Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1882-01-19

one replied. The roar Of &ngry
stream increased and thewa deep-
ened beneath the mill walls
Two thousand dollars
The proprietorss voice - sSG
than before; but the Mcme d
thsir lips 6rmly and ah1sH their
heads. The men moved la M
easily, and enc drew his han 8eross
his mouth e. IL be would hsxe ken:
but still no one replied and S White
foam from the imprisoned sE was
tossed By the wind against lh 'oNer
windows Of the mills, while cor.
ners Of the buildings wers AIsv
beginning % cEnmhle and w awAy
before tha eEinding igd
Three thou
i will gol
The two voices sounded so closely
together that titwas notuntil the crowd
turned their eyes upward and saw the
one who had answered, that they fair
ly understood the reply.
Running from third-story window
of the lower mill directly across the
river, above the dam, was a long end
less chain, used to convey power from
the mighty water-wheel OF the mills
to the machinery of little box facto-
ry located upon the opposite bluff
This chain was at rest now. and there
appeared at the window near it the
figure of boy, in blue blouse, ear
rying in his hands an axe. He it was
who had said,
i viii 60
When the people saw him, and re-
allied what he was about to attempt
(for already he had fastened a rope
around his body and was passing the
other end oven the chain, evidently
with the intention ofsliding along the
the same until be found a point from
which he could lower himself within
reach of the timber) when they real
lied this great murmur went up
from the crowd, and the women cried
ont in terror, while many turned to
Mr.. Watterson and urged him to or
der the boy back.
Who is he P said the proprietor, in
dazed manner.
It's Jerry sir the bobbin-boy," said
a man, stepping forward. An or
phan, sir, an strivin' to care for his
sick sister.
Jerry Is it Jerry2' cried Mr..
WattersOn, turning quickly. Then
he shall not go, and he waved his
hand toward the window, and shouted:
Go back
But already it was too late, for,
with q little cry, che p0g cff a iir0lh
his perch and hung swinging above
the roaring, grinding ice the rope
which supported him sliding slowly
downward along the chain toward the
centre 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 sag
ging chain; slowly his feet neared the
great mass of ragged ice beneath. At
length, when he was directly over the
centre of the dam, and Just above the
long beam which held the jam, allow
ing the rope to slide quickly 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
listening. A moment, half moment
lost might mean destruction to the
mills, and before the echo of the shout
ing had ceased he was plying his axe
with vigorous strokes that rang sharp
and clear above the voice of crumb-
ling ice and gathering waters.
1t was not long task. The strain
upon the timber already was enor-
nous, and ere the lad had dealt half
score. of blows an ominous cracking
sound warned him that his errand was
accomplished, and that he must be
gone.
Dropping the axe, he turned. seized
the dangling rope, and began to climb
toward the chain above, when, with
shock like the report of cannon, the
beam gave way, and in an instant, in
the twinkling Of an eye. the air was
filled with q horrible roaring, as the
imprisoned waters burst the bonds
which had confined them, and in one
impetuous, boiling food rushed over
the dam, tossing the great cakes Of ice
that had formed the barrier high on
the frothing waves-so high that they
hid from sight the form Of poor Jerry
and there went up from all the peo-
pie single cry: The boy is lost
But the jam was broken The
mills were saved
And Jerry was saved too Bruised
and stunned and bleeding, hanging
half insensible above the black waters
that swept with swift curve toward
the fall, when the ice that had buffeted
him had PASSED away, the watchers
saw that the boy still lived; and, quick
er than it can be told, q boat was pro-
cured and manned, long line made
fast to it, and, dropping down the
stream until they were close to him,
tender hands were appraised, loving
voices called, and with a long, sobbing
cry, the hero loosed his grasp upon
the rope which held him and dropped
fainting into the waiting arms below.
To-day the great mills stand by the
rivers brink, and the rumble of their
machinery Is heard ali day long, as Of
yore; but It does not reach the ears Of
the 'bobbin-boy, nor yet those ofSister