Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1882-02-04

=
Mr.. Watterson forgot the rising flood,
which even now was threatening his
mills; he forgot the urgent Grand which
had driven him out into the storm; he
forgot the wide social gull between his
servant and himself; and remembering
only that lie was Christian man, SON
swerable to his Father In heaven 20 the
welfare Of his child before him, he
seized the boy by the arm, pushed open
the door of the little bakery before
which they stood and fairly dragged him
within.
''Hore!" he cried t o the bakers wife,
who came, bowing and smiling, to ex
ccutc the great mans commands.
See" Give this lad the best supper
you can cook AMI all the provisions he
can carry. and send the bill to me.
Then hurriedly drawing some money
from his pocket book, he thrust it into
Jcrry's hand and said: When you have
eaten, go back to Mrs. Crawford's
and pay her for u month in advance.
Then find doctor for Nellie, and stay
with her yourself until she is well.
After that, come back to me at the
mills. If they are standing, syon shall
hsve work. No. Not word.' he con
tinued, us the nstoniscd boy would
have spoken "The money is present
TO YOU aud Nellie from me-" And be-
fore Jcil could recover from his sur
prise Mr.. Wattcrson had gone.
Supper! money. and a doctor for Mel
lie! Could it be true? The boy unclasp-
ed his hand and looked at the precious
bills. Yes, it was true
AS he ate the bolntifnl meal prepar-
ed for him by the bakers good wife, the
bonDin-boy pictured Nellie's delight
when he snoull return and tell her Of
what had happened him; ard later when
he faced the drcary storm homeward
bound with great hasket heapcd with
buns and 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 of how boldly he would meet
"Mis' Crawford, and how astonis he'd
and puzzled she would be when he paid
hcr-not a week, but a month III
adzance.
cts just like fairy story" said he,
u, IL
steps of his boarding house-'jnst like
fair, with a great big, splendid rich
man fairy
1t was moist 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 somber
background, 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 the
rain, driven by the mighty wind, fell III
long, slantine lanccs upon the town and
the frothing river, that, filled with great
| masses of broken ice and debris from all
the up country, roarel and plunged be-
! tween it's banks and shook >wlth giant
hands the foundations of the mills beneath
which it rnn.
At the head of the dam, where the
channel was the narrowest. and direct
lv opposite the lower Watterson $ mill,
was an icc-Jam.
Piled block upon block until it tower
cd high in the air, pressing with ternhl.
force against the mills upon one hanc
and the natural wall of rock upon the
other the broken ice had formed a great
white barricade, growing each moment
which checked the mad rush Of the water
and sent it swirling backwards III eddy
ing waves, which beat fulioUsly upol
the mills and thr, ateneu each instant (
engulf them.
Along the higher shore the towns
people had gathered, powerless 70 AID
but simply awaiting the catastrophe
and among them, pale aud hagsard. Wa
the proprietor himself, already Ininr,
man.
AS he passed to and fro, intent upol
the scenes before hlm. hoping agalns
hope that the jam might even yet give
way i'll time to save his buildings. man,
watcher turned aside with pltvlni
word and look. for Mr.. Watterson Wa
Ia man beloved bv all Of IL!
employees.
Suddenly there was movement II
the crowd--a has:ening toward com
mon center and with eager faces hoti
men and women gather abont Il n,w
conner, who was speaking earnestly.
Yes. Ii tina: timber could be cut !
would break the jam. 1t lies just 81
that it holds
The owner of the mills h'irst through
the little crowd.
"What timber? Whcref Quick
Tell me, Can the jam be broken
Yes. sir, returned the other. re
spectiuily touching his ha:. 1T can
.,ut its dangerous work. | have jnS
been below. and from there saw th.a
GREAT log which had lodged 4, the vcr,
crown of tie dam is all that holds ~
Ice. II that should be cut the jam wonl'
lc broken.
But how can il h> reachgd3 queflos
Mr.. Wa,terson anxiou>ly." Can an'
one Get at it 10 cut IT.?
"Ycs. sir, REPLIED the man; IN "'i
way.
And that i
Over the ice Itself
4 shulder ran through III" iis'ei.efa
and even the proprie,or's face grey
more pale. WHO would venture ul"'
such bridge on such an errand?
| Wi+i, q common iulDyl'sc the croA'