The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1892-05-05
Mill Farm had been one OF the unhap-
NEST of his life .$l5fss

| & [ Is
For wv moments as Caleb rode
along the Silent country road. his re-
Elections were very sorrowful; then
gradually he forgot his own troubles
in a discovery which he believed he
had made a day or two before The
Mill Farm had received its name from
the sawmill which stood at some dis.
lance from the house. on the bank
of the brook which ran through the
midst of the valley. Half mile
above the dwelling a heavy dam had
been built across the stream, making
a pond of some acres in extent which
supplied power to the mill Riding
about the country alone on his bicycle
Caleb had found this dam and had
visited it frequently.
There had been q heavy rain storm
at the beginning of the week and the
water in the pond had risen to the
very brink OF the dam. The structure
was old. and the pressure OF the water
had started a number of seams in the
masonry. This was Caleb's discov-
cry. ..-,.
He had spoken OF this to Mr. Ora
ham. who had laughed at his fears
| saying that the old dam had lasted
fifty years and would last an other fifty.
But Caleb had made a journey to the
pond every day and had seen that the
cracks in the wall were surely grow
ing WIDER while the seeping water
was escaping in quantity. On the
previous afternoon he had found a
new crack in the stonework, near the
middle from which small torrent
was rushing. Though Mr.. Graham
certainly ought to know best. Caleb
felt uneasy about it. He was sure
there must be danger of the old wall
crumbling away.
When he reached the pond. and
leaving his bicycle in the road
climbed down to the foot Of the DAM
he was startled first by a loud roaring
sound. and then by the sight of
mass of brown water pouring through
a large gap in the wall, which had
not been there the day before. Wide
cracks Seamed the masonry in every
direction. AS he rested his hand
against the stones he felt them trem-
bic as under a succession of heavy
blows.
While he stood there aghast there
came loud report and another crack
opened in the wall. from top to bot
tom. Almost at the same moment
huge block of masonry fell out fol-
lowed by tremendous rush of water
Every instant smaller pieces crumbled
down and new jets of water burst
forth. The dam was going!
Poor. slow Caleb stood clutching a
sapling, wondering what he ought to
do. lie knew that the. Mill Farm
dwelling was in the very center of the
narrow valley. and if this great mass
of water were to rush down upon it
suddenly it must surely be swept
away with all in or near it.
In the midst of his doubt and terror
another section of the wall gave way,
and driven by a blind impulse Caleb
climbed the bank, mounted his bicycle
and raced down the road like the
wind. Behind him he could hear the
deepening roar of the water. and as
he turned into the gate at Mill Farm,
shaking with fatigue and alarm. there
came dull. heavy boom. that seemed
to shake the pond. The dam had
given way!
A number of the boys and girls were
sitting upon the porch. He did not
pause to see who they were, but
mounted the steps. shouting:
The dam. the dam! 1t has burst!
Run for your lives"
In moment all was confusion.
Girls, boys, servants and inmates ran
hither and thither. crying out in vague
terror, and utterly incapable of caring
for their own safety.
Caleb seemed to be the only one
there with presence of mind. Raising
his voice above the uproar: he shouted:
Run for the top of the hill! Quick,
don't wait for anything"
With a courage and GOODNESS for
which no one had ever given him
credit, he got the frightened crowd to-
gether and started them up the hill
following behind to urge them on.
They had nearly reached the top,
when Caleb stopped and looked back.
where is Denzil?' he cried, He
is not here"
Il saw him down by the brook a
few minutes ago." answered one of
the number .....
Go on, them; answered Caleb.
you are safe now"
What are you going to do?" asked
terrified voice. g.. D..
TO find Denzil" replied Caleb,
turning back and running swiftly
down the hill.
The water was now swirling and
roaring down the middle of the valley
! rising and increasing in violence every
instant and bearing upon its muddy
surface uprooted trees planks and
rubbish. -
'Denzil! Denzil!' cried Caleb,
wildly. ''Oh, Denzil where are youp''
Here l am. came the reply, and
Caleb saw the slight figure of his
friend standing upon the point of a
rock projecting out of the flood which
boiled and Numbered above him.
Without a moments hesitation
Caleb plunged into the water. which
rose to his armpits, and battled his
way toward the rock. Selling Denzil