Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1885-08-21
CHAPTER XIV.
BUILDING THE DAM.

The events recorded in our last chap
ter served, for time, to arouse John
Parsons from the unhealthy mental
condition into which he was sinking;
for SO long as the lads life was in dam
ger every other thought gave way be-
fore the one great fear of losing john
ny, his baby, his only boy. But when
the more imminent danger was past,
the fear of losing their home came again
with redoubled force rs he realized that
his child must always remain a cripple,
dependent upon others for every neces-
sity and enjoyment in life.
1t was at thought of this, too, that
Mrs. Parsons broke down.
Always heretofore she had been the
one 10 preserve cheerful countenance
and to encourage her husband with ex-
pressions of hope that the danger to
their home might not be so great as he
| feared, or if so there would come some
way out of it.
"The law will compel the company to
make good the damages if they occur, !"
she would tell him; "and even if we
lose the land we will still have the stock
and household goods and nice little
sum of money in the bank, and we are
not very old yet and will manage to
| live comfortable, / am sure; so dom t
worry, dear, it will all come out right
| in the end"
But now!
When she got down from the spring
wagon, and Johnny was lifted out aud
carried in and laid upon the cot, from
which, unaided, she knew he was never
to rise again, an awful feeling of desc
lation came over her. Sac was as one
bewildered and lost in the woods. The
sky, the hills, everything about her,
took on the look they have when seen
through piece of smoked or stained
glass. The house itse'f, nay. the very
faces of her husband and children.
seemed strange and unnatural, and she
moved from room to room as if in a
dream, and when she spoke she heard
her own voice as if t came from afar
of, and was the voice OF another.
All day she was in this condition: but
the second day she aroused herself by
IN effort of the will and resumed her
usual round of duties, except that much
of her time was of necessity given to
the crippled boy, who lay in little cot
which had been made for him and
placed on wheels that he might be
moved about the house easily and out
into the. yard on pleasant days.
Her husband now spent most of his
time in the house. The winter rains,
which had set in some weeks previously,
rendered outdoor work impossible for
days at a time, and if they had not done
so John Parsons had lost all love for
work on the ranch. Besides, Johnny
claimed his almost undivided attention
now
The little fellow had taken to his
father from before the time when he
took his first baby steps, and had never
been quite so we'll contented as when
in his arms, or perched upon his
shoulders, or following him about the
place; and now he could not bear to
have him out Of his sight during his
waking moments.
Often, too, in the night he would
waken and call in weak, piping voice
so different from what it had been in
health; and his father would arise ant
sit by his side for hours, moving his pool
wasted body this way or that to give
him little more ease. or divert his
mind by tales such as children love to
hear, until he fell asleep again or forgot
his pain.
During the day he wheeled him about
the house; or, If it was sunny, carried
him out in his arms to the poultry yard
that he might drop corn to his chicken,
and ducks; or to the pasture lot, that ht
might put out his hand and pet the col
} that had been promised should be hi
when both were grown, upon which
, promise he had built thousand castles
in the air, of encounters with grizzl,
bears and Indians, besides taking pre-
miums for speed at all the fairs in tn,
country.
1t seemed that the man had but on,
thought, one object irflife now-that o
caring for the crippled boy.
Certain tits that he never laughed
except when. once in great Will
J something provoked the child to laugh
te'; then the man always joined in, bu
: at no other time did any member OF tn
family see smile upon his face; an,
he never went from home any more
not even to neighbors.
One day word came that there was b
be a meeting at the school-house TO de
wise means TO save the settlers from tn
, overflow OF the mines. and that hi
neighbors were anxious for him TO b
, present, for by this time the danger wa
aDDarant Ia all The flonda cauaed n