The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1876-01-27


there was dead water, and looking ul
the surface of the stream. When a los
appeared in sight he rowed into
the stream, drove spike into it
fastened by rope to the stern o.
the boat, and towed it ashore.
The active exertion required per diem
TO catch several logs did not consume
all hour; the time thus left for smok.
ing, drinking, and reflection, was con.
siderable. Then the same fresheti
were the signal (and the only means,
for the start of many fiatboats for the
south, and it was poor boat which,
on being boarded, could not supply
comfort to a thirsty man.
AS Sam was log-catching during a
spring freshet he saw coming down
t e river a ,ey queer-losking
little craft, hich seemed to be manned
by only a single very small person.
The rapid current soon brought the
craft near enough for him to see
that it was small bridge, made OF
two logs and several planks, and that
the occupant was little girl, who
was crying piteously, and when she
saw Sam she held out her hands ap-
pealingly. Sam had her in his arms
in an instant, and exclaimed
"Where did you come from, little
dear p
SWAY off to Raysville," she sobbcd,
and I want to 60 back to mamma"
"Well, don't cry," said Sam. "Rays
vile is only two miles up the river,
and I'll take you home in the skifI
right away, after I've towed the bridge
ashore. How did you get ahoat ?"
"Why, papa caught the bridge" said
she, "and twas tied near the fence
where the river was overflowed, and
I was playing house on it, and then
the next thing L knew it was broke
loose and floating off again. And
papa'll be awful sorry to loose the
bridge. too, cause he said it was worth
six bits"
"Well, he shall have the bridge again
if he'll come after it," said Sam, "but
he shall have his little girl first"
Sam had hardly noticed where bis
heavy prize was causing him to drift
to,and when he looked ahead he saw
he was half mile below his lookout
place, and opposite portion of the
bank which was overf1owed. To tow
the bridge against the current would
be an impossibility, so Sam pulled
away toward the shore with all his
might, desirous Of tying the bridge to
some one of the trees on the bank.
But the trees, when he reached them,
proved to be all large sycainorss or
cottOnwOods, about which Sam could
not easily put his arms and the rope.
while maxim a violent
effort to throw the end If a rope
around one of the trees, his boat ca
reened SO much that both the occu-
pants were thrown into the water.
The child screamed, but Sam seized
her in an instant, and was delighted to
find that the water was only waist
deep. But in the mean time the boat
and the bridge were both moving
away with the current, and, as ia al
ways the case with drift in a freshet,
moving toward the center of the river.
"This is bad fix to be in," remark
ed Sam, holding the child above water
"but I'll wade to where there's dry
ground, and then we'll find some
house where we can dry ourselves"
Bat Sam did not find it easy to
reach dry ground. Behind him the
top of small canebrake showed above
water. Indicating that the ground
there was lower than that on which
he stood. He moved cautiously down
but was stopped by what
seemed to be small ditch or hollow
running at right angles with the river.
Then he retraced his steps, and moved
toward the little point beyond which
he always established his lookout, but
a thicket of young cottonwoods, eight
or ten feet high, barred the way.
''I'll tell you what we'll have to de-
said he; .'Ill stand in front of the
trees, and put you up on my shoulders,
aud we'll hail the first fiat-boat that
along. There's been two gone
by already this morning, aud there
will be plenty more"
Lets climb tree" suggested the
child, sand then you won't be in the
water. can climb as good az Brother
Ben.''
Sam looked about him; probably
the weight of a heavy child even so
small as this one was severe tax upon
his feeble body, already chilled by the
water.
"Thcre's no trees small enough to
climb" said he. "'Twould take two
men to reach around any of them"
'Then let's holloa,' said the little
girl. "That's tine way folks do when
they want the ferryman to come over.
''That's a tirst-rate notion" exclaim-
ed Sam, and he a; once delivered sew
eral vigorous and prolonged howls.
Then the little girl gave vent to some
shrill shrieks. but no one answered.
Sam began to tremble and bend under
the weight of the child, and the child,
perceiving his uneasiness, exclaimed:
81 wish the water wasn't so deep. so
I could stand up in it, and not hurt
you," said she.
"Oh, you dent hurt" said he. "Can
you sing p"
'.Oh, yes-lots of things" answered
the child, promptly. "What do you
like the best-'Tommy Green or Hap
ply Land? p"