The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1901-10-18
BY SHELDON c. sTODDARD.

AANAuNAahAigt anu UAAAy AAANl AAG
young fellow had demonstrated some
thing of his skill and power, did his
father consent and give the horse into
his care.
No one knew Dicks methods, no
one understood, not even the father,
his mystic power, for most of the
boys work was done alone but GER
tain it is that n few weeks after the
lumbermen were astonished to see that
ugly Mack" acknowledged a master
just one in all the world.
For a few days the incident was
discussed more or less in the camp,
and then practically dismissed. Such
feat was out Of the rivermen's line
Of work. Nothing but breakln' a
horse, anyway" Velvet Joe said, and
most Of the men considered it an
achievement not even worth mention
ing in comparison with the deeds %
Tom Patengill, the young jam-breaker.
The winter of 1SS4-5 was one long
to be remembered by the men Of the
two lumber camps In the latter part
of the winter one Of the great blizzards
peculiar to the Northwest had swept
suddenly down over the woods, de-
posting over the whole region a ire
mendous burden of snow. This had
been quickly followed by thawing
weather and heavy ard persistent
rains.
Unparalleled floods followed. To
ward the end of the third day the
river had risen to n point never
reached before within the memory of
any Of the men, and was still rising.
Traditions Of the region, perhaps
hardly half believed hitherto, were
more than verified. Work was impos-
sible, and one after another all the
men of Camp Seven strolled down IN
easily to Pinerift camp to see if the
two great bridges that SPAWNED the
river a short distance below it would
be able to withstand the unprecedent-
ed food The bridges, one a wagon
bridge and the other, a few rods be-
low, the railroad bridge, had been well
Dullls uuu us yet OlOOu Ia Alls ADAL NAS
water was now perilously high.
Soon all the men were down by the
riverbank to watch the flood-all eX-
cept Dick Turner. That queer horror
of the water had caught like an iron
hand at his chest and throat, and from
the door of the main shanty Of the
camp he silently watched the bridges.
Suddenly a great shout went up
from the men. A monster pine, I'M
dermined and uprooted at last from
the place that had nourished it for
nearly a century, was rushing swiftly
down toward the bridges. 1t missed
the abutment, but a portion Of the
great clump of roots tossed up by
the heaying water caught the wood
work
There was a single sharp crack, and
the tree shot on, leaving a gap in the
bridge fully twenty feet wide.
And then the rushing giant Of de-
struction struck one of the abutments
Of the railroad bridge below. The
shock was too much for the over,
taxed structure, which had stood sc
we'll. Even as the pier gave way the
central span came down, to be swept
off like broken egg-shells on the food
The men stood in silent amazement
at the sight Only a few seconds had
| been required to complete the double
wreck. Suddenly some one shouted:
1.-THE train! Number II is due il
| five minutesP'
1t was true, and on the farther sidC
| was no living soul to give warning.
The excited men rushed out upoI
/ the broken wagon bridge, only to star
! back from the yawning rent, below
: which the muddy waters roared. Their
: they stood, helplessly watching tn
: sharp curve in the railroad track
t round which in so short a time thu
train would come sweeping to destruc
e ton.
r A shout arose behind them, an,
n there came like the wind a horse
s black as night, bearing on his back
q rider with white face but steady, III
faltering eyes. All knew Turner
S Dick and the terrible stallion.
n The men shrank back; and ther
f with a mighty thunder Of hoofs, tn
e ugly, halw-wild creature dashed upo
Z. the bridge. Angry at sight Of tn
t. men, with ears laid back and wit
n wicked-looking eyes, he yet obeye
d the voice and hand Of his dauntles
n rider, who now gave a quick, peculia
d call and leaned forward in his seat
IL There was a breathless rush as th