The National tribune., 1895-05-23
HE SAVED TIE BOOM,
How Dried Peas from a MuSket Won
the Battle.
BY J. W. MERRILL.

mother, they're going to cut the boom y
"What is that, Harry?" questioned Mrs
| Gaines, looking into the face of the per
| spring boy before her. "Going TO cut the
| boom! What boom?"
"Why. fathers boom, of course"
"Who is going to cut it?"
"Old Sam Doward and his men. They're
planning how they'll do it tonight, and lei
| all the logs down the river, and lose them
selves in the big lake" said Harry Gaines,
talking so rapidly as to be hardly intelli-
gible.
Harry was ID, the only son of Mr.. and
Mrs. David Gaines, of Millpond, the site OF
r small sawmill, the latter the property OF
David Gaines.
"Old Sam hates father like poison, moth
er."
AZ suppose So" murmured the mother.
It's an old feud, and Samuel DOward is
wholly to blame. But that doesn't help
matters any. Tell me what you heard,
Harry"
Il was over to Dowards, playing with
one of his boys. We were in the barn,
when / heard them tall,ing-oli Sam and
two OF his men. They had a bottle Of
whisky between them, and drank from 1T
every few minutes"
16TDapS IL was lDe liquor ludb ttlhSU;
Harry,n suggested Mrs. Gaines.
=" / don't think so. Old Sam was sober
enough to know what he was talking about"
declared Harry. He argued that as all our
mill-men had gone off to Muskego to spend
the Fourth, and father was absent in Chicago,
now would be good time to cut the boom.
He said some of his logs were in the boom,
and that would give him lawful excuse if
father made fuss"
/" II would not, though"
Maybe not" said Harry; but once the
boom is cut, and fathers logs-all he has
cut and stored during the past year-gone
into Lake Michigan, of what use TO sue old
Sam? He couldn't collect a cent"
The mother knew this to be true.
Samuel Doward was lumberman without
character or standing in the community.
He owned small mill five miles below
Millpond, and made great flourish without
doing much business.
1t was true that a few Of Dowards logs
had hoated inside the Gaines boom. The
latter bad agreed TO sort these few from
among his vast accumulation of logs as
rapidly as possible, and, in case of any
damage TO the lower mill-owner, to pay
literally.
The Gaines mill shut down for two days
on account Of the National holiday, the mill
men going to Muskego, 90 miles distant, to
celebrate.
As Mr. Gaines was absent in Chicago,
there were left on the mill side of the river
only two families, while Doward and a
crew Of dozen red-shirted loggers occupied
the settlement opposite.
What will father say, if he comes home
tomorrow and finds himself ruined by his
neighbour"
" He will know that he is ruined by his
wicked neighbor," said the mother in help
less way. "Oi it cannot be that Samuel
Doward will do such terrible thing. Go
to him, Harry, and plead with him -
Never!" exclaimed the boy, with fash
ing eyes.
Harry left his mother and walked swiftly
over TO the house of neighbor named Bur
dick.
Tom, will you lend me old Killdeer?"
Tom Burdick was boy about Harry's
age.
What do you want of the old musket
on the Fourth, Hal? Going 10 celebrate?"
asked youDg Burdick.
Il expect 10 do little hunting to-mor-
row." returned Harry.
The Burdiclz boy brought ont an old
fashioned shotgun, which had been an heir
loom in the family for many years, and gave
it TO Harry.