Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-11-12


aught he knew till morning BE began
to suffer by and by from his cramped
position. but be dared not move even
the least bit lest the crevice would open
again
He could not tell how time passed
Every minute seemed an hour BE could
not hear the shouts Of the men below.
There was only now and then ths boot Of
an owl rising above the roar Of the water,
or the swish rs a clod Of earth waE
sucked into the mad current. He wished
he had not run away from his work.
He began to get drowsy; his limbs
were almost numb. he wondered what
would become Of him il he should go to
sleep. II the waters should rise up over
the levee and drown him and ruin the
cotton, would it make any difference
then that he had tried to save it2 BE
was inadequate to the problem, the like
Of which has puzzled graver heads than
his. The hooting Of the owl grew less
and less frequent, the swishing of the
waters fainter and fainter, the pain in
his back easier
He must have slept some time. Sud-
denly he was awakened by the gallop OF
horse on the road below He was too
weak to move His voice was almost
gone. but as the horse and rider ap'
preached he cried out with all the
strength be could summon. 'Marse
Toni"
Mr.. Aiken drew rein quickly and
turned his big lantern in the direction
Of the voice.
who is it, and where are your" hs
asked. dismounting
"It's me, boss. answered the boy
What the mischief are you doing
here. Peter inquired Aiken. peering into
the hoy's begrimed face why you
are almost buried aliveP
II ruined away from back yonder,
the boy answered Il seed the levee 81
breakin here, so stopped"
why. bless the boy" said Aiken,
you must be nearly dead What is tc
be done2 Can you stand it till | ride
back and get help to fill the break9 Il
will open as soon as you move"
'Yessir but hurry boss" answered
the boy
AS Aiken turned to remount he heard
the sound of boat wheels around the
curve and the whistle sounded out
hoarsely
by Georger exclaimed Aiken,
there's boat and three more inches OF
water will top the levee here and then
all is lost.
In few moments the boat rounded
the curve and the big lights shone out
across ths water.
THE Marsden," Aiken said, as he saw
the two smokestacks, with Morton al
the wheel: shall have to fight for it.
So saying he picked up his gun from
where he had dropped it when he dis
mounted and strobe on few PAGES uI
stream to meet the boat.
"Steer for the other sideP' he called
out when the boat was in hailing dis.
tance
I'm running this machine" respond.
ed the coarse voice of Morton, land
guess the river is free"
Aiken could see the little tongues Of
water as they overlapped the bank above.
If the boat did not turn she would send
the water over the levee lower down
where the boy was, and he and the
whole embankment would be sucked in
There was no time to be lost.
Swinging the lantern above his heaG
30 that Morton might see him, he fluns
his rife to his shoulder and called back
Come another foot nearer to this short
and you are dead man"
Morton knew what manner of man ht
had to deal with. The wheel reversed
the boat tackled and grazed the opposite
shore, which was already submerged.
IAN right now, Pete" said Aiken
gently, patting the boys muddy pate
"Fll go on and be back in few mo
ments"
When they came by and put sand bagl
in the hole Pete had been covering the
little fellow was too weak to speak or tt
stand, and Mr.. Aiken took him up in hi
arms and himself carried him to the
house.
And now Pete does nothing but ride
on the back seat of the carriage to oper
gates for the driver or to carry parcels
when Tom Aikens pretty wife goes tc
Shreveport shopping, for his "boss" il
grateful to the little hero who saved the
plantation. Patience Oriel in Philadel
phia Times.