San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-08-15


20 dogs. below zero to los above, replied to
the ocean:
1--WE will have a country here"
So instead Of sitting down weeping and
folding their arms and letting their homes
and their families, their aocks and their
herds be swept away by the overfows of the
sea, they went to work with a hearty will
and preserved their lands from the winds
and the water and the waves. Holland,
more than any region under the sun, illus
trates the power of industry and persever-
ance. It shows from the first to the last that
TO the active hand and steady will nothing is
impossible.
So they built along the line of coast huge
bikes, somewhat resembling a milldam, and
here and there they put huge wooden gates,
called sluices They employed men, called
sluicers, to open and shut these big oak gates
or sluices, which close the entrance OF tho
canals, and secure Holland from the danger
to which it seems exposed, OF finding itself
under water rather than above It
Now, the father of Hans was sluicer, and
1t was his duty, when water was required to
fill the canals, to raise the sluices and let the
water come through and then to close them
carefully again when no more water was
needed, Just as you shut off the water OF a
hydrant by turning the faucet, otherwise
the water would flow into the canals, then
overflow them and inundate the whole
country.
Hans had often been with his father when
he was attending to the sluices with the men
in his employment. He knew that the canals
were already so full they could hold no more
water, and must overflow II more was poured
into them. With the instant perception
which every child in Holland would have,
the boy saw that the water must soon enlarge
the hole through which 1t was now only
dropping, and that utter and general ruin
would be the consequence Of the inundation
that must follow.
The song dies on his lips and his heart
srembles with fear as he realizes the danger
which threatens his country. There is no time
to run home and tell his father. He knows
that every moment is as precious as . dia-
mond now. To throw away the flowers In
his hand, to climb from stone to stone until
he reaches the hole and to put his finger init
is but the work Of moment, and to his great
delight he finds that no more water is flow
ing through.
"Oh, thank God, my little hand can stop
the flow of these great waters" Hans said
aloud, though there was no one to hear.
For little while Hans thought only of
the success of his plan. But the night was
closing in and the cold winds were rising
The boy looked round in vain for some pass
ers by who would help him. The Dutch peo-
pie are very regular in their habits Of early
rising and retiring, and they are generally
eating hearty suppers in their cottages when
the night shadows fall.
Hans shouted at the top Of his voice:
"Helpl help! help"
Then he cried still louder:
"Firel firel firel"
Then he screamed until he thought his
throat would burst with the effort he was
making.
"Murderl murder murder"
There was no answer but the echo of his
voice, the ripping of the water, the signing
Of the winds and the barking of some dogs
far away.
'There is no help for it," said the brave
little fellow to himself. II must stay here
by myself all night if no one comes, and
hold my finger in this hole and keep the
water from breaking through and drowning
all the people in the country. twill be hard
work, but will do it."
Every moment the cold was becoming
more biting and the poor finger fixed in the
hole began to feel benumbed and soon the
numbness extended to the hand and thence
throughout the whole arm. The pain be-
came still greater, yet the boy moved not
from the cold, hard stone on which he sat
Tears rolled down his cheeks as he thought of
his father, of his mother, Of his warm little
bed, where he might now be sleeping SO
soundly; still the brave little fellow stirred
not, for he knew that if he removed the small,
slender finger which he had opposed to the
escape Of the water not only would he him
self be drowned, but his parents, his brothers
and sisters, his neighbors-in fact, the whole
village would be swept away.
Who can tell how often his courage fall
tered, how many times he felt his purpose
failing during that long and terrible night?
At last the moon went down, the barking
Of the dogs ceased, there was darkness and
stiffness over all the earth There was not
even the hooting of an owl to break the ter.
rible silence that made the brave little heart
quake with the fear that most children feel
when alone in the dark. The wind blew
keenor and colder, and the boys limbs ached
like the toothache.
He heard some wings tapping over his
head, and he shuddered with dread as he
thought it might be one of the ghosts Of
which old Heinrich had often told him tales,
or, what he feared almost as much, it might
be one of those big bats that are said to
fasten themselves in ones hair and never let
go until it thunders.
The wings were brushing against his
cheeks. With his left arm he struck terri
BILE blow at it, and to his great joy it fell
dead at his feet. 1t was bat.