Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1891-08-08
A LOG AVALANCHE.
BIZ ERNEST 4. YOUNG.

the logs 10 the greatest height had ever
seen.
Great as the pile was in the winter the
first time that Lyddy Gains took me to
see it, it continued to grow day by day
until spring arrived, and they began to
talk about the ice breaking up in the
river
Lyddy was tall, uugainly, simple girl
of fifteen. She was not quite a simple
ton, or would not have been had she not
been worse than motherless, and with a
father who abused her when he had
been drinking and ignored when he had
not.
As it was she was a great ronp, and
the companion of children younger than
herself. For even in that sparsely set
tied region the girls Of her own age
thought her hardly worthy of their
notice.
But l thought the world of her
suppose that was because | was only a
child of eight, and so incapable of max
ing the finer distinctions. She was ever
continuing new and novel schemes for
my amusement and in many of them she
was quite clever. She was something of
mechanic, considering that she was a
girl, and could white and carve out
wonders with her j&ck-6nife.
She invented one or two mechanical
toys which, as 7 remember them now,
were worthy Of protection under a
patent.
But Of course such things were thought
little Of, coming from Lyddy Gains. She
came handy when a neighbor wished to
call her in to take care of the children,
or to do some drudgery about the house.
And when the lumbermen were at work
she would sometimes run Of errands for
them, and although they liked to crack
Jokes at her expense, there were few
among them who would say that Lyddy
wasn't bad girl after all.
/ started to tell about the logs and the
steep roll-way. Lyddy took me over to
see them, and told me how the logs
would be rolled and tumbIed pell-mell
down the steep incline to the river, after
the ice had broken up. She described
in vivid language that set my imagina-
ton on fire how they would thunder and
crash down the roll way, and plunge into
the rushing flood. 1t seemed as if |
could hardly wait until the time should
come for the ice to disappear, was so
eager to witness the spectacle.
Toward the last OF the season we be-
gan to coast down the roll-way, which
was still covered with ice and snow, on
Lyddy's sled We would descend with
breathless velocity, and they being no
obstacle in the way, the momentum
would cause US to shoot out across the
frozen surface of the river. 1t was ex-
hilarating sport, and as my companion
knew how to control the sled there
seemed to be little danger IA it. Until
the sixth day OF March arrived hardly a
day passed that Lyddy and | did not
slide down the rolI-way and across the
ice-bound stream. On that day Lyddy
said:
"They say the ice is breakin' down
the river, Ned"
"Then they'll let the logs down pref
ty soon2' l eagerly asked.
"Soon as the ice is gone.
"But we can't coast any more, eau
WEI" l exclaimed, the thought giving me
sudden paug Of regret.
81 reckon we can to-day, if we're
careful, drawled Lyddy. "Thats what
come over for. | reckoned that you
would want to slide down once more,
and it is so warm that the ice won't last
long, nor the snow neither"
If any Of the lumbermen had over
heard what we were saying, we would
not have been allowed to take the risk.
SO we were soon at the rollway, aud as
there was no one to suggest thought Of
danger, we were soon gliding down the
steep descent, and then cutting across
the crusty ice rpoa the river.
"There's an open place out gender, "
said Lyddy, pointing toward black
streak of water that extended diagonally
across the stream.
"The ice seems to be thick enough
here" | returned, for Of course was re-
luctant to give up the sport.
But Lyddy was TOO cautious aud faith
full to the trust of caring for children
younger than herself to continue a sport
which was manifestly unsafe.
"a man got drowned here last year, -
she said, to Brighten me. "The water
runs so swift that it breaks up sudden.
First ye know it begins to move. But
we'll slide down once more-that's all.
Then wen have to do somethiu' else till
they let the logs go down. That'Il be
the fun
The roIlway, as have said, was COW
cred with snow and ice. As we walked
up the least slippery OF the paths, draw
ing the sled, l noticed that in several
places the snow had melted away under
meath, and that the crust had fallen in
between the timbers. In one place it
broke through when we stepped upon it,
and Lyddy screamed, and then laughed
when we found ourselves suddenly
plunged waist deep in the snow and
slush. Some highly civilized girls would
have done the same thing under similar
circumstances.
"Your folks will think you got doused
in the river, said Lyddy, when We had
gotten upon frmer crust again and gazed
ruefully at each ether, for we were drip
ping wet.
"They won't scold since we couldn t
help it." | returned, for | did not want
Lyddy to be blamed.
Then we started up the slope again.
We were obliged to keep in the path
which we had trodden, for it was SO icy
on either side that we could not have OBJ
tanned e footing except where the crust
was broken.
We had advanced only few yards
further when we were startled by dull
heavy thump above us. A glance re-
vealed the cause One end of a huge
log at the top Of the rollway had sud
denly fallen from its position, and it mo-
mcntarily threatened to roll down the
descent.
saw Lyddy grow suddenly PALE. She
seized my hand aud tried to draw me to
the side of the rollway. But the mo-
mcut We stepped upon the icy crust we
both fell. She plunged her heels into
the snow and 50 kept herself and me
from rolling to the bottom.
We then heard another "thump" as
the other end Of the big log fell. We
saw it swing around, roll slowly over