Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-05-10


gerons part-was passed. He paused
there, and half turning looked out over
the water. Then again he laid hold on
a projecting root, and drew himself up.
ward. The frail support snapped under
the unusual weight, and broke asunder
There was quick cry of terror, which
reached even eur ears-a, wild clutching
in the air for support-and, stricken with
horror, we saw him fall from the great
hight, down, down the rugged face of
the cliff, Sheer down, twelve feet be-
low, he struck upon projecting rock /;
he threw his arms outstretched upon it,
but all in vain; it checked but did not end
his fall, and topping over in midair,
nothing but the interposed hand of Provi-
dence could have saved him then.
Looking still, dumb-horrified as in an
| oppressive nightmare, we saw the slen-
der, delicate form of the lad lying mo-
tionless on the ledge where first be stood,
before making the daring attempt. In
stantly we aroused from eur pulseless
stupor, to the terrible reality of the case
"Quick quick to the oar !" shouted
to Ruff, who still stood staring at the cliff
with swelling eyeballs, and cheeks the
| hue of death.
GOD help him I'VE cant, for the poor
boy is dead y be replied in hushed voice.
We bent to the oars with the energy Of
desperation. The intervening distance
! was net great-couple of hundred yards
{, and in a moment more our boat shot
/ into the little cove, and we had mounted
to the ledge where lay the insensible body
of the brave but rash boy. =.
His fair face, showing no trace of
scratch or bruise, was like the face of the
dead. There was no motion, no pulse,
no breath nor sign of life.
He is past hope-poor little boy |"
said Ruff, with tenderness and pity like
that of father. And so, too, l feared,
as, without moments delay, we bore
the limp and ia animate body to the boat.
bsthed the still, white face with wa
ter, while my friend procured from the
locker of the boat a small flask of spirits,
which, with variety of other articles,
was always kept there for any case of
emergency. Assam
While we were trying to pour a small
quantity of this liquor between his white,
closed lips, q rushing, grating sound
startled us, and the next instant old John
Byron, gamekeeper of Tandsuk Place,
stood beside US, having descended the
cliff by the same path from which the lad
had fallen.
"Oh, my God, forgive me |" he cried
in an agony of grief, for / have cen
killed our little Robbie 1t was |, sir,
who INDUCED the lad, and showed him
the path up the rock; and he's made it
a-manys the time afoi.e, while was up
a'yond, wstchin' every step with tremb-
ling, guilty fear; but i;o-day-ohl Rob
bic Robbie 1t will he the death of my
Lady Anna, sir-she loved him 30 moth
erly-and l the cause of it all Oh, I'd
give my old good-for-n aught life to have
the brave laddie back again. Does he
breathe, sir ? Is he really, really dead2 ?
My poor, dear Robbie H.
Turning from the grief-stricken old
man, half in obedie nee to his last
agonized inquiry, I noticed, with
a thrill of joyous surp rise, slight quiv-
ering of the form tnat lay beside me.
And a msment later, by the tender
of my friend, We had the graft |
6cation of seeing life again slowly return
to that lately nauimate fern. He |
breathed once more, though quick and |
painfully, and tho vital current flowed |
again through the veins-slowly at first,
auttering in the wEry pulse.
In the fullness of his joy aud gratitude
The old gsmekeep,,r went down upon his
knees, on the bare rock, and poured forth
his soul in strange commingling OF
prayer and general congratulstion.
"Get up, old man." said Ruff; "get
up and help to 10 something to save the
BOY, and do your praying sfterward.
Take off your coat, and spread it and
hat piece of s'iilcloth on the bottom of
he boat here, to lay the little fellow on.
We can't carry him up the cliff and he
must be taken home at once"
The old servant, as if just awakened
o the neces sity of prompt action, sprang
o his feet and FASTENED to obey the direc-
ions of my friend, murmuriug words of
,rstitude, half aloud, the while, his sun
,rowned and wrinkled face drcnched
With tears.
While these preparations were being
made, remained beside the boy, bathing
lis face with water, and occasionally
touring few drops Of spirits between
lis lips. At length he slowly opened
lis eyes, directed their gaze upon me
or a moment, then closed them with
eep Sigh.
By this time the other two came mp
eside me, and we were about ready to
lace the lad on the clothes spread for
hat purpose. BE heard the familiar
oice of the old gamekeeper. and the
ound of it recalled his wandering mind
0 consciousness.
John I" he said. looking up in sur
rise; John, where am II"
The good Lord be praised be can
peak again I" exclaimed the servant,
oyfally. Robbie, laddie, do you know I
,e2 Do you know old John p Z
Where am 2" again the bay asked. g
Mary Where is Mary. John p
Lie still, my little man, and don't try q
D talk more now" / said, to quiet him.
You have had fall down the cliff, and &
ave been burt pretty bad" j
Have II Was Mary saved, though p .
"0h, bless the boy It's the lsssie q
e's thinking Of, in ell his pain and n