Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-09-07

was anxious, but she trusted my judg.
ment. A third of the way across, the
water was over the hub of the wheels
A little more and it would have reached
the body of the wagon; began to be
alarmed; feared had left the true
track. Presently my horse stumbled
and staggered, having evidently step.
ped upon Il moving stone. The wagon
swayed and tipped, and the flood came
in upon lis. My wife slipped, and in a
moment more We were in the water.
With one hand grasped the harness
upon the horse, and with the other l
held my wife. l was thus struggling
when wild cry from her lips startled
the air. Our child had been washed
away.
''Oh, my soul! I cannot tell you
what suffered in those moments. l
could not help our darling. Ii l left
my wife, she was lost. chung to my
horse and chung to my shrieking wife
|-shricking to God for mercy for her
child. The horse was struggling for
shore. In the distance upon the bo-
som of the surging flood, could see
our little one, her white dress gleam'
ing in the sun, being borne swiftly
away. A moment more and 1 saw a
man plunge from the bank: an inter-
vening point of land shut off the scene.
the horse was now rapidly nearing the
shore. and ere long my wife and were
upon dry land, with the horse and
wagon. AS soon as my wife was safe,
| left her to care for the horse, while
posted off down the river bank in
quest of the swimmer and the child.
You may well understand that all
this time was frantic. / was 4 ma
chine being operated upon by sur.
ging and agonizing emotion. How
long or how far wandered l do not
know, but at length met man, wet
and dripping. with my darling in his
arms--my darling safe and sound. He
told me had caught the child within
! few yards of the falls, and then in
landing had cleared the fall abyss by
not more than two yards. He was
young man--nOt more than twenty
five--handsome and stalwart. He said
he had seen my wagon tip. and was
coming to my assistance, when he saw
the child washed away. 81 threw my
life into the balance" said he. with
genial smile, land, thank God both
the lives were saved.'
asked him how should ever repay
him. lie stopped me with an implOr-
ing gesture.
IF you talk of more pay than I have
already received he said, ''if you can
rob me of the only solid reward can
claim, mercy! it saving the life of
such a cherub is not enough of reward
in itself, then hard is the heart that
can crave MORE" And with moistening
eyes he told me that he had a child of
nearly the same age.
asked him if he would tell ME his
name. With smile, he answered that
his name did not matter-he was not
sure that he had 4 name. then ask.
him if he knew me. He nodded, and
said he thought might be Mr.. Lur-
lington, Of Walbridge. When 1 told
him he was correct, he said must ex-
cuse him. He was wet and must hurry
home. And with that he turned away.
was too deeply moved to stop him,
and when he had disappeared started
to rejoin my wife with a dawning i'm
preston that the man might be slight
ly deranged.
But my darling was safe-her broad,
fleecy cloak had tloated out and kept
her head above water-and / went on
my way rejoicing, resolved that the
preserver of my child should not be
forgotten.
will not tell you of the emotion of
my wife when she held her child once
more in her arms. We reached Shire
ton before night and found quarters at
a comfortable tavern.
On the following day Laban Sarfurt
called upon me and was about to spread
his evidence for my inspection, when
| interrupted him. l told him could
not accept his confidence until 1 had
made up my mind to take the case in
hand. Something seemed to whisper
that there was danger ahead. did
not feel comfortable in that mans
presence. I felt as though he was try
ing to buy me. The court would sit
in four days. I told hint would give
him a final answer in two days from
that.
That evening made a confidant of
my wife, and asked her what I should
do. eff take the case,'' said, s'I'm
sure of five thousand dollars" She
babe me to do what was right. God
has been very kind to u.s." she said.
''Let us look to him for our further
guidance"
After this called upon the clergy.
man OF the place, whose son had been
my classmate in college, and whom I
had once before visited. He received
me heartily, and by and by I asked
him about William Acton. The re.
suit of all he told me may be sum-
med up in his closing sentence.
Said he:
II am sure William Acton is Philip
Acton's child-in fact, know it-and
l think the father and mother were
married. Betsy died very soon after
her child was born, and we know Phil
ip always treated the boy, as a legiti.
mate child; and that he loved him as
such can confidently affirm
On the following morning, after
breakfast, as sat 10y the window in
the bar'room, I saw coming from the
street, the man who had saved my
child. He was walking slowly like
one in trouble. pointed him out to
my host, and asked him who he was.
''That is William Acton. Perhaps
you have heard o: the trouble he is
likely to have with Laban Sarfurt.''
I said I had heard.
II hope he may come out all right"
the host added ''but 1 am fearful.
He has got Il hard and heartless Gus.
TONER tO deal with -
I shut my mouth and held my peace,
until Laban Sarfurt called for his final
answer. I said to him.:
@"Mr. Sarfurt, have been consider.
ing all this time whether I could
undertake your case with clear con.
science-whether l should be helping
the side of justice and right in help
ing you. had concluded that could
not do so before had seen William
Acton, to know him by name. I now
know him for a man who nobly risked
T. s. ~ T.