News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1889-05-09

Ghe shore Ice and Immediately DlacF
line of water showed beyond it. The
gap rapidly widened, effectually pre-
venting the boys escape.
AT this moment the agonized mother
became conscious of deep and suller
booming, borne to her ears from down
the run, and mingled wi h it she could
hear family the shouts of excited men.
Too well she knew what had happened,
the jam was broken.
If her child was saved it must be done
quickly. Already the mass upon which
he was floating was yielding to the grip
OF the angry current. She gave one
glance at the terrified little figure stand
ing there so helplessly, and with pray
er to heaven for help, sped away down
the stream like the wind.
The distance she had to 60 was nearly
a mile, and the way was intercepted by
rocks and fallen trees. But in a very
short time she sank torn and bleeding
in the arms of her startled husband,
with only strength to gasp, "Wilton !!
Wilton I" Then she swooned.
Mr.. White at once despatched several
of the men up stream toward the camp
to rescue the boy from any peril he
might be in. As soon as he. could
restore his wife to consciousness they
both followed on, the almost distracted
mother refusing to remain behind.
They quickly met the men retracing
their steps along the bank, keeping pace
with the cake of ice, upon which was the
boy, half dead with terror. To rescue
him seemed impossible.
The rocky banks descended perpen-
dicularly to the waters edge, and the
raging flood was filed with plunging
mass of logs and jagged cakes of ice.
AT the point where the stream entered
the narrow gorge before mentioned, it
turned sharply to the right. Here a
ragged edge of rocks abutted into it,
against which the mad waters hurled
themselves with prodigious force, and,
reco;ling, seemed to gather n new i'm
petus as they swept away ints the mar
row defile.
Toward this dangerous point the boy
was now being rapidly borne, and it was
evident that his frail raft of logs, held
together by the brittle ice, would be
dashed in pieces upon it, while the
anxious group on shore would be help
less to prevent it.
The almost distracted father pleaded
with the men to save his son, and offered
n reward to the one who should bring
him safe to land. But although there
was not one of them who would not have
risked his life to safe the boy had there
been q possibility of success, they be-
lieved that to attempt it now was GER
tain to be the death of the rescuer, with
out hope for the boy, and they all shook
their heads.
At this terrible moment, when the
parents where in dispair and they had
given up Their boy as doomed to an
awful death, strange thing happened.
So intent had all been in watching the
progress Of the cake of ice on which
little Wilton stood, that they had not
noticed the Stalwart form of a man
speeding along the bank towards them
from the direction of the camp. He
came on with giant strides, and not
till he had swept through the startled
group, and snatehed pike from one of
the men as he ran. was he observed and
Then there flew from mooth to mouth
he cry of big Olaf! it is Big Olaf -
{ was, indeed, the giant Norwegian. !
lie had thrown off his supertiuous cloth |
ng as he ran, and with his shaggy hair
streaming in the wind he sped on, until,
when he had gained sufficient distance
in advance, he suddenly turned and
over the brow of the rocky
cliff.
A moment later he was seen strug-
Cling in the raging flood below, bruised
and buffetted by the driving mass that
seemed intent on forcing him under.
Now he disappeared entirely from view
and the watchers held their breath with
suspense. Like some huge amphibious
animal he rose again and struggled on.
At last he laid hold of the frail raft that
bore the little covering form of his
favorite.
Then went up from the group on
shore subdued but heartfelt cheer,
subdued because it seemed certain that
the brave fellow had only accomplished
so much to meet death with him whom
he was trying to save.
AS Olaf's huge form rose dripping be-
side the little one upon the Thirling
raft, it was noticed that he had lost the
pike, and that his left arm hung limp
and useless by his side; doubtless it had
been crushed by the plunging mass
which he had fought his way.
He was seen to address few words to
the boy and then to shout something to
the men on shore and wave his hand
toward the jutting ledge of rock toward
which they were now being borne with
frightful velocity. So great was the
and so deafening the roar from
the gorge, that his words could not be
heard, but his gestures were understood.
(,,n of fhn Anafact hQ ctnnp6
to the spot, crept far out over the raging
food and there secured as firm posi-
tion as possible. He had but moment
to wait.
As the crisis approached, the Norwe
gian was seen to brace himself firmly on
two logs yet solidly held together by the
ice He then took a secure hold of the
bows clothes in the middle of the back,
and lifting him as if he had been a
feather, began to swing him to and fro.
The boy held himself, face down, as
rigid as possible.
Just as the raft seemed to leap from
the mad waters to hurl itself upon the
rock, impelled by the sinewy arm of his
preserver, the little fellow rose straight
into the air. Up, up he rose, and de-
5cvlded in a curve safe into the arms
to receive him.
Then there went up from the admir-
ing group ON shore a shout that woke
the echoes of the primeval woods. 1t
was tribute to a magnificent exhlbl-
tion of strength, GOODNESS and good
Judgment.
But IN that moment of Joy over the
rescued, the rescuer disappeared forever
from the sight of mortal eyes. When a
minute later the hardy woodman placed
the boy i'll the arms OF his overioyed pa
rents, as far as the eye could reach down
the raging food could only be seen
mass of plunging and whirling logs,
tearing like mad things through the
narrow gorge.
Upon the subsistence of the waters
Mr.. White caused most thorough
search to be made for the remains of his
childs preservor. 1t was unavailing.
No trace of him was ever found.
But Mr.. White caused to be raised
upon the ledge of rock where the brave
Norwegian went down to his death,
fitting memorial in commemoration of
his heroic deed. There, where the sigh
ing pines mingle their solemn cadences
forever with the murmuring of the
stream, upon a modest seaft of marble
may be read this simple inscription:
'Sacred to the Memory of
Olaf Rjornsen,
Who, in the pei formance of a noble deed,
yielded up his life upon this spot
March 8, 1873.
Whatever may have been the errors of his
life.
in death he was a hero"
-YOuth's Companion.