Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1869-07-08

feminine knick-kn8cks, ana every "ohian
knows how much Of sacrifice anything
Of this kind involves.
After all, it is not by great sacrifices
once or twice in lifetime that the true
courage Of the moral nature is brought
torth-it is these little daily crosses take
up every hour of onr lives, and which we
can never forget in the lapse of time be-
cause every moment brings along new
one to take the place OF the one last car
ried. do not know as you get my mean
ing, for | am a rude, uneducated fellow,
md have not much book learning at my
command, but l know what | mean my
elf, which is more than some OF your fiue
scholars can say, | fancy.
1t was a beautiful afternoon, that Fri
lay-one Of the loveliest OF the season. i
remember distinctly just how softly the
ky was at the zenith, and how, as the
,un dropped toward the west, a belt OF
white cloud lying low over the hills.
changed to vivid crimson, and the whole
west glarcd and burned at the touch OF
the great ball of lurid fire.
The south wind crept up from the
river, and the marshy intervals lying be-
tween, fresh and damp and in the great
elm, by the windows Of the Asylum cha
pei, a golden breasted robin poured ont
its gladness in song.
Somehow | thought of Minnie more
than usual, if that could be, for was al
most always thinking Of her-and /
| stopped "A moment 70 kiss the curl Of sun
bright hair in the morocco case that lay
against my heart. 1t had lain there a
long time-in fact / do not think my
heart could have gone on with its legiti-
mate business properly IL the golden tails
man had not rested there 10 keep 1t warm
and true.
had struck the last stroke and turned
my back upon the canvass 10 gather up
my tools before descending, when j heard
4 crash FAR below.
Ituruod quickly, and saw that my lad
der had been thrown down to the staging.
and also that here was a man beside me
on the roof.
A tall, powerful man, clad in the suit
which WI. the uniform Of the inmates OF
ST. Mary Ile stood motionles-, with
folded arms, gazing az Ine-a half smile
Oh his haggard tace-a smile drew hi-
liu4 from bis teeth, and left them white
and -uarling like tlose Of dog.
/ needed but % glance at his wild blood
shot eyes to feel satisfied that hc was a
madman,
a fine prospect said lie. turning and
waving his hand in the direction OF the
river e" don't you think 80 -
filtered forth a trembling affirmative.
lie laughed fiendirhly.
at makes you dizzy to be mp so high,
does It, Now, j am never dizzy. Ny
head Is cool and steady as IN eagles. See
here :"
lie stepped ont upon the very edge Of
the gutter. and stood there ~waying his
body 10 and fro, but never taking his hor-
rblo eyes from my face. Ny blood curd-
another t and he would be dashed
to Tie pavement, full fifty feet below
"Ha !" Le cried, coming to my side, " it
makes y-u tremble, doe, it | thought
g.; Getting you for ono OF the horses 10 the
chariot Ia which am going 10 fly 70 the
1u3a. tomorrow Bat. bah such head
us yours y Guild get muddlcd before you
had down fifty fithoms into the air, and
we should al. - TO the devil together
See here, lct nae give you lesson il trip
ping tLc light fantastic toe on nothing
lie seized me hv the waist, whIrled me
10 The t,ll Of the roof, and made me .toop
over to See how black il was below.
tried Gu cry ONT, but then had sense
e. uough u know how useless 1t would be,
70 T cries Of mortal terror and despair were
too common in that dreadful place to be
not iced. and might scream for help IN
til died. aud if they heard me they
woul, think II only the insane rawlings Of
some % tho patients.
But when / made the effort to scream
rav taagIe seemed - cloayc 10 tic roof Of
my mouth and my throat was 50 dry and
parcl-,. tia no sound came b yona a sort
Of guttural Z, fne.
~ amizht- effort. / tore myself from
tie la4s..a. ~. G..rirl awAv Ia the npuo-
site end at tile root, putting the great
chimney between him aud myself.
IL WIS ONLY q moments respite, for in
-tlutly hc w4- upon rne-his eyes glaring
like cnal.-his face byii, and his breath
wsaplas over me, hot and savage, like
fa.a wi au iutur. taa Wild beast
lie closed WltL me. aud tried with all
his mieht 20 draw me near 10 the edge OF
,be roof With enc hand } grA.pcd the
lightning rod, and held on with tho per
sl-feucv 81 despair-with the other i
clateAal lis thraIt, determined never t.
yield but with life.
H. threw ms down and lay upon me.
crushing my chest beneath be WEIGHT
eud -;.3'ug my breath with his horrible
embrace Slowly ! felt my strength Civ
ing way-I could breathe only with the
greatest d.fliauity-in Is few moments i
would Dee al over with me.
| should NEVER see Minnie agaiu-ncver
feel her sair hanl ON my hacd, or hear
her sweet va.re calling re tie old fuuIl-
lar uama- 81 nar lose .na trust. Vague
il / wondered Aaw -ac would bear the
news when it. came g. her-woad.red i
sac Ven, .. .' II. H. = - u 49, ~
.,l...4 ~ M. ,,,',,,l5 w.,
'',',, -. r.,,..';,,s =.
''.4 -.
~ ,,..,,...i '.,-, l,.,,, ,,.lar tbc,, irgu,ht
H.. ,.r....,.@e he crushed mas. res.
a,,.1 fr..a d. min. ~ the terrible ,xTIo.
SION ~ IT,, 'lse.,u.,f,.s work. only tew