The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1882-04-07

ny EUGENE j HALL.

4t ny EUGENE HALL.
remember big Ben Bolton, and the little
DO could carry of milestone, but she ruled
him like queen.
He stood seven feet in his stockings; she was
hardly three feethigh:
but she wound him round her finger and she
,a ruled him with her eye.
The women used to smoker, and the hardy
miners smiled,
To see the brawny giant with the gentle little
And tho gamblers, up from Frisco when they
saw them, used to swear
That they looked as fifty mated as q rabbit and
bear.
He would drop his pick and shovel when she
came in working hours:
Tney would GO among the gulches after gay
He would climb the dizzy lodges, he would
scale the mountain-side,
Bearing her upon his shoulders, while he called
her little BRIDE"
He could bend an iron crowbar, he could lift a
half n ton,
He could twist wagon-tire, or the barrel of a
gun,
With his fingers; but it often used to make us
X laugh
When we saw Le0ntine lead him as butcher
leads calf.
When the hard days work was over, when the
crescent silver moon
Arose above the mountain pines, we met at
A9hen ben Bolton used to give us exhibitions
Of his skill
In bending iron crowbars or in twisting of a
drill.
One day Ezekiel Parsons sent to Frisco on the
sly,
And bought bar of tempered steel, for brawny
The boys who understood the game came down
to Blood's one night,
And stood serenely round the bar and waiting
for the sight.
Ben Bolton grasped the bar of STEEL he brought
And like a locomotive pulled, the trick no
could not see;
The sweat ran down his honest face upon his
He tugged and worked with bill his might, it
would not bulge a bit.
Ezekiel Parsons shook his Sides the boys all
laughed aloud,
Ben lost his reputation and had to treat the
It cut him SO completely, and it made him feel
He quit the camp next morning with the little
A storm comes up the valley, acloud bursts on
The stream becomes river, that sweeps away
the mills.
Der rocks, through glens and gulches, and
mining camps 1t pours.
A cry comes from the hollow, and rushing
The miners see Ben Bolton like a giant at tho
bridge.
The water settles about him, the bridge rocks
to and fro;
He holds it with q crowbar-in a minute 1t
must go.
Beneath the narrow ledge near by with bright
disheveled hair,
They see the little Leontine-her hands are
clasped in prayer.
The structure quakes. the strong man shakes,
- no fear Is In his face;
"Hoi save the child" he shouts aloud, "Tn
hold the bridge In place."
zeke' Parsons bounds upon the bridge, tho
women wall with fear;
He lifts the child in his strong arms, the miners
loudly cheer;
He leaps upon the trembling logs, the waters
He slips, he falls, he creeps, he crawls, he
springs upon the shore.
The child is saved, Ben Bolton, but who will
help you now?
Inc cr , in your brawny hands breaks
And down the glen goes bridge and man, with
broken logs and stones
That rend and cash his stalwart form and crush
and break his bones.
Adown the hill the miners run, with outcries
of despair:
They find him wedged between the rocks, and
hanging helpless there.
They bear his mangled form, away, without
the glen they pass
With words of pity and of love, and lay him on
the grass.
The crimson blood runs down his face, he
shudders and he signs;
His pale lips move, he means, he groans, then
to q comrade cries:
'Pve saved the little Leontine, be kind to her,
dear Joe,
I'm bent and broke Zeke Parsons, for I'm
ready now to go!''
His head drops limp and lifeless down, his eyes
grow dull and dim,
His broad breast heaves, q SILVER runs through
every broken limb.
Then, with a smile upon his lips, he sinks upon
the sod,
And the soul of brave Ben Bolton is ut peace
with man and God.