Year: 1876

thousand il 1 gained 1t. That was "a
- big fee-far moro than had made in
: all my pleading. 1t was tempting.
And yet saw that it was not yet per-


fectly clear-not entirely honest 1t
: was not improbable that Philip Ac-
> ton had married Betsy Totwood, and


that William was his legi innate heir.
1t struck me that Leban Sarfurt was


a villain, and that he fancied he had
young Acton so far in his power that
he could eject him from the title.
But what had 1 particularly to do
with that? If accepted a client, 1
must serve him. / had no business
but to serve his interests. 1 finally
told Mr.. Sarfurt that I would think
the matter over. 1 should nrobably
ha We business in Shireton during the
session OF the court and would call
on him there and examine more full
". / could not take his retainer un-
til had further light"


But" said he, will you promise
not to take up on the other side?"


II told him 1 would do nothing
without further consultation with
him."


Because" he added, I" IL you are
for me am sure to win. Acton can't
a. L., hot h4l Ia
to you. / know them all.


~No matter whether I believed him
or not, did not feel fiattered."


~Two weeks later received let
ter from Sarfurt, promising me 5000
il won.


"The 5000 was a strong argument.
Was not law really game Of chance,
in which the strongest hand and
longest purse must win? told my
self yes. Yes-and / sat down and
wrote a reply, saying that I would
take the case. But did not mail 1t
at once. That night put it under
my pillow, and slept over it; and on
the following morning threw 1t into
the fire. / would not make up my
mind until had seen other parties
until had been on the grounds. And
I wrote to Leban Sarfurt to wait.


~Two weeks later / harnessed my
horse to the wagon, and, with my
wife and child started for Shireton. I
had been married two years, and our
little babe, girl, was a year old, our
pride, our pet and our darling Shire
ton was a distance Of about thirty
miles. We had been having rainy
weather for a week or so, and 1t had
now cleared of bright and beautiful.
We stopped and took dinner at a
wayside inn. four miles beyond which
was a stream that must be forded.
The innkeeper told me that the
stream was somewhat swollen from
late rains, but that IL my horse was
trusty there could be no danger.


Arrived at the stream, the wam-
patuck River, found the water in
deed risen, and the current strong,
but | saw that others had recently
gone over. and L resolved to venture.
/ knew my horse and had faith in
him. My wife was anxious, but
she trusted to my judgment. A third
OF the way across the water was over
the hub of the wheels. A little more
and 1t would have reached the body
OF the wagon. began to be alarmed;
/ feared had left the true track.
Presently my horse stumbled and
staggered, having evidently stepped
on a moving stone. The wagon
swayed and tipped, and the food
poured In upon US. My wife slipped,
and In a moment more we were In
the water. With one hand grasped
the harness upon the horse and with
the other held my wife. was thus
struggling when Q wild cry from her
lips startled the air. Our child was
washed away.


~Oh, my souli can not tell you
what suffered during those mo-
ments. could not help our darling
II I left my wife she was lost.
clung to the horse and clung to my
shrieking wife-shriekinR to God for
mercy for her child. In the distance,
upon the bosom OF the surging flood, |
could see our little one, her white |
dress cleaning In the sun, being |
borne swiftly away. A moment more |
and saw a man plunge from the
bank into the river. saw this much, |
and then an intervening point Of
land shut out the scene. The horse |
was now rapidly nearing the shore.
and ere long my wife and / were on
dry land, with the horse and wagon.
As soon as was sure my wife was |
safe, left her to care for the horse
while I posted off down the river
bank In quest of the swimmer and
the child"


"You may well understand that all |
this time was frantic. was a ma
chine being operated upon by a surg
ing and agonizing emotion. How
long or how far wandered do not
know, but at length met man, wet
and dripping with my darling IN his
arms, my darling safe and sound.
He told me that he had caught the
child within a few rods Of the falls,
and that in landing he had cleared
the fatal abyss by not more than two
yards. He was a young man, not
more than twenty-five, handsome
and stalwart. He said he had seen
my wagon tip, and was coming to my
assistance when he saw the child
washed away. Il threw my life into
the balance said he. with genial
smile, and. thank Godl both the
lives were savedi


II asked him how / should ever
repay him. He stopped me with I'm
imploring gesture:


9" II you talk of more pay than 7
have already received he said, IL