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


ton OF sliding along the same until he
found point from which be could lower
himself within reach cf the timber when
they realized this great murmur went
up from the crowd, and the women cried
out in terror, while many turned 10 Mr..
Watterson and urged him to order the
boy back.
-"Who is he 2 said the proprietor, i'm
a dazed manner.
"its Jerry. sir, the bobbin-hoy," said
man, stepping forward. "An orphan,
sir, an strivin' to care for his sick Sis
ter"
'"Jerryl Is it Jerry ?" cried Mr.. Watt
terson, ,-turning quickly. "Then he shall
not co." and be -ua..AA- i-i.-hAad-- Toward
the window, and shoelsssass..- oes.sas.- aca- -backf
''tr y-rv-wgs TOO late. With a.
little cry, the boy dropped fror. bis pefelfA
and hung swingins-ahove the roar;no
grinding ice, the fope wnrcu--r~arted
him sliding slowly downward along the
chain toward the center OF the dam.
The breathless crowd, the terror stricken
proprietor, could only watch and wait
now.
Slowly and unevenly the looped rope
from which Jerry was suspended slipped,
link by link, down the sagging chains
slowly his feet neared the great mass OF
ragged ice beneath At length, when he
was directly over the center of The dam,
and just above the long beam which held
the jam, allowing the rope to slide quick
| ly through his hands. he dropped lightly
upon the timber he had come to cut.
At the sight, the sympathetic crowd
broke into wild cheer, both men and
women; but Jerry wasted no time listen.
ing. A moment, half moment lost
might mean destruction to the mills, and
before the echo of the shouting bad
ceased he was plying his ak with vigor-
Gus strokes, that rang sharp and clear
above the voice of the crumbling ice:
and gathering water.
1t was not long task. The strain
upon the timber already was enormous,
and ere the lad had dealt half score
of blows, an ominous cracking sound
warned him that bis errand was accom-
plished, and that he must be gone.
Dropping the ak, he turned, seized the
dangling rope, and began to climb to-
ward the chain above, when with shock
like the report of cannon, the beam
gave way, and in an instant, in the twink
ling of an eye, the air was filled with g.
horrible roaring, as the imprisoned wa
ters burst the bounds which had con.
fined them, and In one impetuous, boil.
ing food rushed over the dam, tossing
the great cokes of ice that had formed
the barrier high on the frothing waves
so high that they bid from sight the form
OF poor Jerry-snd there went up from
all the people single cry, The boy is
lost"
But the jam was broken! The mills
were saved!
j And Jerry was saved toe! Bruised
land stunned and bleeding. hanging half
Tlinsensible above the black waters that
sweIt with swift curve toward the tall;
when the ice that had hufieted him and
passed away, the watchers saw that the
boy still lived; end, quicker than it. can
be told,a boat was procured and manned,
long line made fast to it, and drop
ping down the stream until they were
close TO him, tender hands were uprais.
ed, loving voices called, and with long,
sobbng cry, the little hero ,loosed his
grasp upon the rope which held him and
dropping fainting into the waiting arms
below.
To-day the great mills stand by the
rivers brink, and the rumble OF their
machinery is heard all day long. as Of
yore; bnt it does not reach the ears of
the "bobbin-boy," nor yet those of sis<
ter Nellie. For the one is at college
and the other at school, both foster chill
dren of that most pleasant Of old bacbe-
lors, the proprietor himself; and il is
only at vacation time now, when his
days are frightened by the presence Of
both his loved ones that Mr.. Waiter
sons memory turns back to that spring
time, long gone by, when his son Jerry,
in simple, soulful gratitude, risked his
life to save the mills.