Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-07-27

quite exciting, but there were few 20
enjoy it. The men had grown accus-
toned 10 it and We're too busy moving
the cars back and forth, in unloading,
to notice such trifing displays.
LITTLE ERIC.
On this particular day the train with
/ the second morning load mad halted
above the mill pond just as the whistle
/ blew for noon. The locomotive engineer
banked his fires and the men put on
! their coats to depart their several ways
/ TO Sc. something TO eat.
I Franklin was among the very first
I ones back As he jumped along from
| car 90 car the mill engine started again
and the whistle blew the 1870 blast.
Across the mirroring water came the
song of the saws, like the buzzing CT
giant bees; the smoke from the refuse
fire curled about languidly and calm and
cOntentment seemed to live in the air.
Af3r off, on the other side Of the mill,
queer little something bObbed about
on the logs in the pond, clambering from
one 10 yhe next and scampering thither
and yOn in evident Slee No one saw
the little climber. not a soul, and yes
he was none else than the siX-year-old,
curly-pated litrle Eric. who called John
Powers papa Initiating the mill man
whoclimbed from log TO log and brought
the huge fellows uD to the smooth and
slippery incline to be dragged in to the
saws. little Eric jumped about in me
liveliest manner imaginable SO light
was lie mat The big logs scarcely moved
at all when he le3ped upon them; but
az length he hCpped upon a slender
boom stick" with such force as 10 send
it floating away from the res, at a rapid
rate Ehuckling in JOY the youngster
cla9ped his hands; and big Tom Crcgan,
the leg man, saw him.
Saints preserve u.s. said Tom, but
instead of calling ont and thereby alarm
ing the little fellow, he dashed head
long ND the incline through the mill,
hOllering the news as he went, TO get
upon the other side. Then a frightened
crowd left saws and all and dashed cut
side to lock. John Powers in the lead.
Not a sound had been made 10 warn
The men who were busily working two
giant logs from the cars TO the top OF
he chute. But the father, whose face
was bIsnched with fear. threw nasty
GLANCE across the pond and saw a ten
ZOO monster tipping before it plunged
belo5
Hold it back Hold it back" he
screamed. And Franklin looked up
quickly. seeing everything at once.
Too latel
The grease ran smooth on the Shiny
w3v and the leg leaDed down like a
flash. With an echOing boom it struck
he water: the spray flew high, the sur
face was churned and foamed-and the
lrg was diving straight for Eric, the
little.
Itseemed an age that the log remained
under, then I'D it shot, like a frightened
whale. When it landed again, In the
agita.ed waves. the whirling boom stock
had lost its precious cargo and rhe curl
ing locks were seen moment, swaShed
abou, by the ripples.
A gIC2n went up from the pale-faced
men Tom CrOgan was not yet come TO
even star, upon leg to the rescue. All
had happened in Z twinkling.
THE RESCUE.
Half a minute Of agony in which men
hOllered wildly and the little hand came
up and went down again. ensued Then
clear. above the noise and excitement Of
all. the voice Of Franklin sounded.
cover with her! Heave her Overt
he commanded, and with Hurculean ei-
forts ne uleged at the second leg tha.
almost balanced in The chute. The men.
C5ey.ng him blindly-they knew not
why-bounded forward like mad and
slowed the logs end around in a jiffy.
Then. while they save it a final iab. and
before a soul had OWNED his intens
lions Franklin leaped upon it, threw
himself fsl and clinging with all the
power OF his great long arms and sinewy