Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-10-25

and it was not impossible that Philip
had married Betsey Totwood. It struck
me that Laban Sarfurt was villain,
and that he fancied that he had young
Acton so far in his power that he could
eject him from the title. But what
had | particularly to do with that? If
I accepted client, I must serve him. /
had no business but to serve his inter
est. I finally told Mr.. Sarfurt that
would think the matter over. I should
probably have business in Shireton dur
ing the session of the court, and /
would call on him there and examine
more fully. l could not take his re-
tainer until I had further light.
But" said he twill you promise not
to take up for the other sideY
81 told him would do nothing with
out further consultation with him."
Because" said he, "i if you are FOR
me, am sure to win. Acton can't find
lawyer that can hold candle to you.
Iknow them ALL"
No matter whether I believed him or
not, l did not feel fattered.
Two weeks later [ received a letter
from Sarfllrt promising me $4,000 if ]
won.
The $1,000 was strong argument.
Was not law really game Of chance,
in which the strongest hand and longest
purse must win? told myself yes.
Yes-and I sat down and wrote reply
saying that would take the case. But
[ did not mail it at once. That night ]
put it under my pillow and slept over
it, and on the following morning ]
threw it into the fire. I would not
make up my mind until I had seen
other parties-until I had been on the
grounds. And [ wrote to Laban Sarfurt
to wait.
Two weeks later I harnessed my
horse to the wagon, and with my wife
and child started for Shireton. I had
been married two years, and our little
babe, girl, was year old, our pride,
our pet, and our darling. Shireton was
We had been having rainy weather for
q week or SO, and it had now cleared of
bright and beautiful. We stopped and
took dinner at a wayside inn, four miles
beyond which was q stream which
must be forded. The inn-keeper told
me that the stream was somewhat
swollen from the late rains, but that if
my horse was trusty there could be no
danger.
Arriving at the stream, the Wampa-
tuck River, l found the water indeed
risen, and the current strong, but /
saw that others had recently gone
over, and l resolved to venture.
knew my horse, and had faith in him.
My wife was anxious, but she trusted
my judgment. A third of the way
across, the water was over the hubs of
the wheels. A little more and it would
have reache d the body of the wagon.
| began to be alarmed; l feared L had
left the true track. Presently my horse
stumbled and staggered, having evil
IDENTIFY stepped on 8 moving stone. The
wagon swayed and tipped, and the
flood poured in upon us. 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 [ held my wife.
was thus struggling, when wild cry
from her lips startled the very air.
ooh, my soul !! | cannot tell you what
[ suffered during those moments. l
could not help our darling If / left
my wife she was lost. I chung to the
horse and chung to my shrieking wife
shrieking to God for mercy for her
child. In the distance upon the bosom
of the surging flood I could see our lit
tie one, her white dress CLAIMING in
the sun, being borne swiftly away. A
moment more and saw man plunge
from the bank into the river. I saw
this much, and then an intervening
point of land shut out the scene. The
horse was now rapidly nearing the
shore. and ere long my wife and | were
on dry land, with the horse and wagon.
AS soon as was sure my wife was safe
l left her to care for the horse while I
posted off down the river bank in quest
Of the swimmer and the child.
You may we'll understand that all
chine being operated upon by surging
and agonizing emotion, How long and
how far wandered do not know, but
at length [ met man, wet and drip
ping, with my darling in his arms, my
darling safe and sound. He
told me that he had caught
the child within a few rods of
the falls, and that in landing he had
cleared the fatal abyss by not more
than two yards. He was a young man,
not more than Is, handsome and
stalwart. He said be had seen my
wagon tip, and was coming to my as
sistance when he saw the child washed
away. I threw my life into the bal
ance, said he, with a gentle smile,
and, thank God, both the lives were
saved
I asked him how I should ever re
pay him. he stopped me with an i'm
ploring gesture:
off you talk of more pay than I
have already received" he said, off
you can rob me Of the only solid re-
ward I can claim, mercy! if saving
the life of such cherub is not enough
of reward in itself, then hard is the
heart that Graves for more"
And with Y,ooicfonoN ouoc ho told M n