The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-08-04

out his uncle was q dry, Shrewd man,
who rarely hurried in advancing any
one in his employ. So there the young
fellow was, laboring daily in the silent
red-woods and living in a cottage near
the mill with his mother.
When at. last the logs were loaded
and firmly chained and blocked upon
the cars and the miniature locomotive
had switched down and coupled TO the
other end of the train, sharp whistle
sounded and the whole thing rolled
slowly awav.
A beautiful route the railroad went.
some eleven miles in length; and it ter
minated on a nigh embankment above
the mill pond. This placid sheet of
water, on the edge Of which stood the
mill, was Of considerable extent and
depth, and was more than half filed
with floating logs that huddled togeth-
er, like sheep in a fold From the
embankment whereon the cars were
finally stopped, a steep, wide chute
had been built that ran out over the
water. 1t was creased along its whole
length-perhaps $50 feet-and down it
the logs were sent to the water Young
Franklin and the other men, with their
levers, rolled the huge pieces of trees
into it from the cars and down they
shot, end first, at a fearful velocity,
diving in the pond amid a shower of
spray and splashings, to leap again
above the surface hundred feet away.
splendid sight it was and quite ex-
citing, but there were few to enjoy it.
The men had grown accustomed to it
and were too busy moving the cars
back and forth, in unloading, to notice
such trifling displays
LITTLE ERIC.
On this particular day the train with
the second morning load had halted
above the mill pond Just as the wnistle
blew for noon. The locomotive engineer
banked his fires and the men put on
their coats to depart their several ways
to get something to eat.
Franklin was among the very first
ones back. AS he jumped along from
car to car the mill engine started again
and the whistle blew the 1890 blast
Across the mirroring water came the
song of the saws, like the buzzing of
giant bees; the smoke from the refuse
fire curled about languidly and calm
and contentment seemed to live in the
air.
Afar off, on the other side of the mill.
a queer little something bobbed about
on the logs in the pond, clambering
from one to the next and scampering
thither and yon in evident glee. No
one saw the little climber, not a soul,
and yet he was none else than the six
year-old curly-pated little Eric, who
called John Powers papa" Initiating
the mill man who climbed from log to
log and brought the huge fellows up to
the smooth and slippery incline to be
dragged into the saws, little Eric
| jumped about in the liveliest manner
imaginable. So light was he that the
big logs scarcely moved at all when he
! lo1Jt OF ho
hoped upon slender boom stick"
with such force as to send it floating
away from The rest at a rapid rate.
Chuckling in joy the youngster clapped
his hands: and big Tom Crogan, the
| log man, saw him.
Saints presarve usl'' said Tom but
instead of calling out and thereby
alarming the little fellow, he dashed
| headlong up the incline through the
mill, hollering the news as he went to
get upon the other side. Then a fright
ened crowd left the saws and all and
dashed outside to look, John Powers in
the lead.
Not sound had been made to warn
the men who were busily working two
giant logs from the cars to the top of
the chute. But the father whose face
was blanched with fear, threw a hasty
glance across the pond and saw a ten
foot monster tipping before it plunged
below.
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
way and the log leaped down like a
flash. With an echoing boom it struck
the water; the spray few high, the
surface was churned and foamed-and
/ the log was diving straight for Eric,
the little.
It seemed an age that the log re-
manned under, then up it shot, like a
! frightened whale. When it landed
again. ins4the agitated waves, the
whirling boom stock had lost its prec-
ious cargo and the curling locks were
seen moment swashed about by tle
ripples.
A groan went UP from the pale-faced
men. Tom Crogan was not yet come
to even start upon a log to the rescue.
All had happened in twinkling.
THE RESCUE.
Half minute of agony, in which
men hollered wildly and the little hand
came I'D and went down again, en-
sued. Then clear above the noise and
excitement of all the voice of Franklin
sounded.
"Over with her! H,save her over!"
he commanded, and with Hurculean
efforts he tugged al the second log that
almost balanced in the chute. The men,
obeying him blindly-they knew not
why-bounded forward like mad and
slowed the logs end around in a jiffy
Then, while they gave it a final jab
and before a soul had OWNED his in
tentions, Franklin leaped upon it,
threw himself fiat and cEnging with all
the power of his great long arms and
sinewy legs, was shot with it down
that frightful smoking declivity.
A crash, a deadening. awful crash
he felt when it hit; then a gush of
waves engulfed him and a horrible
rushing sound was in his ears. An
endless flood seemed pouring by, like
q torrent, tearing and wrenching to
wish him off, yet, except that his lungs
were nearly bursting for air and the
time seemed intermlnable, he felt no
worse than when he had dived as
boy.
Suddenly the quivering log rose,
fsh-like, from beneath the waves. AS
it fell again and rolled in the water
Franklin slipped quickly off and struck
out with his powerful stroke.
Ahead! Ahead*" shrieked Crogan
from a log which at last he had
manned.
A tiny, waving hand appeared, six
fest away from the swimming lad, to
sink for the last time. But it never
sank. Franklin swan like seal and
now he dived like a grebe. and came to
the top almost MISUNDERSTANDING in his
arms the tiny Eric.
An. awed hush had settled upon the
men who witnessed the perilous deed.
| Ohroay, rno11tba5 thav had stood Sisooo th q.