YOUNG EDWARD AND HIS REWARD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 2041, 22 September 1874, Page 3

YOUNG EDWARD AND HIS REWARD.

{American Paper.) The following interesting story of a brave boy's work has never before appeared in print, al- hough occurring several years' ago. At the time of the incident,, a widow woman, with her young son Edward, were liviug in a dilapidated h iuse on the banks of our Still River. It was in the early spring. The winter had been very severe, and a heavy body of snow lay upon the eatrh. Heavy rains were falling, the stream was very much swollen, and already great destruction had been worked upon property on its banks. This was a wild night. The raiu fell in torrents, and" the roar of the water was distinctly heard in the little cabin occupied by Edward and bis mother. Suddenly, a Btartling crash sounded near by, and it hardly ceased when a cry of a human being in distress pierced the air. In an instant the brave boy, his sympathies fully aroused, was on his feet. "It is the bridge, mother," he cried, " and some poor traveller has gone down with it." He seized his lantern, and was at once outside the house running towards the spot. The frightened mother stood in the door and watched the lantern as it moved by the stream, and east its rays over the "maddened water. Edward was right. The bridge had gone, down, and with it a horse and his rider. The two were struggling in the water, striving hopelesaly to save, themselves. The Itt c horo aiw the situation at a glance, an.! se ting down his lantern, worked nianfu ly for t\iu rescue. Tne man iv the water, seeing v prospect of i elp, renewed his exertions, and in a short time he and his horse were on firm land. Five minutes later, the nni'mal w.is v <j. r , ln 0 ! I shed in rear of the widow's cabi ■, and th j owner was drying him elf before the firu. The next morning he left, renewi .g hid expressions' of thanks, atid promising that they should soon, hear from him. * Days passe i into w eks, and weeks into months. The terrible : night was passing from the mind of the boy, but he of ; en spoke of the stranger he had saved, and wondered what his fortunes had been. One day a small Jiox came by express to our village, for young Edward. He hurried to his home with it, nervously tore off the wrappers, looked in, and uttered an exclamation that quickly brought his mother to his side. The poor woman, trembling with an undefined expectation, glanced into the open box, and, clasping her boy in her arms, sank on her knees. ; : The stranger so miraculously saved from the terrible death had remembered them. There, amid the white folds of paper, was a brilliant neck-tie. . . ,":/. :