Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1881-09-05
al1onih's Column,
THE APPRENTICES LEAP.


lying in the midst like broad sheet of
gold, save where it was fecked by the
dark shadow of London bridge, then a
regular street with houses along each |
side of it.
Just above the middle arch rose
house larger than the rest-that of Sir |
William Hewett, cloth-worker, and bur- |
CESS of the city of London. The sunset |
made glory upon the windows Of the
old mansion, and lighted up the balco-
ny, on which Sir Williams baby daugh-
ter was Growing and clapping her tiny
hands with glee at the sight of it, and
stole into the work-room, where the
youngest apprentice, Edward Orborne,
was beguiling his task by singing the
ballads of "Brave Lord Willoughby,"
which was as popular in that age as
"Glory Hallelujah" in this.
"Ah, if [ could but have a chance of
doing such deed as that !! murmured
the boy as he ended.
"Well. well, my brave lad," answer
ed the CHEEKY voice of old Sir William,
who had entered the room unperceived,
''you're on the right road to it by being
diIigent at your work. Keep to that
meanwhile, and never fear but the
chance of doing great deeds will come
all in good time"
Little did either speaker or nearer
guess how soon and in what way these
words were to come true. Scarcely had
the old knight left the room when the
boy was startled by a sudden shrek
from the balcony overhead, and by
something white flashing past the win
dow into the depth below. Sir Will
liam Hewett's only child had leaped
out of her nurses arms, and had fallen
headlong into the river.
The faint splash was Instantly an
swered by much louder one and the
distracted household, as they rushed in
body to the fatal balcony. saw Edward
Osborne's brown curly head far down
the SHINING stream, shooting straight
as an arrow toward the white speck
that foated little way behind him.
"He has her y
"No!'
eyes p
"No, he's gone past. Stay he's
turning again"
"Hurrah he's got her at last
Thank God"
The anxious fathers straining eyes
were already too dim to see anything
clearly; but the joyous shout of hi
keen eyed serving men told him all wa
we'll, and in another moment he wa
hurrying toward the scene of action a
fast as his feet could carry him.
But the peril was not over yet. Goot
swimmer as he was, the furious swirl o
the current. together with the weigh
of his own wet clothes and those of tn
child, were fearful odds against tn
brave apprentice. Twice his head dip
ped below the surface and all seeme
over; but he still held the rescued in
FAINT above the water with one hand
while struggling for life with the other
Courage, my heartily said hoars
voice beside him. "Hold up just anc
Their minute, and all's WE'LL"
At the same moment, boat pulle
by two sturdy watermen, who had pu
off from the shore on the first alarm
came sweeping up to the sinking DO!
A strong hand caught the child frol
his failing grasp, while in another il
slant he was seized and dragged int
the boat after her, just as the last rem
nant of his over-tasked strength ga1
way.
"Git her head around, Tom," sa
one of the boatmen to his comrade, "ar
pull with will, for that's the youn
ster's father running this way, or L
much mistaken"
Scarcely had the boat touched t
wharf on her return, when old Hewe
sprang into her like a mailman, al
finding his child unhurt flung his arr
around the neck of the half-drowned a
prentice.
"God bless thee, my son! cried |
fervently. "Let them never call thee
boy again, for few men would have d.
ed as much" ..-I..5
"Let them call him aJhero," said
voice from behind. aXno4
The boy looked up with start. ]
side him stood the handsomest man
had ever seen, in a rich court DIRE
looking down upon him with gra
kindly eyes. 1t was Sir Walter Ralei
famous even then as one of the great
men England had ever produced,
destined to become more famous still
the cOlOnizer of Virginia.
Ten years from that day there wa
great merry-making in the old house
London Bridge; and Sir William Hev
still brisk and CHEEKY as ever, tho,
his hair was now white as snow, sat
the head of his own table amid eli