The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-08-16
"a thousand dollars to the man
who will cut that timberin

who will cut that timber"
The women in the group looked
. at each other and shuddered: the
men fixed their eyes on the dam
but no one replied. The rear o.
) the angry stream increased, and the
waters deepened beneath the mill
walls.
Two thousand dollars !"
Iha proprietor's voice was hoarseI
than before; but the women closed
their lips firmly and shook their
heads. The mel moved a little un-
easily, and one drew his hand across
his mouth, as if he would have
spoken; but still no one replied, and
the white foam from the imprisoned
river was tossed by the winds against
the lower windows of the mills,
while the corners of the buildings
were already beginning TO crumble
and waste away before the grinding,
merciless ice.
Three thou"
Il will CO."
The two voices sounded so closely
together that it was not until the
crowd turned theireyes upward and
saw the one who had answered, that
they fairly understood the reply.
Running from a third story win
dow of the lower mill directly across
the river, above the dam, was a long
endless chain used to convey power
from the mighty water wheel of the
mills to the machinery of a little
box factory located upon the oppo-
site bluff. This chain was at rest
now, and there appeared at the win
dow near it the figure of a boy, in a
blue blouse carrying in his hands an
AK. He it was who said, Il will
gow
When the people saw him, and
realized what he was about to at
tempt (for already he had fastened
rope around his body and was
passing the other end over the chain,
evidently with the intention OF slid
ing along the same until he found a
point from which he could lower
himself within reach of the timber;
when they realized this, great
murmur went up from the crowd,
and the women cried out in terror,
while many turned to Mr.. Waiter
son and urged him to order the boy
back.
"Who is he?" asked the proprietor
ir dazed manner.
Its Jerry, sir, Jerry the bobbin
boy" said man, stepping forward.
'An orphan, sir, an strivin' to care
for his sick sister"
Jerry Is it jerry" cried Mr..
Watterson, turning quickly. "Then
he shall not go" and he waved his
hand and shouted toward the win
dow: $50 back, Go back !"
But already it was too late, for,
with little cry, the boy dropped
from 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
breathtess crowd, the stricken pro-
prietor, could only watch and wait
now
Slowly and unevenly the looped
rope from which Jerry was suspend
ed slipped link by link, down the
sagging chain: slowly his feet near
ed the great mass OF ragged ice be-
meath. At length, when directly
over the center of the dam, just
above the long beam which held the
jam, allowing the rope to slide quick !
ly through his hand, he dropped
lightly upon the timber he had come !
to cut.
At the sight the sympathetic |
crowd broke into a wild cheer, both |
men and women; but Jerry wasted |
no time in listening. A moment, !
half moment lost might mean de- !
struction to the mills, and before
the echo of the shouting had ceas
ed, he was plying his AK with vigor
Gus strokes that rang sharp and clear
above the noise of crumbling 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
a score of blows, an ominous, crack
ling sound warned him that his er-
rand was accomplished, and that he
must be gone.
Dropping the AK, he turned, seiz-
ed the dangling rope, and began to
climb toward the chain above, when
with shock like the report of II
cannon, the beam gave, and in an
instand, in the twinkling Of an eye,
the air was filed with the horrible
roaring, as the imprisoned waters
burst the bonds which confined
them, and in one impetuous, boiling
food rushed over the dam, tossing
the great cakes of ice that had form
ed to barrier high on the frothing
wayes-so high that they hid from
sight the form of poor Jerry-and
there went up from all the people a
single cry: The boy is lost.
But the jam was broken. The
mills were saved.
And Jerry was saved too. Bruis-
ed, and stunned and bleeding, half
above the black waters
that swept with a swift curve to-
ward the dam when the ice that had
buffeted him had passed away, the
saw that the boy still lived;
and quicker than it can be told, ID
boat was procured and manned, a
long line made fast to it, and, drop
ping down the stream until they
were close to him, tender hands
were appraised, loving voices called,
and with a long, sobbing cry, the
little hero loosed his bold of the
rope which held him and dropped
fainting into the arms OF the rescu-
ers below.
To-day the great mills stand by
the rivers brink, and the rumble of
the machinery is heard all day long,
rs of yore; but does not reach the
ears Of the "bobbin boy" nor vet
those of his sister Nellie. For the