The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-07-31

II was early spring in Martinsville.
The hillsides and the meadows were
green, but the trees had not SHOWN |
more than the merest suggestion OF |
their coming leaves. There was prom
ise of summer in the air, but the river |
was a torrent, quarrelsome, menacing'
Through az! the winter II had been
locked in ice and had borne on lts
bosom many gay and joyous skating
parties; through the summer IL would
be like a brook meandering between
green fields and gently sloping Mis-
Now the water was cnocraching upon
the lands of the farmers; should 1t rise
higher the houses near Its banks would
be wrecked, the stock in the barns
would be drowned, and human life i'm
periled. it was an anxious time. The
river was full of drift-wood. Far away,
in the big woods near the rivers source,
the lumbermen had been cutting down
trees all the winter, and the great
trunks had been drawn and sledded
and rolled down upon the Ice. 1t was
expected that when the spring should
come the logs would be floated down
the river to where the boom at the
saw-min would stop them, and that
then skilled men would capture the
monsters and feed them to the hungry
steel teeth of the saws. But the spring
thaw came too suddenly. The river
was swollen, by a continuous rain
storm and the rapidly melting snow,
beyond anything that any one could
remember. The boom was broken.
Down the river the big logs raced until
some of them became entangled in the
arches of the railroad bridge below the
village. These stopped others. soon
a dam was formed. To be sure the
water ran through, but it ran slowly,
and the river back of the unwished-for
dam was rising rapidly. All of Mar
tinsVille was in serious danger.
Many of the strongest of the men
were trying with hooks and poles, at
the risk of life itself, to loosen the logs
and send them onward. Those whose
houses were nearest the river were
moving their furniture and belongings
to higher, safer ground; some were
helping them, while still others were
watching the river and wondering
what would happen next. John Brew
ster was watching. He had been ac-
tive and helpful; but there seemed
nothing for him to do for the moment.
His own home was far from any dan
ger. Presently, as he tired of his i'm
mediate surroundings, he walked along
up the stream to see what might be
happening there. The rushing, swirl
ing water fascinated him. He stood at
length upon a bit of rising ground.
Suddenly he heard a cry. Help" He
was startled, but he waited, that he
might be sure whence the cry had
come. Help" came the cry again,
and To John Brewster it seemed that
the voice was perccptibly weaker. He
ran with all his speed to the rivers
edge. There he saw that some one had
ventured TO walk out upon log, one
end of which had run upon the bank
Near its outer end he had slipped, anC
another floating log had so caught his
leg that he could not extricatc it. Al
Brewster saw whom it was he wa!
tempted to turn his back and leave the
ether to the river. For many years M
Brewster mad done a kindly act for {
Hollister; no Hollister had spoken of {
Brewster with respect or friendliness
and il was sometimes whispered tina
the burning of q HOLSTER barn was no
so altogether accidental as it appeared
to be, and there were those who be
lieved that a Brewster had come t
sudden death with the aid OF som
HOLSTER. And this man out upon tn
rising river, caught so cruelty betweel
the logs, was Henry Hollister. Hi
training should have led John Brew
ster away; his own inclnations so le
him. But after a moments hesitation
he ran along the log and caughter Hol
lister by the shoulders. Hollister ha
tainted Brewster held him and slow
ly pushed the imprisoning low away
He dragged Hollister to the shor,
John Brewster was very young, but h
had his share of the strength for whic
his family were famous, and when h
found that Hollister did not revive h
lifted him to his shoulder and carrie
him to the nearest neighbor's. On tn
way he looked again at the river an
he saw that something had happened
There was a more hurried movemeT
of the logs in the centre of the rive
The log upon which he had venture
TO save HOLSTER was Jared loose b
others that were floated against It, II
heard shouts from down the river. Il
knew that the jam at the bridge ha
been broken. He hurried on. Whe
at length he arrived with his burden
was found that HOLSTERS leg WI
broken; but the simple remedies
mana restored MIN 10 COnSClOusneSS. /
was in great pain.
II saw you coming" were his fir
words to Brewster. II saw you con
ing; but you didn't dare touch me,
was faintin'. You didn't dare tout
mel"
II Just did dare" Brewster b
gan, and there was danger that h
good action would be undone by l.
own anger and his own hands; b
the good woman into whose hands
had surrendered Hollister interfered
you ought to be just ashamed
yourself, Hen HOLSTER" she sa
Jack Brewster saved your life. Tha
what he did"
Saved my llfe!" Hollister almC
screamed. II am beholden---
God! wouldn't be beholden to
brewster" Then he turned
Brewster and went on agrily a
threateningly: But I'll get squa
with you, Jack Brewster! You ma
my words! I'll get square"