Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-05-15

She held oatt her hands appealtngty.
bank. But the trees, when he reached
them, proved to be all large sycamores
or cottonwoods, about which Sam could
not easily put his arms and rope.
Suddenly, while making violent ef-
fort to throw the end Of rope around
one of the trees, his boat careened 80
much that both the occupants were
thrown into the water. The child
screamed, but Sam seized her in an in
stant and was delighted to find that the
water was only waist deep. But in the
meantime the bridge and boat were
both moving away with the current,
and, as is always the case with drift in
freshet, moving toward the center of
the river.
"This is bad fix to be in" remark
ed Sam, holding the child above water,
"but I'll wade to where there's dry
ground, and then we'll find some house
where we can dry ourselves. "
But Sam did not find it easy to reach
dry ground. Behind him the top OF a
small canebrake showed above water.
indicating that the ground there was
lower than that on which he stood He
moved cautiously down stream, but was
stopped by what seemed to be small
ditch or hollow running at right angles
with the river. Then he retraced his
steps and moved toward the little point
beyond which he always established his
lookout, but thicket of young cotton
woods, eight or ten feet high, barred his
way.
"I'll tell you what we'll have to do,"
said he. "I'll stand in front Of the trees
and put you up on my shoulders and
we'll hail the first fatboat that comes
along. There's been two gone by al
ready this morning, and there will be
plenty more "
"Let's climb a tree," suggested the,
child, "and then you won't be in the
water. I can climb as good as Brother
Ben"
Sam looked about him. Probably the
weight of healthy child even SO small
as this one was severe tax upon his
feeble body, already chilled by the wa
ter.
"There's no tree small enough to
climb" said he. ' 'Twould take two
men to reach around any one Of them. "
"Then let's hello," said the little
girl "That's the way folks do when
they want the ferryman to come over. "
"That's first rate notion" exclaim-
ed Sam, and he at once delivered sew
eral vigorous and prolonged hoT''o
Then the little girl gave vent to some
shrill shrieks, but no one answered.
Sam began to tremble and bend under
the weight of the child, and the child,
perceiving his uneasiness, exclaimed:
81 wish the water wasn't SO deep, so
/ could stand up in it and not hurt
you," said she.
"Oh, you don't hurt, said he. "Can
you sing?"
"Oh, yes-lots Of things" answered
the child promptly. "What do you like
the best-'Tommy Green or Happy
Land?'"
"Well, whichever is liveliest," re-
piled Sam, shifting the child to the 9th
or shoulder, while she sang "Tommy
Green" with the best spirit soaked
child could command.
"Tha-at sounds che-ery," said Sam.
"Why,. how funny you talk! !" said she.
GO hot
like?'
"Oh, just felt cold for minute"
replied Sam very hastily. wouldn't
it be nice if we could warm the water
somehow"
"To think of warming all the water
in big river, said she. "How funny"
'Tis nonsensical, isn't it?" Sam ad-
mitted. well, 'twould be nice if some
body was making soap and we were
standing by the fire, wouldn't it, What
was the biggest fire you ever SAW"
"'Twas old Bretzger's barn." said
she promptly. "It burned way up to
the sky and made my face warm way
off on the fence, as far as from here
across the river.
Ibid it roar and crackle and look red
and comfortable?" asked Sam.
eyes, indeedl" said the child. Sam
shifted her from one shoulder to the
other again, and once more gave vent
to several calls, but no one responded.
There was dead silence for q little
while, and then the child remarked:
"It's kinder lonesome here. Why
don't you say something's"
,"I-I'm kind O. sleepy" said Sam,
Strengthening himself a little.
"Why, it's early in the morning,
exclaimed the child. 1.-THE idea of being
sleepy"
81 guess 1 was up very late last
night said Sam in explanation.
Aren't you glad 1 caught the bridge
and kept you from floating way down
the river-nobody knows how far?
"Oh, ain t T." replied the little girl
"Then couldn't you give ME kiss?'
asked the rescuer.
"I'll give you thousand" said the
child impetuously as Sam lifted her of
his shoulder and in front of him care
fully, holding her SO high that her feet
should not get wet.