Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-01-02
PRINCE PAUL.
How He Faithfully Won the Above
Title.

"Did you ever see such rain?" asked
Jack Sanders of TIE men in Logan
Camp, as they sat around q big log fire
waiting for the heavy November storm
to abate. Paul. bring in some wood.
It's gettin cold"
Eyes. and don't forget to bring some
pine" added another lumberman. I'VE
want lively blaze to keep up a light,
and pines cheaper'n kerosene"
The person 70 whom these men spoke
was the boy who built and kept up the
fires, carried the mems dinner to the
woods, helped the women about the
camp, and made himself generally USE
full as chore-boy. He was about fifteen
years old. strongly built, and his color
less face and clear earnest eyes i1licat-
ed the GOODNESS and courage which he
had more than once displayed in times
of peril.
BY his strength and intrepidity he
had more than once saved the life of a
man caught in one of the great log jams
which sometimes formed on Kettle
creek during the spring floating season,
and this act had firmly established him
in the good opinion of the crew he
served. He would make Il good lumber
man, the men said. and a good jam
breaker, which was as high praise as
they could give. for in every lumber
camp 4 good jam-breaker is held in high
esteem.
The skilIful breaker of the dangerous
log Jams which block the rapid floating
streams must be a man of high courage
and faultlcsS nerve: a man quick to see
and quick to act. and one who, in every
perilouS situation. is cool. agile and self
possessed. One who has such qualities.
though he live unnotcd in the PcnnSyl-
yania forests. represents high type of
manhood, and deserves the esteem he
obtains from his fellows. To be credited
with the courage and manlinesS neces-
sary for a jam-breaker was compliment
that Paul was honestly proud of, and ne
was resolved that it should never be
said to be undeServed.
After he had brought in the wood and
made the fire in the large fireplace
blaze and roar in cheerful defiance of
the storm outside, the boy sat down
among the men and listened to their
stories of remarkable days work done,
of the astonishing number of logs trailed
at one time by old Bill and Jenny. the
heaviest team at the camp: of the sur
prisinr skill of Jim Hamilton in telling
trees so that they would strike the
Ground exactly where he wanted them.
and of other achievements dear to the
lumberman's heart. With stories, songs
and games the evening passed. and nine
O'Clock. the woodmen's bedtime. came.
The men were talking of turning in. :"
and some had gone up to their hunks.
when man came rushing in 10 tell them
that the big dam was in danger.
e.Some one has shut down the gates,
he said AN the water is pourin' over
the top o the dam awful! l don't believe
it'll stand half an hour. an | shouldn't
wonder if twas out afore this The
bridges are all gone now. an, if the dam
breaks it'll just sweep things"
Hurriedly snatchin@ some axes. levers
and saws. the men started for the threat
ened and threatening dam. Old Tom
Dolan. more thoughtful than the other
men. took along a lantern, bag of
nitch-pine knots and a can of oil.
~ kalclate." he said to the cook. as
he started our. that some kind OF
licht'n come pretty handy. an there
won't nothin' but piteh-pine an kero-
sene make a good one in this ere rain. y
Toms precautiOn was wise one, for
when he reached the dam he found the
men standing in the darkness and the
storm. unable to see any thing or do any
thing. He quickly emptied his bag Of