Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-03-10
Beside the FluIne.

Drawing stream that, with frothlng
lips, leaped down from one of the
grand mountain Businesses of the
Golden State.
Then they constructed solidly
built dam of logs completely across
the stream, which they named Clear
River, thus shutting off the water from
its bed, the overflow escaping by a
long race-way or fume.
In the dry bed of the river was To-
Gated Clear River mine, and the min
ers soon found all their labor well
rewarded for the sands of the mount-
ain torrent literally shone with gold,
that had been torn from some crumbl-
ing quartz ledge that had barred its
breast to the turbulent waters for
centuries, OF from many tortured
bowlder whirled along in a crazy
dance in the rivers cold embrace.
The last ounce of shining dust had
been taken from the delicate scales,
and the four men grouped around the
rude table, looked into each others
eyes that shone brighter with the
light of success, than the gold for
which they had so patiently toiled.
''Ten thousand dollars, boys-S2,-
500 a share !" laughed one of the
brown-faced miners. "That's a
pretty good showing for month of
rocking the cradle. A few more div
| idends like that and then [ reckon
that I'll go home. There's a little
woman in little brown house know
of that will be glad to see me-bless
her brave little heart
Home! The four partners in the
Clear River mine were all from the
far-away east, and at that word stern
faces softened, and more than one
hand Involuntary sought a ragged
breast, wherein was concealed pre-
cious package of well-worn letters
from loved ones over the mountains.
But one of them-a frank-faced
young fellow-arose from the table,
glanced half-anxiously, half-hesita-
tingly at his companions, then turned
from them and went to the little cab
in window and looked out into the
night.
"What's the trouble with you, Up
ton?" was the general inquiry.
Upton strobe uneasily toward his
fellow-m miners.
II cannot answer your questions,
boys for, the truth of it is, don't
know myself. | can only say that a
feeling as if we are in mortal danger
this very moment is upon me, and ]
can't shake it off p
A laugh went around the table-a
hearty, ringing laugh-the laugh OF
men who scorn the thought OF
danger, and yet they could not but
feel impressed by the young fellow s
earnestness.
Upton joined in the laugh at his
expense; but that strange, far-ofl
look as of one whose spirit is not with
the body, never left his face.
He went back to the window again,
and then threw open the cabin door
turned his head and said, pleasantly
s'Pll be with you in short time
boys" and then the door closed be-
hind him.
There was neither sparkle of stal
nor the faintest CLEAN of the moon to
tighten the shadows into which ht
plunged. The air was soft and warn
against his face as a woman's breath
No sound came to his ear save ths
roar of the frothing fiume, which was
the width of the river bed from tht
cabin.
Upton descended the steep banl
and began to pick his way over th'
rough stones of the clam, with th,
great face of the dam rising up at hi
side like some huge prison wall.
He stopped and listened moment
He heard queer little gurgles-fain
soft, tapping sounds-a soft, sub
dued swish, as of hurrying waters
and yet, after all, there was a cer
tain, ruthless calm about those strong
unseen floods behind that cool, dar
wall, that bore evidence of immens
n power.
Thud It was as if some mighty
S Titanic missiles had been hurle
against the walls. 1t was only a
uptorn tree, borne with terrific fore
against the dam several feet abov
= his head.
v ''How the river has crept up sine
night-fall. [ knew the rain of tt
a last two days would cause rise bl
/ this looks serious. Luckily the da
'e will stand the pressure of a commo
- flood !"
It He laid his ear close to one of tt
lie projecting timbers of the dam.
''That immense weight of wat
re doesn't even jar it p he niurmured.
ID Picking his way over the rock ri
: er-bed was no easy matter in th
thick obscu1ity; but his familiari
g. with every foot of the locality helpt
er him, and in a short time he stood b
er fore the fume.
Id All, here was uproar enough! III
fume was full to the very topmo
e plank. A hiss of flying spray stru'
;. ;. him sharply in the face but he ga
be no heed to the ice-cold drops th
ol1,no n. b.e,