St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-01-06

and he meant to do all that he could to
save these poor creatures for whom he
had risked his life so heroically. TAX
ing out his knife he made the woman
cut her skirts off at the knees, so that
she might walk and leap more freely.
Then placing the baby in the basket
which was strapped upon his back, he
cautioned the woman against giving way
to fright, and instructed her carefully
about the method of crossing.
On the return journey Joe was able
to avoid one great risk. AS it was not
necessary to land at any particular
point, time was OF little consequence,
and hence when no large field of ice
was at hand, he could wait for one to
approach without attempting to make
use of the smaller ones. Leading the
woman wherever that was necessary, he
slowly made his way toward shore.
drifting down the river. OF course, while
all the people of the town marched along
the bank.
When at last Joe leaped ashore in
company with the woman, and bearing
her babe in the basket on his back, the
people seemed ready to trample upon
each other in their eagerness to shake
hands with their hero. I'm Ky
Their hero was barely able to stand,
however. Drgnched as he had been in
the icy WATER the sharp March wind
had chilled hi& to to the marrow, and
one of the village doctors speedily lifted
him into his Carriage, which he had
brought for Mht purpose, and drove
rapidly away Nhile the other physician
took charge q Mrs. Martin and the
baby. ,l I'd .stI ll..
nssp T ps ds n 1 tsaagea so " 1n o
brandy and vigorous rubbing with
coarse towels, he soon warmed. Then
he wanted to saw enough wood for the
doctor to pay for his treatment, and
thereupon the doctor threatened to
poison him if he should ever venture to
mention pay to him again.
Naturally enough the village people
talked of nothing but Joe Lambert s
heroic deed, and the feeling was gen.
eral that they had never done their
duty toward the poor orphan boy.
There was an eager wish to lelp
him now, and many offers were made
to him; but these all took the form Of
charity, and Joe would not accept
charity at all. Four years earlier. as I
have already said, he had refused to go
to the poor-house or to be ''bound out, !"
declaring that he could take care of
himself; and when some thoughtless
person had said in his hearing that he
would have to live on charity, Joes re-
ply had been:
I'm never eat mouthful in this
town that / haven't worked for if I
starve.' And he had kept his word.
Now that he was fifteen years old he
was not willing to begin to receive
charity, even in the form of a reward
for his good deed.
One day when some of the most
prominent men OF the village were talk
ing to him on the subject Joe said:
II don't want anything except a
chance to work, but I'll tell you what
you may do for me if you will. Now
that poor Martin is dead the ferry privi-
lege will be to lease again, and I'd like
to get it for good long term. May be |
can make something out of it by being
always ready to row people across, and
may even be able to put on something
better than skiif after awhile. I'll pay
the village what Martin paid y
The gentlemen were glad enough of a
chance to do Joe even this small favor,
and there was no difficulty in the way.
The authorities gladly granted Joe a
lease of the ferry privilege for twenty
years, at twenty dollars a year rent,
which was the rate Martin had paid.
At first Joe rowed people back and
forth, saving what money he got very
carefully. This was all that could be
required of him. but it occurred to Joe
that il he had a ferry-boat big enough,
a good many horses and cattle and a
good deal Of freight would be sent
across the river, Tor he was q ..long-
headed fellow, as have said.
One day a chance offered, and he
bought for twenty-five dollars a large
old wood boat, which was simply a
square barge TO- ty feet long and fifteen
feet wide. with leveled bow and stern,
made to hold cordwood for the steam
boats. With his own hands he laid a
stout deck on this. and. with the assist
ance of man whom he hired for that
purpose, he constructed a pair OF pad
dle-wheels. BY that time Joe was out
Of money. and work on the boat was
suspended for while. When he had
accumulated little more money, he
bought a horsepower, and placed
it in the middle of his boat,
connecting it with the shaft OF his
wheels. Then he made rudder and
helm, and his horse boat was ready, for
use. It had cost him hundred dollars
besides his own labor upon it, but it
would carry live stock and freight as
well as passengers. and SO the business
OF the ferry rapidly increased, and ice
began to put little money away in the
bank.
After awhile railroad was built into
the village, and then a second one
no ,,,ns A 1nf onothnY railroad