The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1882-01-03

and before Jerry could recover from his
surprise Mr.. Watterson had gone.
Supper money. and doctor for
Nellie! Could it be true! The boy
unclasped his hand and looked at the
precious bills. Yes, it was true!
AS he ate The bountiful meal prepared
for him by the bakers good wife, the
bohbin boy pictured Nellic's delight
when he should return aud tell her of
what had happened to him; and, later,
when he faced the dreary storm, home
warl bound, with great basket, heap
ed with buns ard cakes and oranges
from The bakers shelves upon his arm,
his heart was light and his laugh rang
merrily out across the darkness and the
rain, as he thought how boldly he would
ed and puzzled she would ue wue1ii-bbr
paid her not week, but a month in
advanced
':It's just like a fairy story T. said he,
half aloud, as he climbed the sloppy
steps of his boarding house-':just like
fairy story, with great, big, splendid,
rich man fairy"
1t was almost morning. Already the
black curtain of night, rent here and
there by the furious wind, was slowly
lifting toward the east, and the dull gray
dawn appeared, forming somhre back
ground upon which the leatless trees
that fringed the far away hills were
painted in waving silhouette
Since ever the sun had gone down,
the wild storm had continued, and even
now the rain, driven by the mighty
wind, fell in long, slantirg lances upon
the town and the frothing river, thf
filled with great masses of broken ice
debris from all the up country. roared
and plunged between its banks and
shook with giant hands the foundation
of the mills beneath which it ran.
At the head of the dam, where the
channel was the narrewest, and directly
opposite the Watterson mill was an ice
jam.
Piled block upon block, until it tower.
ed high in the air, pressing with terrible
force against the mills upon the one
hand, and the natural wall of rock upon
the other, the broken ice had formed q
great white barricade. growing each mo-
ment, which checked the mad rush ol
the water and sent it swirling backward
in eddying waves, which beat furiously
upon the mills and threatened each in
slant to engulf them.
Along the higher shore the townspeo
pie had gathered, powerless to aid, bu'
simply awaiting the catastrophe; and
among them, pale and haggard, was the
proprietor himself, already ruined man
AS be passed to and fro, intent upon
the scene before him, hoping. against
hope that the jam might even give way
in time to save bis buildings, many 8
watcher turned aside with pitying word
and look, for Mr.. Watterson was a man
beloved by all his employees.
Suddenly there was movement in tht
crowds Fastening toward the common
center-and, With eager lace, both mer
and women gathered about new conner
who was speaking earnestly.
"Yes II that timber could be cut i
would break. the jam. 1t lies just sc
that it holds.
"Whst timber2 Where? Quick
Tell me. Can the jam be broken?
Yes, sir" returned the other, respect
fully touching his hat. at can; bu'
it's dangerous work. have just beer
below, and from there saw that grea
log which had lodged at the very crown
Of the dam is all hat holds the ice. l
that could be cut the jam would be bro
KEN"
"But how can it be reached ?" queried
Mr.. Watterson, anxiously. "Can any
one get at it to cut it7'
"Yee, sir" replied the man; Gin one
way"
"And that is"
"Over the ice itself"
A shudder ran through tie listeners
and even the proprietor's face grew
more pale Who would venture upor
such bridge on such an errand2
With q common impulse The crowd
led by the workman who first discovered
the log, turned hurriedly away from tht
rivers brink, ran through side street
and gained position lower down th'
stream, and whence the dam could b.
plainly seen.
The report was true. The jam wa
held 10 place by single timber-a great
square stick. doubtless torn by the an
CRY waters from some bridge far up th,
country. If that could be cut, the block
ade would be broken, and ice would nj
longer clog the stream, and the mill
would be saved.
For moment silence fell upon all
then, suddenly, Mr.. Watterson's voice
hoarse and thin, rang out above tn
noise of the sterm snd the roar of tn
waters:
"a thousand dollars to the man VIII,
will cut the timber!"
The women in the little group iooke'
at each other and shuddered; the mel
fixed their eyes upon the dam; but n,
one replied The roar of the augr
stream increased and the waters deep
ened beneath the mill walls.
1.-TWO thousand dollars !"
The proprietor's voice was hoarse
than before but the women closed thei
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