The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-11-18

boys on the Niagara River IN New
York, there was one small and odd
looking little chap. The other boys
took a good deal OF pleasure In foolihg
with him They made his life mis-
erahle, IN fact, by their constant hec"
toring, They meant no harm, They
didn't think. One OF the students was
a leader because he was older ana
stronger and belonged 10 a rich and
powerful family. He found It great
fun to chan this solemn faced, big
eyed. shy little chap,
"rhe river below the college ran
very fast, though these lower rapids
were not as strong as the upper ones
Still there were violent enough to
mean destruction for any one who got
In their grip The shore here was
rocky and the water near II, calmer
The boys used to enjoy playing on
these rocks. one day half dozen OF
them were scrambllng about on them
when the Unexpectedly came on this
odd chap. He had got to keeping out
OF their way, they annoyed him so
much. and he had gone there all alone
So there he sat. perched on rock by
the roaring. rushing river all by HIM
self To the other boys this made him
look comical, and II reused the fun
loving spirit OF this ringleader, who
chanced to be along. He saw chance
for something new,
| "Aha!" he cried "now we've got
you, We aren't good enough FOR him
to go with, fellows, guess Wen
have to throw him into the river" he
continued, grabbing the small boy,
Here goes. One! Two!-"
He did not get any farther, The
small boy. In n panis OF fear, struggled
so violently that he not only wriggled
| free from his grasp. but made tho big
ger boy lose his balance, In stepping
from one projection OF the rocks to
another, In his efforts to recover 1t. he
slipped. and fell forward. His head
| struck the rock, so that he was stun
ned. and before any one could realize
Il he had rolled into the river himself
"The small boy, painting over his
| escape. saw the tables turned In this
way. He also realized the danger the
other was in and his generous ma
ture had only one thought--to save
him. He slipped into the water. and
grabbed the half -dazed boy, His ex-
citement gave him a nervous strength
that enabled him 10 push the other
near enough the rocks for his COM
rades to grab him and pull him out.
Before they had time to do the
same thing for the plucky rescucr
the current had whIred him out into
the rapids. His force. spent in strus-
Cling to save the other boy left him
too weak to resist. Hence. when the
big boy. who had been lying fiat on
his stomach on the rock. raised him
self UP. his eyes rested on the round
head. wild eyes and struggling form
Of the odd little butt OF the school.
bobblng UP and down in the hercely
churning waters.
Boys. do not suppose one day OF
that boys life since then has passed
without his seeing that agonized face
showing In that foamng mass OF wa
ter.
"He tottered to his feet with
groan, and had not the other boys
held him he would have sprung into
the racing river to try to rescue the
victim he had put there. or perish
with him But he was destined to
the harder lot Of living with that
drowning boy for all the afteryears
Of his life
"All this Look only moment The
child out in those angry tossing wa
YES knew he was doomed. They
heard him cry out shrilly above the
roar. Never mind, boys' You could
MT help IT, Good-by! Tell my mo-
ther!" The next moment he was
swallowed up in the seething rapids"
The rector paused and wiped his
face slowly with his handkerchief
There was an awed silence on the part
of the children, and the two women
exchanged one glance full Of signih-
canoe. Then the rector went on, in
his usual tone, but very impresslvely
"Children those boys didn't mean any
more harm than you did when you
were fooling with Peter just now. II
they had realized the suffering their
fun caused its victim they would have
been more considerate I have told
you the story that you may have more
forethought. When Peter gets more
experience Of the world, and learns
human nature better, he will stand up
with the best Of you. Give him a fair
show. That other boy showed that
he had the soul of hero in him. He
was courageous, forgiving, mindful OF
others, and cool In the very face OF
death.
at poisoned existence for the big
boy. Perhaps 1t has made his life
more useful than 1t would otherwise
Tsn. pnI4 +I,of aFfar tho