The herald., 1898-02-20

in such an emergency as now presented
itself, it stuck obstinately in it's ways;
the twenty or more men who were
throwing their weight upon it's levers
were quite unable to move it. The wa
ter rose higher and higher as they
worked; there were shouts of encour-
| agement from those on the shore who
| could not get an opportunity to work;
there were cries of, Now, all together
boys! Let her go!" Then there were
murmurings in the crowd that unless
| the men were soon successful the water
would rise above the sluiceway and be-
gin to pour over other parts of the dam
If that happened all were lost because
the dam was mainly a simple bank OF
earth which would speedily crumble un-
der the rushing water.
AWAY SHE GOES"
Young Waterloo had never been 50
excited in his life. OF course he was
drenched to the skin, but he knew moth
ing about that, for his excitement had
fairly brought on fever. His own
father was one of the most prominent
at the wastegates lever and the bow
watched him proudly as he worked and
directed the others. Suddenly there
came cry from the watcher on the
dams dirt bank.
She's over the dam, boys; It's no
use. Run, if you want to save your
selves!"
The men at the lever hesita.ted for
few moments, working more frantically
than ever and determined not to give
up. But those on the shore, seeing the
danger more clearly. rushed out and
fairly dragged the frantic laborers from
their dangerous post. This movement
was none too soon, for while the last
man was still at the lever the big bank
toppled over and gave way with a bel
lowing crash beside which the previous
roar was whisper Fortuna tely. none
of those who had been at the waste
gate failed to escape, but the crowd set
up an agonized groan as it's members
saw at least six months of prosperity
go swirling down the valley,-a con-
fused mass of boiling, muddy water,
uprooted willow trees and timber. A
little later the crowd heard ominous
crashings from below, as the wall of
water and mud struck the buildings
below the dam that stood in it's resist
less way; and then everybody knew
that the disaster was even worse than
they had feared.
FISH AND QUICKSAND.
1t was curiously desolate scene
upon which the clear sun of the next
morning arose. Where the millpond's
smooth surface had stretched the day
before, there was now vast and mud
dy depression. OF the dam nothing was
left but two ragged ends. Scattered
over the bottom of the pond were little
pools, and these were literally filled
with fish,-bullheads. pickerel, sunfish.
and eels mostly; there were loads and
loads of them. Many also were to be
seen gasping upon the mud a long way
from any water; and the boys, includ-
ing young waterloo, made a rush for
them.
OF course most of the lads explored
the muddy bottom without permission,
and young Waterbee's parents had spe-
clally forbidden him to go out. I have
1T from his own lips that it was his first
intention to respect the prohibition:
but the mud and the fish were too
tempting,-he forgot the warning
words. and soon found himself, with
the other boys, gathering up armfuls
OF the scaly. Tapping creatures.
While his fun was at it's height, he
stepped upon a smooth glistening spot
to reach for a specially large pickerel
lying in a shallow pool. The surface
felt queer when he stopped on it. and in
moment he sank to his ankles. When
he tried to raise his feet he found that
impossible. There was strange. strong
suction, the like of which he had never
before experienced. He called to the
boy nearest him, and the boy came TO
him help. In moment the latter. too
was fast and both were gradually sink.
ing. They both cried for help and then
they heard somebody yell:
"Quicksand! Quicksand! Get blanks
and pull the boys OUT
But it took men to do this, and be-
fore they had arrived and accomplished
their task, the two boys were engulfed
to their necks and almost exhausted
with fright
A sorrier looking pair of youngsters
when they We're at last rescued was
never seen in that village-and it may
be added that there We're never two
more disgusted boys, either. Young
Waterbee's friend had to suffer the
added misfortune of thorough thrash
ing for his reckless disobedence. but
Waterbee,s father and mother decided
that he had been punished enough. And
to this day he thinks they were right.
Copyright, 1885, by Bachelor Syndicate.
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