Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1902-03-14
THROUGH A
PENSTocK
BY HILBERT W. TonMAN.

"A y
W. tween Springfield and Boston
few months ago I shared my seat
with quiet, well-dressed man of
middle age. Some trivial circum-
stance engaged us in conversation,
and I learned that my fellow passen-
ger was an assistant superintendent
N Maine pulp mill.
On his watch chain hung wooden
:harm, a dogs head, carved with such
yrotesque and peculiar ugliness that
had difficulty in keeping my eyes
away from it. Whenever he looked
out of the window my glance returned
o the charm. At last could restrain
my curiosity no longer, and with an
apology made some comment on the
strangeness of the ornament He
took my inquisitiveness in good part,
and was kind enough to tell me the
story of the charm.
eyes," he said, .'it's queer-looking
piece of wood. It was carved for me
20 years ago by a friend who had
knack for that kind of work. It's the
only thing have to remember him by,
and so I think a good deal of it. But
I've another strong reason for recall
ing the birch snag he whitfield it from,
and it may interest you to hear it.
'When was between 25 and 80
years old I was at work in mill on
the Kenebec river. My regular posi-
ton was that of foreman of one of
the departments, but as I was very
handy with tools, often did odd jobs
TO accommodate the superintendent.
"One August morning there was
trouble he hot
kept drift stuff from getting into the
penstock, which is, as you know, the
great tube of iron or banded plank
conveying the water from the mill
| race to the wheel. In the last high
water log had broken one of the
upper spruce bars.
"The mill was running overtime to
gill extra orders, and the company did
not wish to close it for half day I'M
less it was absolutely necessary. So I
was asked to repair the damage with
out shutting the gate at the sheadfbf
the race. I looked at the. break and
saw that it would be no very difficult
;ask to patch it while the water was on,
provided the CRATE were swung back
against the side of the conduit. So I
sent for my tools and went to work
cit was drowsy midsummer morn
ing. Dragon flies and swallows were
darling over the surface of the river,
and from the stubb1e fields on each
side came the shrill rasping sound of
the grasshopper. In the street above
4 group of little girls were laughing
and playing. Several hundred feet up
the river, under grove of leaning
willows, was swimming hole, where
| half dozen boys were disporting
themselves.
eff had not been interrupted three
of four times by messengers from my
department in the mill, should have
finished the job in less than an hour.
AS it was, it was almost noon before
the break was repaired to my salts
faction. The hot sun beat down on
my head as I worked away at the
grating; below, the smooth, brown
water ran steadily into the f1ume.
with my back to the race, was
putting a few final touches on my
work close to the water, when some
thing happened that for minute
frightened me horribly. There came
a sharp clutch at my sleeve.
81 whirled round In surprise, and
saw something like lean brown arm
rising from the water! shook it off,
and another arm rose slowly and de-
liberately and seemed to make a me-
chanical effort to grasp me, while the
first as slowly sank out of sight.
'They were the long roots of a water
soaked stump that had lain for
| months, perhaps years, on the river
bottom, and had now been swept by
the current to the head of the fiume.
1t was against just such unwelcome
visitors as this that the CRATE was
designed to be barrier.
Now appeared huge octopus-like
body, revo'ung gradually in the food.
It hung for moment at the opening
of the penstock, and then disappeared
| down the dark cavity, its roots scrap
ing against the sides and top as it
rolled over.
s'I snatched a boat-hook that Law on
the embankment and made an effort TO
ok its steel tooth in the Shiny stump.
For moment thought had succeed
ed. leaned over a little farther; the
earth crumbled under me, and I fell
head foremost into the race!
"As fell caught with my hands at
the lower part of the grating. Nv
| weight swung it out into the current.
| which immediat ely whiried it to; and
there I hung, my body failing off into
| the penstock. dragged down by the
clutch of the water.
my position was terrible one. !