Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-05-23


handed.
The log now began to step along
lively and entered the upper end OF
the sluice. As II 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 1t and lit on his stud
again as fine as you please.
Murray yells, Pretty work." and
then we holds our breath.
The log as It 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
fiat 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 1t weren't
much fun down Their. He seemed to
be goin' right on down tohades, 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
food of sunlight hit him in the
face and he knew he'd come back to
the family,
reckon it was nigh as long 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 jutting log and walked
ashore and into our arms.
Nell stood up there and waved her
kerchief at him, but his eyes were SO
full of sawdust l reckon he didn't
see it, for he never so much as
glanced in her direction.
The first words he said were:
Don't let Jim try it, 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-slicke down the sluice,
till he struck the wave, made spring
that miscarried somehow and fell
plump on his back three feet behind
the log. Didn't look any too cheer
full for Jim, just 6hen! :.
The rest of the way down they
didn't change their positions none,
though Jim kept clutchin' wildly at
the log beyond his reach, KNOWN
| that he didn't have no chance for life
If he didn't get it. We couldn't do
nothin'-jest watch!
Then the stick shot into the shoaler
water and dragged just bit, and as
1t 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 time it did saunter to the
surface and we seed hand clingin'
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 to 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 draggin' 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 logged him off to the bunk
house, but Angus was as chirp as a
sparrow after we'd poured little
stimulant down his gullet. We were
crowdin' around shakin' hands with
him and congratulatin' him when Nell
pushes through, lookin mighty
ashamed of herself and rather scared
too. l guess she'd been gettin' a
bigger dose of real life than she had
bargained for.
I'm right proud of you, Angus"
she begun gentle, land reckon
spoke a little too quick few mo-
ments ago. l amt forgot what I
promised you, and am ready to start
whenever you say" :.
Thanks, Nell" says Carmichael,
lookin' her straight. II knows yer
didn't mean what yer said, but the
truth is I'm all tuckered out after so
much excitement and .bathin and
guess I'll let one of the other fellows
drive yer back to the settlement"
Angus turned and walked up the
bank.-From the Outing Magazine.
|
|