furi
ously.
Jack, frightened at first, finally began
to laugh, when he saw Choke sailing
away, under full scream, and Wad ant
Link scrambling out of the water.
$50 you were the fellows that wer'
not going to get wet" cried Rufe. "Picl
out your barrel and empty tubs, while
catch Chokiel"
The river, even in the deepest place
was not very deep; and Wad and Linl
came wading out, blowing water from
their mouths, flirting water from thei
hair, and shaking water from thei
hats, in way that made Rufe (after h
had stranded Choke in his tub rol
upon the grass in commissions. 18Th
Young Surveyor" by j. T. Tro,Cbridge
an st. Nicholas for May.
Bad Books.