The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1908-05-21
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RIDING THE FROST
LAKE DAM.
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AN INCIDENT OF EARLY DAYS
IN MICHIGAN.
by t. r.. LLOYD.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

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They we're blamed idiots. both OF
'em. But I'm not holdin' that up
against any man when there's girl
in the case Nell was all right, too,
mind yer, as girls go--red hair. full
form, fire an all that sort of thing
but she couldn't play soft. Had to
bo things doin' when she handled
the bow--with her novel-readin' no.
tions of heroes and trusty swords and
ridin' into deaths ways before you
shucksl hate bein' harsh on the
child, but good men are too blamed
hard to lay your hands on these days,
to want to see them go under before
their appointed time, all along of a
whim and a little lace. All right,
I'm gettin' there. The drive had
come down pretty slick that spring,
no serious accidents or nothing. and
we were just holdin' the logs above
the last dam till we had got enough
water to float them out onto the
home stretch. The boys lied around
in the shade of the cook-house and
chewed their pipes and cursed a
little and waited---thinkin' on the
settlement only thirty mile away and
payday Just round the bend. The
second day we heard the squeakin'
of wheels and Nell appeared on the
scene, havin' buggied out to wish us
luck and with greetings from the
home folk--that's what she said
I'm guessin' different, and seed later
/ guessed right.
We all jumped to our feet, bein'
mighty starved for the sight of
pretty face, but Angus Carmichael
was Johnny-on-the-Spot all right and
had the honor of liftin' her out and
receivin' smile that would ave
softened a pike-pole. We were all
right envious of Angus, but big Jim
Connors was the only one weak
enough to show it. They'd been run
min neck and neck for favors all that
winter and weren't too friendly about
1t either. The other boys had long
since dropped out and were Just
waitin' around to hold the coats and
pick up the pieces. Jim butted in
DCIWCCh An6 uS anu lHc SIUllt anu
grabbed her hand so she WINGED.
Right glad ter see yer again,
Nell" says he. "Ain't yer goin' ter
let me have the pleasure of drivin'
yer back ter the settlement this af-
ternoon? Yer said could sometime
and I'm not needed here jest now,
you know"
Nell looked up at him out OF the
points of her eyes: Maybe, Jim,
we'll see."
Angus was lookin' sort of pale in
spite of the tan. She's already
promised me. Jim, but of course she
knows what she wants, and I'll step
aside If she says the word"
Connors swung round quick.
blazin' mad. GO to blazes, you! and
mind yer own businessl" His fists
were stuck out in Carmichael's face.
and we looked for things happenin
right there. Nell did too, / guess.
for the look of scorn on her face
when Angus jest gave a gasp and
stepped back wasn't pretty to see.
I'm thinkin' yer didn't hear
straight, Mister Carmichael" she
said softly. Il wouldn't be feelin'
safe with a coward at the reins!"
mo, I'm not a coward, Nell, and
yer know 1t. If Jim wasn't a heap
sight better man with his fists than
be he wouldn't be so free with his
speech. Now ask him If he feels like
runnin' the dam with me or no and
we'll see whose scared"
We held our breath when we
heard that, for though Connors was
about the best man on a log in the
province, not barrin' Carmichael
either, the devil himself couldn't do
the trick and live Nell knowed II
as well as we did, but by Jimminy
she Jest stood there with the hot sun
namin' on her red hair and a little
smile on her face that said plain as
day: will yer let him dare yer.
Jim?"
Yer could hear the throbbin' of
the dam comm up under yer very
Ieet, though it was really round the
Dend below, and it didn't sound pretty
ter Jim's ears as we could see. He
pulled the battered felt off his head
and mopped his forehead with a red
Dandanna, but guess none OF US felt
much sympathy for him, seem as
ned got himself into the hole.
He's gone clean crazy, Nell" he
gasped, but what you say goes
only guess one of the other boys
Will be takin' yer home this evenin'."
Don't worry about me. 1 reckon
KIN get back all right" Nell starts
Tor the dam below and we tails out
Dehind, some of us tryin' ter persuade
the fools to quit it, and some pumpin'
into them Just how 1t oughter be
done. And SO we comes out on the
scene OF operations.
There was twenty-eight foot head
Oh water behind the dam. Then
there was sluice sixty foot long
and ten wide where the water ran
smooth and swift as creased light
ming, till It shot out on the apron
ana was carried some eighty feet far
tner over ledge OF rocks. Near the
lower end OF the apron the water
was that shallow that though a small
iog would shoot out straight and drop
INTO the pool below almost horizontal.
tne big sticks would drag and tip
ana so over head ffrst and not rice 20