The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1908-05-15

Angus" yells out Boss Murray. It'll
give yer a better grip II she dives.
and for Gods sake hang on 10 II till
she clears the eddies! Wen git you
| then"
I'll keep on the sunny side OF her.
Jack. don't worry" and Angus runs
lightly out on the loose fioatin' logs
that are held back by a boom from
| goin' through the sluice. He picks
one out, pushes IL through gap
where the chain joins a couple OF
the boom logs and jumps aboard.
Amt yer goin' ter use a pole?"
hollers Terry.
"Naw-by-bye!" and we see the
blamed goat is runnin IL empty
handed.
The log now began 10 step along
lively and entered the upper end OF
the slutce. AS it dipped TO the in
| cline, Angus bent forward with his
fingers touchin' the rough bark and
! his eyes on the boilin' caldron below
him. He sure looked cool and steady
| crouchin' there, while the log rocked
| from side TO side and plunged
through the sixty foot of sluice. At
the foot Of this where the water
struck the less steep apron, the back
surge made a wave that jumped up
most eight feet high. AS the timber
struck this, Angus leapt into the air.
cleared most OF it and lit on his stud
again as fine as you please.
Murray yells, Pretty work." and
then we holds our breath.
The log as IL neared the end OF
the apron begun TO drag, but be-
cause OF the weight on the back end
didn't go over perpendicular as we
feared 1t shot far out. dipped sharp
and plunged into the roaring mess
OF yellow water.
But Angus kept his head, you bet!
At the last moment he threw himself
fat on the log and wrapped his arms
and legs around 1t. and crash! they
disappeared. and the foam swished
over. He told us later that II weren't
much fun down ther. He seemed to
be goin' right on down to hades. while
the currents tore and bit and
wrenched. and pieces OF bark and
chips and sawdust cut and bruised
him every place at once. And his
one little thought all the time was
jest to hold on till he bust and trust
In God.
| After a few years OF this sort OF
thing he begun to see sky-rockets
and hear cannon crackers and then
a food OF sunlight hit him In the
face and he knew he'd come back to
the family.
reckon IL was nigh as long a time
to us as to him before the log hove
In sight and we were allowed to
move our lungs again. We certainly
let out one Indian ear-splitting yell
that made the noise OF the dam sound
pale. Angus climbed right side up.
sprang onto a jutting log and walked
ashore and into our arms.
Nell stood up there and waved her
kerchief at him, but his eyes were 80
full OF sawdust | reckon he didn't
see 1t. for he never SO much as
glanced in her direction.
The first words he said we're:
Don't let Jim try 1t, boys! God
amt goin' to give two return tickets
to hades, and that's certain,"
You're too late" says Little Bill.
hes a-comin' now" :.
And he was all right, with his hair
BLOWN back and his face white as
milk-slickety-pelt down the slulce.
| till he struck the wave, made a spring
that mlscarrled somehow and fell
plump on his back three feet behind
the log. Didn't look any too cheer
full for Jim, just then! =.
The rest OF the way down they
didn't change their positions none.
though Jim kept clutchin' wildly at
that he didn't have no chance for life
II he didn't get 1t. We couldn't do
nothin'-jest watch,
Then the stick shot into the shoaler
water and dragged just bit. and as
! It went over we seed Jim catch up
and clutch the log, then his hands
slipped, his arms Strengthened out
with a jerk and both Of 'em sunk be-
meath the foam.
Well, we were right certain he had
got grip and again stopped breath
In and waited for the log to show UP.
After a time IL did saunter TO the
surface and we seed a hand cllngin'
TO a projection on the side OF the
timber, and then slip off.
Angus hitched a rope around him
and Jumped into the pool and made
desperate fight 20 get out, but in a
| couple Of strokes he was jerked clean
| under and we started pullin' him
| back again. Yer can imagine our
| amazement when we discovered We
were draggln the two OF them in,
! The blame cross-currents had ham,
mered Jim plump into Angus arms
and couldn't get 'em apart again.
Well, Connors was pretty nigh all
In and we lugged him of 10 the Dunk
I