Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1896-06-12
I toll him what I'd come fer. he drawed

ninlsei1 up ez Ter ez he could, fer he's
lectie man, an sails: Does YOU mean to
call me thief?' Then I sails: Inever
owed you no money, Pete Siders.' Sam
ooper, sails he, 'hain't you satisfied of
calm your brother-in-law thief!' An
then he turns an walks into the house.
an shets the door in my face. hain't
seen him sence, fer couldn't stan Twin,
near Pete an not bein' on peaceful
groun's with him. I give up me place,
an got job here, 'tendin' the canal
| lock-"
And sometimes you think you were
to blame?" asked.
sometimes" he replied. "Pete he he'd
curious ways, an l don't b'lieve he
meant no harm. o'tn't hev called him
| thief"
Soper suddenly started to his feet,
and, shading his eyes with his hands.
gazed up the river.
"A fiddle!" he cried. "Out on the
river! heard it plain. There it is
ag'in:"
l sprang to his side, and looked IN
the stream at black object to which he
was pointing. 1t was a boat; and we
could see man sitting in it's stern,
rocking to and fro. Then l heard a
quick succession of harsh, grating notes,
low, but distinct, and 1 saw that the
man was 1iddling.
Its pete!" cried my companion.
"Thet's his playin' an that's him. Look
at the boat! Why, it won't stay up an
hour!"
| The craft was sunk low in the water,
and was sweeping rapidly toward us
on the turbulent stream; but the fid-
der seemed unconscious of his danger,
for he swung to and fro in mandlin
manner, running his bow 1nadly over
the strings Of his instrument.
"lt's Pete's way" Soper exclaimed.
''Ee don't know what he's dom, fer he's
ben at the liquor ag'in."
AS he spoke he stripped off his coat
and boots.
"What are you doing!" / cried, seiz-
ing his arm. You are not going out il
such a food!"
The boat was bearing rapidly toward
us; every motion of it's 1naudlin occu-
rant was now plainly discernible; every
note of his aimless music was distinctly
audible.
"Nawthin' else to d." came the quiet
reply. ''They's rocks an rapids below,
an tibet boat 'ud never live through
EN-"
With that Soper ran out into the rive.
In a moment he was over his depth;
then he struck out into the stream
| Ills was not a masters stroke. He
| @lo a., 4o~
si>ely with his hands, and seemed to be
making almost superhuman efforts to
reach 4 point that he believed the boat
would pass. His progress was slow,
ard the current bore him down the
river. His efforts would have been
vain had not the runaway craft taken {,
sudden swerve toward him. 1t was al
most on him. Then saw him raise his
long arm high above him and grasp the
bow. Instantly the boat turned it's nose
toward the shore, and I ;reathed more
freely.
Siders sprang from his place, and with
unsteady steps began to make his way
toward the man who was risking his
own life to save him. The. craft gave a
quick lurch over on one side so that the
water rushed in and almost filed it.
"Get down." screamed.
''Let go there!" yelled Siders, fran
tically. you'll upset me, you fool!"
He raised his fiddle and struck wildly
a1 Soper, but his blow fell short of its
mark; he lost his balance and toppled
into the bottom of the boat. which
righted itself, but none too soon. Siders
quickly recovered and cautiously
crawled forward.
Cit off there!" he yelled.
Soper made no answer, for he was al
most exhausted. He chung more des-
rerately to the craft, which was now
within Il hundred feet of the shore.
The fiddle whirled through the air and
crashed down on his head. Still he
chung on. With a cry of disappointment
Siders fell into the bottom of the boat.
l ran out into the water, seized the
sinking craft. and dragged it ashore.
When he heard the keel CRATE on the
| gravel, Sam Soper released his hold and
fell into my arms unconscious. iftel
him out on the bank. Acl oss his fore
head there was a great cash from which
the blood flowed freely.
Some men came to my aid from
neighboring field, and helped me to
carry the injured man to his home,
which stood few hundred yards back
from the river. The wonderful Siders,
who had partially recovered his senses
Ly reason of his immersion, followed us.
He explained that he had spent the
night fiddling at a party and had at
daybreax started for his home. The
last thing that he remembered clearly
was getting into boat to cross the
river.
When Sam Soper recovered conscious
ness a half an hour later he asked for
his brother-in-lav, and rs Siders sank
into a chair at his bedside he held out
his hand and said:
pete, 1 think I'll go over the river
to live agn. fer low was to blame. :
II low YOU was, too. SAM" mumbled