The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1901-03-08

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fathers peril. He looked for the tools
to move the mass of gravel. They
were buried, and an instant's thought
told him that an hundred tools were
useless there. A rushing stream was
roaring into the bed now-already it
was more than haltfull of muddy
water One minute-two at the most
were all that he had.
Joe caught up the axe ard ran his
eye hastily over the strange dam. Not
one in thousand but would have said
it was an inexplicable tumble of torn
limbs, rails and drift; not so the future
engineer. Almost intuitively his eye
selected the great oaken rail, that,
caught in such a way as to maintain
tremendous leverage, was the key to
thee whole strange structure. Cool
ness and nerve might save his father
yet-and Joe had both.
Unmindful of the fearful risk and
deaf to his fathers warning cry, in
| stantly he was underneath the dam.
One glance at the overhanging limb of
the stout water beech, his only hope
and the axe glanced in the air. A
second stroke failed to loosen it; but
at the third, driven with precision after
the other two, there was crack like
| dozen rifles.
Instantly dropping the axe, the
young fellow made the leap for life.
He caught the beech limb firmly with
one hand, then with the other, and then,
amid the crash of the breaking dam,
the flood caught him. Down he went,
but the strong hands held-a grip for
life Then broken limb came straight
upon him.
A hundred lights flashed in his eyes
and something that was not water ran
down over his face. Around him the
angry flood boiled and surged as if
loath to give up its prey, but with
close shut teeth and desperate grasp
that made the finger tips show blood
red, he yet maintained his hold. Then,
as the first wild rush began somewhat
to abate, he made his way to the shore.
1t was hard fight, won by clear grit.
With sinking heart he turned to
the gravel pit. Had he been too late?
No. The iron-gray beard was floating
in the muddy water, but the gray eyes
looked steadily into his.
"All right yet, Joe, lad," the father
said, family, "and the waters settling
little. l can feel half an inch on my
neck"
keep up your gait tather!" the son
called out, still painting hard from his
fearful exertions. well soon have
help"
Hastily tying his handkerchief
around the cut on his head, he started
for assistance. Promptly the willing
neighbors turned out, and brawny arms
and willing hearts were soon at hand.
A deep cut was made to drain tue bed,
the piled-up earth and gravel carefully
removed and the injured man skillfully
lifted out. Quickly and tenderly they
carried him to the house. He was
terribly bruised all over, the physician
said, but with good care in a quiet
room he would "pull through"
Joe Holbrook would take the first
watch by his father that night. The
cut on his head had been dressed care
fully and he felt, as he expressed it,
"good as new.'
He sat in the dimly lighted sitting
room, close to the door that opened
into his fathers room. 1t was near
midnight, and he had been thinking of
many things. For a long time his
father had lain in the deep sleep in
duced by the doctors narcotics. At
last there was a slight sound and move
ment. The young fellow was sitting
by the open door, in plain sight from
the bed. He was alert in an instant
"Joey!' 1t was the old pet name
that he had not heard his father use
for years. The name, and something
about the tone in which it was spoken,
brought quick moisture to his eyes.
In moment he was by the bedside.
Slowly the uninjured arm crept out
over the bedclothes and the hard, toll
worn fingers closed over the strong
young ones. THAT was courageous
thing to do, Joey"
Two young Lands closed over the
fathers impulsively, for words of praise
had been rare of late, and they were
sweet. He adjusted the covers care
fully and went back to the chair.
Very soon again came the low call:
"Joey."
The boy went back holding up a
finger warningIy.
THAT Was an uncommon skillful
and courageous thing to do, lad" and
even in the dim eht the look of pride
in the fathers eyes showed plainly
enough now.
But you mustn't talk much yet,
you know, father" said Joe. softly.
"l'm going to say a few words, lad,
right now. You needn't worry. l'n
coming out all right. How came you
to chop that particular rail, Joey::'
"Why," said Joe, in some surprise,