Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-05-31


looking around. "Then 1 think they're
very mean. Ineyer hurt them, [ am
sure"
"Oh, they only do it for fun, so don't
be mad. But L wish you would take
care. and look where you are going
You'll fall"
Take care of yourself" answered
Dolly; I am sure you need it more than
1 DO.
How cross you are to-day" replied
Will. Whats the matter, Dolly?"
Nothing, said Dolly; "only I don't
want everybody saying, Take care,
and calling me Wild Dolly and all
that.
Very well, responded VIII, soberly;
only I don't want you to hurt your
self"
"All right, said Dolly, smiling; TIN
not angry"
By this time they had reached the
spot which they had chosen for a fish
ing place. It was on the same bank Of
the river with the mill, and few yards
above it. Above, q great beech tree
spread its arms far out over the stream,
aud beneath, flat rock arose out of
the water, making most excellent
spot for fishing.
At this point the river, rushing by
perhaps for hundreds of years, has
worn little circular basin or bay in
the hard rocks. Here the water was
very deep and still close in shore. You
could see down into the green depths
for many feet, and when the sun shone
directly upon it you might now and
then catch a glimpse of trout turning
his bright sides hither and thither.
VIII sand it was sort of resting place"
for the fish before they took the plunge
through the race.
Twenty feet from the shore, however,
the river shot by like an arrow; a
branch or log floating upon it would
fairly seem to fly. 4 little beyond the
bay the whole current was compressed
into great wooden trough or gutter,
called the trace" This gutter deIiy-
cred the immense power Of the stream
directly upon the paddles, or buckets,
Of the wheel, causing it to fly around in
a continuous cloud Of foam, with
voice like thunder.
just where the water poured out Of
the race upon the wheel there was q
strong framework Of plank which ran
across the race, close to the surface OF
the swiftly running water, and very
near the wheel. The framework was
for the purpose of giving strength to
the gutter, and to prevent the water
from bursting it to pieces. Over this
plank Dolly had often walked without
the slightest fear, though it was always
wet and slippery, and q single misstep
must have surely dashed her to pieces
upon the wheel The sawyer had for
hidden her to cross it again, and, though
she looked at it longingly as she wan
dered up and down"the banks while
VIII was arranging his lines, she did
not mean to disobey.
At the other end Of the race-that is
to say, farthest from the wheel and
nearest the fishing rock-was another
framework of different character. It
was called the ''gate," and was used
for the purpose of shutting the water
out of the race, and turning it another
way. Of course, when the gate was
shut, no water could get into the race;
what was already in it would run out,
and the wheel would stop.
This gate was simply square Of thick
plank, bolted together, of the exact
size Of the race trough, so that when
down it would exactly close the end Of
it. It was arranged to run up and
down in grooves made in two great
posts standing upright on each side of
the race. When'the mill was in mo-
ton the gate was hauled to the top of
the posts by means of rope running
over o pulley, and tied fast. When the
sawyer wished to stop his wheel, all he
had to do was to unite his rope; the
gate would drop into the trough of its
own weight, and the water would be
shut off from the wheel
After while Dolly went back to
where VIII was fishing He seemed to
have very poor luck, for not nibble
had yet rewarded his patience. Dolly
sat down beside him, and began to cut
up her bread into squares with her
knife
You'd better eat your bread" said
VIII, contemptuously; "the fish