The Opelousas courier., 1898-08-13

| dam, WaS laShed TO WllQ Jury III focAS
and etones.
Both men felt the awful danger,
almost certain death, that stared them
them in the face.
"There's no chance for them fell
lers; they're good as gone, that's sar-
tin," uttered River Dan.
Swaying and grooming, the floating
island seemed every moment ready to
go over into the boiling waters below.
A dumb horror rested over the crowd
of startled loggers Oh shore.
A pallid-cheeked girl, with streaming
hair, reached the waters edge and
stood with outstretched hands ap-
pealing to strong men for help. No
one moved.
care you all cowards?" she cried,
facing the multitude. Brawny men
with red shirts were there, but one
moved ct the appeal from the girls
blanched lips.
"No use, MISS" said River Dan.
"That ar jam won't last many min
nits. No boldly kin help 'em; they're
goners, sure"
"Take 70 1der canoe and go to the
rescue"
would have rushed to the res
cue herself HAD not strong arms held
her back. Weak, moaning, almost
fainting, the girl pleaded in vain.
"No use; q boat would 60 yer in o
jiffy. Them fellers can't be saved"
"There is one chance in a hun
dred."
Allow voice uttered the words, and
Janet saw q slender form glide past
toward o small Indian canoe that
rested on the bank. About the mans
arm was a coil Of rope. When the
man gained the foaming edge of the
water he swung his arm aloft and
cried:
"Some Of you take an end of this
rope. I am going to rescue those
men if possible"
Goodness! it's the little bookkeep-
er!"
"He'll drown, sure"
But Mark Farnham needed not the
comments of the crowd. He seemed
to realize that time was precious, and
at once pushed the light ashen canoe
into the river. SEEING the paddle,
and fixing his rope so that it would
pay out from between his thin knees,
the little bookkeeper began padding
up the stream. Strong hands had
grasped the end of the rope and it be-
gan paying out rapidly, when Farm
lo~, k,~,o ,,1 rho4 c1,.ftlvS nfN thu
center of the stream.
He managed SO that the came
down on the upper side Of the swaying
jam. Instantly the ano was sucked
under and lost, but Farnham sprang
to the surface of the logs, rope in
hand, and quickly made M end fast
to an upright log.
"Quick, MI. Lyon! There's no
time to lose."
The mill-owner demonstrated, and
urged the bookkeeper to go ahead;
this he absolutely refused to do.
Mr.. Lyon went forward, grasped
the rope and passed, hand over hand,
to the shore. A great shout went up
when he landed.
Next came Dick Wellington. He
was heavy, and the rope sagged badly.
Farnham felt the jam tremble at each
surge Of the foreman's body. Sud-
denly the log to which the rope was
attached gave way and fell. Instant
~ the rope few far out into the
stream. Dick was near the shore and
was rescued.
The little bookkeeper stood alone
on the jam, which was now trembling
and threatening to fall to pieces.
Farnham's face blanched. He seemed
to realize that he was doomed.
"Another canoe, quickl Go back,
Dick Wellington, and save Mr..
Farmland"
It was Janet who spoke, but the
dripping Apollo turned away with q
shudder.
"Not for a farm would I risk my life
out yonder again."
He was not called upon to do so.
A great crash and oar sickened the
crowd on shore. The jam, with its
lone occupant, had Disappeared
"The man is past all earthly help"
It was DR.. Gould who uttered the
words as he rose from contemplating
the battered, bleeding form on the
sand.
From below the dam the little book
keeper had been dragged from the
river, bleeding and insensible. He
lay at the feet of Janet Lyon, who
bent with streaming eyes above the
dripping body.
!. "Speak to me, Mark, speak,"
moaned the belle. The white lids un-
closed and a pair of blue eyes looked
into the face of the kneeling girl. A
smile touched the purple lips.
II saved him Dick Wellington? I
knew you loved him; it was for your
sake, Janet. { know you will forgive
me for being o coward now."
ooh, Mark Mark!"
A faint tremor moved his frame as
the girl attempted to raise the little
bookkeeper's head. A moment later
she held a dead weight in her arms.
The great soul of Mark Farnham had
gone from the small body forever.
Oxbow did itself proud at the fu-
neral of the little b~ookkeeper, and one
genuine mourner there was, at least,
the belle of the Muskegon. When
Dick Wellington asked for her hand
two months later, he met with o cold
refusal. Some people wondered why
Janet Lyon never married. Does the
wonder?-New York News.