Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1903-09-26

roots. were borne upon the bosom Of the
raging torrent. One OF these monarchs
OF the forest had caught between the two
middle piers OF the bridge. and formed
the nucleus Of a rapidly growing mass OF
timber and debris. the long stems Of the
groat pines writhing and rolling together
like the hideous forms Of gigantic ser
penis. Not only was the bridge threat
ened with momentary destruction. but
the dam thus formed caught the waters
mp and hurled them and their ponderous
srmature down the ditch and against the
mills below. with a violence that must
soon accomplish their destruction.
To set AZ the pine trunk and cut 70
would release the straining. tumbling
mass. restore the raging waters 10 their
natural channel. and save the bridge and
the mills. But woe 20 him who cut Il,
When Tom Harding. ak in hand.
stepped upon the bridge and started on
hts mission. not one OF the group who
stood looking on in breathless silence
but felt that he was witnessing a ira
gedy
The man Is committing sheer. down
richt suicide" said sn old lumberman
who had spent HIS life in the forest and
onthe river. 1T oughtn't 20 be allowed.
But Tom had already reached the mid
die OF the louE structure. and was feeling
his way down over the tumbling. grind
irg pile as only a lumberunan can. Now
he stood with careful footing upon the
huge pine stem. bending under the awful
strain. and now he piled HIS AK with tell
ing vigor. making the chips ay az each
powerful stroke. To an eve not cogni-
zant Of his terrible danger the sturdy
/ lumherman might have been following
his daily vocation for anything IN his
look or manner that denoted the con-
trary.
But the woman. wild-eyed and pant
ing with hair disheveied and hanging in
| rain-soaked tresses down her back who
just now Joined the group or the bank.
/ realized his danger. and piercing shrek
/ miugled with the roar Of the waters.
"Oh Tom. dear Tom. come back 20 me-
/ Forgive ny cruel words ~ 2 come back
for h1hv's sake and miue'" and she
| held the little. wet shiverine thinE UP
I'm full view OF IT'S parent out on the river.
He heard not her words. but he saw
| his child. and every feeling vanished be-
AZ the towering mass ap0v- MIN. and for
a moment those OF shore hoped he might
escape But tho next a terrible grind
ing crash. as the great tree parted. an
awful. mufed roar. and for single IN
slant tho Iumberman's form stood poised
on the broken tree. He kissed his hand
once. and above the din came the words
1T was FOR Won MaEEie. you and the
baby" and then he went down and was
borne away by the rushing swirl OF wa.
ters.
| Half an hour later searchers found =
| limp. unconscious body suspe aided 70 tn
! branches of tree where a. had been lef'
~ the now receding waters. II was a.
| first thought that the man vas dead. bu
closer examination revealed the fact tha
De hreathet. and a liberal draught from
iumberman's flask forced down hi
throat partly restored him 20 conscious
ness That night Tom Harding was car
ried home 70 his wife. terribly maime'
and bruised e. is true bur still alive
Under her tender and happy ministra
tiors he finally recovered and from hi
terrible experience he cleaned lessor
that viii last him al his life To-day no
happier trio lives than Tom and Mar
Faret and their baby-Farm and Fire
side
CAITSF OF KENTUCKY FFUDG