Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-05-12

to me and calling Inc from the bedside
of my wife. [ went out with heart ach
ing and my eyes dizzy and dazed, going
from the sick room into the sunlight.
and after letting the water into the
lock | walked to the gates to open
them as usual, sir. got my hand on
the lock-gates, just about to push
them, when [ heard sharp shot bark
beside me. l looked round, and you
might a-knocked me down with a.
feather, for there, standing on his hind
legs looked up at my face, was my dog
Jim, seeming to say, Never mind,
master; bear up; I'll help you doing
exactly as my poor boy used to do.
1t so knocked me over, sir, that 1 fell
on the lock gates and bust out erwin
the fust tears I'd shed, sir, since the
boy disappeared. Well, sir, what Pm
going to tell you, sir, is the solemn
truth, as you have seen yourself You
have seen him, sir, so it amt no fairy
| tale as I'm telling you, believe me, sir,
as hope to meet that boy of mine in
another world, there amt boat,
barge, canoe or steam launch as passes
through this ERE lock, but that there
dog has stood upon his hind legs and
helped me like any Christian, looking
at my face as much as to say, Bear
up, I'll help you; I'll help you. Don't
fret about the boy Leastwise so it
appears to me. Well, sir, the boy, as
l told you, was fond of books, and in
one O. them | read about this ERE
Turin religion, [ spoke about; about
| the souls of men a-enterin' into the
bodies O. animals when they left this
world, and l wanted to ask you to
tell me as if you think, being gentle
man as is scholard, as there's any
truth in that there religion"
"Well, Peter" said, "yours is a.
strange story. There are O. great
many mysterious things in this world
which we shall know all about one of
these days; at least hope So"
"But can't you give me some hopes
sir. Do you think | shall never see
my boy again? The hardest and
cruelest part of this life seems to be
the parting with it mot actually part
ing sir, for when my time comes | hope,
sir, shall face death like man. but
what troubles me, sir, is the uncer-
tainty."
"Well, Peter" said, ~ hope you
will see your son again; there's no
knowing"
mo, SIR" he said, with heavy sigh,
as he pushed my canoe off, "there's no
knowing. Good night, sir; good
nignt."
The following year l found myself
down with my genial host and host
ess again, and after dinner I strolled
over to the lock in the dusk Of the
evening; the sun was setting, and as |
approached the lock. house a. quiet
balmy stiffness pervaded the place
The lark in it's cage was singing its last
carol before going to rest; the place
seemed bright with animation, and
the sun lingering as if sorry to leave the
world evenfor few short hours.
had just lifted the latch Of the gate
when the door of thelock- house opened
and my old friend the lock-keeper ap-
peared; so changed thatfor moment
I scarcely recognized him. Instead of
the weary look OF last year, twenty
years seemed taken from his life. His
face was bright and smiling.
"God bless my heart, sir, l am glad
to see yer"
"Well," I said, "any news of the
boy?'
"Any news of the boy" said he;
''Thank God, yes. Charlielad, Charlie
lad, where are you? Here's a gentle
man, an old friend of mine, as wants
to see you"
Cali right, dad" shouted a bright,
Il, Io
and out from the osier bed over by
the backwater came a punt with as
fine looking lad as you'd see in a
days march.
"There's my boy, sir, there he is;
he's come back you see, sir, come back
to his old father and MOTHER" said
he, and the old mans eyes filled with
happy tears. "Lor, sir, looking at
you, that brings back the old story to
me. You know, sir, the afternoon
the boy disappeared, as we thought
had gone from US forever, he let a
barge with ship load of timber
through the locks. The skipper was
an old chap as had been very good to
the boy, and the lad wanted to shake
hands and say good-by to him before
he started the next day his travels,
SO, as the barge was passing through
the lock gates, the old man being in
the bow, the boy, unseen by him,
jumps on board, just as the starn O.
the barge was clearing the gates, miss
ing his footing, struck his head against
the edge O. the little cabin hole, and
falls senseless into the cabin below.
And there he laid till the old man
found him.
"Well, sir, there the boy lay, unbe-
known to the old man, good many
miles down the river.
"When he came to, his first thought
was about me, and how he was to &C
count for his absence; for you see, sir,
it was late in the day, and he was to
join his ship fust thing in the morning;
so he wrote me q letter bidding me
goodbye, asking me to cheer up moth
er, and telling me hethought it almost
better for her sake that hehad gone in
the way he had. He borrowed some
money from old Tom, the skipper of
the barge as he fell into, to buy few
i j. 4. 80 L