The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1880-02-12
The Good Dog Jack, ,


One warm spring morning we heard
a great shout, and on going to see what
it all meant we saw large, dark OBJ
ject just sweeping out of the river in
to the lake, and realized, before any one
could tell u.s.. that the ice had carried
away cur bridge, and that all communi-
cation between us and the town was.
for the present, cut of. How now were
we to get our mail, fresh meat, and
dozens of other things which We were
dependent upon the village for? We be-
walled our isolated condition for q day
or two, when a ferry was established.
which was hauled from one side to an
other by ropes. This was very tedious
for foot passengers, and, as the ferry
was large and clumsy, the man that
tended it found it very hard to pull
across and back for only one person.
So some large planks were fastened to-
gether, forming float, that reached
clear across, and although it was very
narrow walking and the river very deep
at this point, we soon grew accustomed
to it, aad ran backward and forward
without fear.
One day I went to town on an errand,
and, meeting some young cousins, they
proposed buying couple of gallons of
molasses and having some candy
and popped corn. So we got
large Jug and had it filed at the
store, but on returning home they
found their mother anything but
pleased with the idea.
II can't have the kitchen all in a
muss with molasses candy" she pro-
tested; you will get it all over every
thing, daub mp every pan I've got, and
leave it all for the girl to clean up ;
she's busy enough now, and I won't
have it," In vain we promised all sorts
Of good behavior. Aunt l.. was cross and
obstinate.
"Never mind; don't let us be cheated
out of good: time this way. Come
over to my house and I'VE will pop corn
and boil candy as long as we feel in
clined to-" urged. So we all started,
four of us, with little Schuyler, lad
8 years old, carrying the Jug Of
molasses. He ran ahead of us and
commenced to cross the river on the
float. Suddenly there WAS scream, a
loud splash, and there was Schuyler in
the water, and even as we looked he
sank out of sight. No man was in
sight, not even the ferryman, and we
all ran toward the spot, screaming and
wringing our hands; but some one else
was along that was not counted when !
said there were four of us. That fifth
one dashed like lightning past us,
reached the spot before we could, and,
springing into the water, caught Schuy-
Ter with his teeth as the child came up,
and held his head out of water. ::
It was dear old JACK. who had taken
in the situation as quickly as ourselves,
and rushed to the rescue. Our agon-
lied screams attracted attention, and
soon half dozen pair of arms belong
ing to some fishermen had relieved lack
of his burden and placed Schuyler, all
dripping and terribly frightened, on
the plank float again. AS soon as his
chattering teeth would let him, he
walled out: "Oh, the Jug! I had to let
60 of it, and it has gone to the bottom"
Dear little cousin, we were only too re-
joiced that it was the Jug, and not he,
that had gone to the bottom" which
he certainly would have done had it not
been for Jack. In falling in he had
pitched forward, and was 80 far from
the float that We could not reach him
when he came up the first time, and, as
it was several minutes before help came,
he would certainly have been drowned
but for the dog.
How came he to fall in?" Well, he
was running along, faster than he should
60 in such q dangerous place, and
stubbed his toe. Somehow we had lost all
desire that day for molasses candy, and
we returned to aunt's very sober and
crestfallen party. When Jack had
shaken himself dry, wo hugged him and
praised him all the evening.
While the ferry was still in use, and
before the new bridge was finished, l
concluded one day to take the next
early morning train for Cleveland. One
of these same cousins was with me the
evening before, and as I had to get up
before daylight to catch the train she
proposed that get ready and go home
with her that night, as her house was
nearer the depot, and she feared the
ferryman would not be on hand early
enough in the morning to take me
across the river. I fell in with her
plan, and after packing handbag, and
gathering big bouquet to take to
friends in Cleveland, we looked up the
house and started for my aunt's. When
We reached the ferry no one was there
to kaul us over. We waited q long
time; it was growing quite dark, still
the ferryman did not make his appear
ance. "Let Us go around by the rail-
road bridge" I suggested. liam afraid
to-" answered my cousin. 1T is so
lonely, 30 far from any house, and there
are such dreadful stories nowadays
about tramps." I'VE have got Jack
with u.s." 1 urged, "and he Is ample
protection. It is growing Later all the
time, and We will have to 60 at last,
fear, no matter how long We wait" So
we started, and ,soon reached
the bridge, which WAS =, swing