The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1860-07-18


and the next day, and my uncle seemed
at last 20 be giving in. The whole neigh
borhood had been ransacked, every friend
and acquaintance that Edith had ever
possessed had been applied to-magis-
teri Il aid had been evoked-but there
were neither tidings nor trace of the
missing girl. The fifth day from her loss
was q Sunday. Early in the forenoon
the friends of Colonel Gersom anxiously
thronged the dining-room for intelligence.
| was there, terribly SEX at heart for [
had slept little since my arrival, and hay
ing contributed my cxertions also for in
teligence over tic country, I was exhaus-
ted bodily rs well rs mentally. BY de-
grees it was mentioned that the Colonel
was i'll, and the body Of the persons pre-
sent diminished from motives Of delicacy,
to some half dozeu. l waited, however,
mechanically, think, for had nowhere
else to 90, and felt on irresistible at
traction in remaining IN the company of
others whose thoughts were rivetcd on
the same subject as my own. convers-
ed, however, with none. With my head
leaned partly on rny hand, I sat in an
angle of the room, my eyes resting On
large bowl, or rather glass trough of wa
ter, containing goldfish, which stood in
a recess hard by window. It was before
the days of "Aquara," and the one be-
fore me would in these times have been
thought insignificant. It was curiosity,
however, then, and the rare fish within
it had been especial pets Of poor lost
Edith. AS looked on them this fact
came before ne in full force, and it seem
ed to me as if the present still aspects of
the little silver fiuned tribe within had
been exchanged since my arrival. Alive
they all certainly were, and all placed
differently; but each appeared to have
ore golden-rimmed eye on me earnestly,
seriously, unwavingy, while their gijls
and fins tapped mourningiy and in meas
usad shake, as if upbrading my want
of vigor in this grievous strait. The
thought afflicted me 50 much tha. | was
turning my eyes away when my uncio
entered. He pressed the HANDS Of QUO or
two friends in q weary manner, meant
however, to be grateful, and begged the
rector who had entered tho room with
him to explain his wishes on a point
near his heart They were that those
present should, before they separated for
divine service, join in prayer in that spot
in behalf of the one sole hope left him on
earth. He could not leave the house.
but it would be comfort to him to feel
that they had in his company offered
their united applications to the Being
of all mercy for help in his present vista
ton. There and then we all knelt to-
gother. The rector spoke-no other
save bv mu.mprs- earnestly and affect
ingly did he touch on the blow that had
fallen on the house, and according to the
mode of faith then in vogue, he not only
prayed, but asked for some direct token
of the lost girls fate. The speakers words
were from the heart, and they went to
my heart, and when we rose to our feet
my face, at least, was bathed in tears
| Still felt calmer and more tranquil, and
save that | could not keep my eyes from
the fish in the glass tank, certainly was
more composed. 1t is then from 10 ex-
element of mind that came to behold
that which was vouchsafed to the aston
ished eyes of all that little party.
When the persons present rose from
prayer, they were grouped in sort of
somicircle, looking toward the vase Of
water, the rector and my uncle being q
lone with their backs toward it. On at
sudden one of the party raised cry, and
the eyes Of all. the two persons last men
toned included, turned III the direction of
his gaze. Standing by the vase stood
Edith--so plain that |, for one, could
have vouched for her being there in life.
She wore the dress in which she left
home, but it seemed dronched rs if by
exposure to tho weather. On he head
was nothing; but her hair on one side,
dripping and disheveled, hung unkempt
upon her shoulder, on the other it seemed
matted, and held to its place by some
means which [ could not discern. Her
face and look were stretched toward nv
uncle, and seemed anxiousiY to bespeak
his attention, as if to some action she
was about to perform. | just remember
his giving groan, bowling his head now
in moment, more aged than it had been
moment before, and raising it with out
stretched hand respectfully again, as if in
obediance to her demand. Then did