The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1880-11-19

Nouiu nave tuuu1ut tuAt bbt,t OF the
cow-catchcr was jist clear good luck !?
And you moped about with short
draw in your chist. and seemed bound
TO be grouty old man In the chimney
corner that could niver lift a stroke for
your childer. All YOU didn't see the good
luck. You know. Tim but when the
President sent the bran new COW with
a card tied TO one horn. an Conner
read il when he came home from
school: For Tin .Nagan. rho sarsd ne
tram. Good iEck ~ himir WASH IL
all right then2 Now YOU are rs good
rs new. and our mooley J. quiet As a
lamb. and IL was Queen Victoria her
sci. she couldn give any sweeter milk
for me. She Is the born BEAUTY"
Well. Connor was his mothers own
boy for making the most and the best
Of everything. and ~ saw several items
Of good luck this day.
First: The river had risen so near the
school-house that the desks aud benches
were moved up between the tracks and
the school dismissed: therefore there
was perfect freedom 10 enjoy the ex-
element OF the occasion. II was as
gODl a, move OF Il nre.
Second: There was so much danger
that the track might be undermined
that all trains We're stopped by order of
the railroad company; therefore his IA
Their was AT liberty.
Third. and best of all: Larry O'Fla-
herty, who lived up Bald Face Creek.
had lent him his skiff for the day. The
bows had an ecstatic time the evening
before. hauling in driftwood. Though
the coal barges had bright red lights at
their bows, and the steamboats, were
ablaze with green and red signals. and
blew their gruff whistles continually,
vet il was hardly safe 70 90 far from
the shore at night because the Ripple
was SO near. When the river was rising
the drift was driven close 10 land. while
falling il floated near the middle OF the
river. Connor could see the Hood was
still rising. and there were possibilities
u splendid catch. for ii was daylight,
and they could 60 where they pleased
with Larry's boat
Father and SOP pushed out into the
river. Conner felt as il he owned the
world. Short sticks and slaves were
put in the bottom Of the boat. Both
fishermen had long pole with SHARP
iron hook at the end with which. wher
they came close TO log, they harpoon
ed il. Bringing il near, they drove Z
nail into one end. and tying rope
round the nail. they fastened their prize
to the stern OF the boat. They tool
turns rowing and spearing driftwood
and when the log-fleet swimming aftel
them became large, they went to shore
and secured il.
When the dripping logs were long
and heavy, II was the custom to faster
them with the rope close to q stake il
the bank. and leave them floating A
low water they were left high and dr.
on the sand.
No other driff-wood gatherers med
died with such logs. They were con
sidered as much private property Is i
already burning on the hearth
I'm going up the hill 70 feed the
cow. Connor." said his father. after ;
great deal Of wood Of every size ant
shape had hecn landed. Mind wha'
you are about. and take care of Larry''
gim Of boat. II was mighty neigh
borly to lind il for the whole day. See
now. how much drift you can pick VI
by Yourself"
Connvr felt the responsibility. and
worked diligently. He had twice
taken load to shore. and was quite fal
again in the stream. when he saw :
strange sight. II was not Moses in thu
buirushes. to be sure-but child in |
wicker wagon. floating down the cur
rent amid lot Of sticks and branches
The hoarse whistle Of 4 steamboat nea
meant danger; and 70 the eye Of Como
the baby-craft seemed but little above
the water. and to be slowly sinking.
Connor's shout rang back from th'
Kentucky hills as If It came from thu
throat Of an engine.
No one answered.
There were great logs between hi
skiif and the child--logs and child wer'
all moving together. Should he aban
don Larry's precious boat?
Common could not consider this HI
plunged into the water and swan roun,
the logs He never knew how he di'
it. he never knew how he cut his han'
he never felt the pounding Of tn
logs he only knew that he caught tn
wagon. kept those black eyes above tn
water, and pulled the precious freigh
I TO snore. Then. while the water wa
streaming from him in every direction
he sprang up the few steps to hi
mothers cabin. and without wor'
placed the child. still in the wagon, in
side the door.
Running back as swiftly as his fee
would carry him. Connor had the GOO
luck to find the deserted boat close b
shore. jammed in a mass Of drift-wood
just in the turn Of the Ripple.
Dragging il up and along the shore
he fastened il to fisherman's stak
just by Twinrip. Then Conner felt h
had discharged his duty-Larr
d Flahertv's boat was safe-high an
dry out Of reach Of eddging logs.
a -. ~ l1na