Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1907-08-03

1
this particular day jam" occurred
A log became wedged with one Of
two Others right across the chute,
as the passage is called. The result
was the same as invariably is. Hun
dreds of logs came floating SLOWLY
but irresistibly toward the chute
with the current and found resting
place behind each other, with the
dam as their foundation.
Hundreds more came sweeping on
and, finding the current too strong
to allow them to rest behind theil
forerunners, piled themselves In Z
muddled heap on the top, The water
began to rise, and more and yet more
logs piled themselves up, till solid
wall of timber at least twelve feet
high stretched across the chute be-
hind the dam.
Meanwhile heriver-drivers bound
ed from log to log, risking their lives
every second in the vain attempt to
disengage the Jammed logs, for II
the jam had given way 1t would have
carried every man to almost certain
death.
"Somebody'll have to find those
damned logs and cut Them" said
the foreman, quietly, knowing full
we'll that he was asking some one to
tempt death.
"Of course" he continued, Il can't
make any of you do IT.; unless some
one offers I'll have to do 1t myself,
but I'm kind of heavy for the job.
There's $40 in 1t and drinks for the
crowd"
Six of us stepped forward stimuli.
taneously.
you're all wool, boys" said the
foreman admiringly, "but I'm glad
the kIu VnoI vu, cause mes the light
est of the crowd"
A thick rope was promptly tied Sc
curely round my body under the
arms. by way of belt, two longer
ones fixed to 1t on either side, and ]
was ready for work.
Sixteen of the heaviest men were
picked from the gang, and eight
climbed up on to the dam each side
of the jam. An axe was then handed
to me, and hand over hand l was let
out on one side and drawn in on the
other till l hung suspended In mid.
air half way across the current.
Then, in answer to a harp order
from the foreman, the two sides ST.
simultaneously commenced to pay out
rope, and l began to sink lower and
lower toward the damned logs,
which creaked and rasped ominouIly
under the strain of the water behind
them.
l cannot remember any other sem
sation than that of suppressed excite
ment as l reached the level of the
water and finally stood ON the tremh-
ling, grooming mass of logs-a mass
that might sink from beneath my
feet at any moment. l was only six.
teen, and $40 was lot of money to
me, apart from the glory of the
achievement.
For several seconds 1 stood on
those logs without moving, fascln-
ated with the delicious possibilities
of the thing, till at last gruff shout
from the foreman reminded me that
there was work to be done.
Carefully l crept to the edge of
the mass of logs; then slowly slid
from log to log down to the seething
water below. Where were the
damned logs? That was the ques-
ton.
Above me rose The butts and tops
of innumerable logs. What II they
gave way now? should be hurled
to my death at once. Hastily put
ting the thought from me, felt be-
meath the surface of the water with
the axe handle. Yes, there they
were, firmly wedged foot down.
Then l set to with a will, the water
splashing all over me. With each
stroke Of the axe a tremor went
through the pile on which 1 stood.
1t seemed as If had been chop
ping an hour. My he:rt was thump-
ing against my ribs with the exer-
ton, and l gasped for air between
the douches of cold water that
splashed me from head to foot. Sud
denly, without the slightest warning,
there was report like Q muffled re-
volver shot, stream of water shOt
into my face, hoarse cry came from
somewhere above, and l felt myself
jerked from my feet high into the
air, sinking, rising, and again sink
ing like bouncing ball. Then, with
a roar and a mighty splash, the
whole structure of piled up logs on
which had been standing three Sec
onds before collapsed like a house
OF cards, and log after log went
sweeping and eddying through the
chute and over the rapids to the lake
below. Either the damned log had
broken or l had chopped it through;
no one ever knew which.
l don't quite know how they got
me back ON to the dam, for the first
thing l remember after that was see
ing green piece of paper In, my left
hand that l knew to be the promised
$40 bill, and a ring of perspirIng,
grizzled faces close to mine, breath
ing gruff congratulations.-The Wide
World Magazine.