Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-05-24

stinct. She looks. and then she shrinks /
back, sick and white, against the rock
wall beside her. If John yet lives, he
is lying below where she stands
The path is broken away, and there
are signs that large bits of rock have
been freshly loosened from its edge
and hurled down to the sea.
And as the reality forces itself upon
Fanny that she must descend that
fearful precipice alone in the dark,
face to face with the moaning, wall
ing sea-a moaning and wailing which
echoes, heavily and hopelessly, every
thought Of terror-Fanny'S courage |
flies in one long shuddcr;ng sigh, and |
she sinks on her knees, sobbing.
The attitude, or a power beyond |
her, brings prayer to her lips: "Oh,
my Father. save him! help me p
The words seem to nerve her-per-
haps they remind her she is not so
helpless. She lies down on her face,
and drag8 herself to the edge
" John John Fry John, darling
do you hear me?"
The wind is Iulling fast, and her
voice sounds clear through the night
air.
No answer comes the silence seems
more awful, and the moan of the waves
more awtully true in their foreboding.
Desperately, she raises herself and
sends her voice out in one loud, pier
cling shrek.
Then she strains her ear to listen.
Far of-seemingIy as far as the
bay on the other side Of Ragged Jack
an answer comes, but in a sound of
many voices; and then nearer, almost
close, SO it seems by contrast, a feeble
whistle.
All her fears are gone; she only
chides at her own delay. Still hold
ing the lantern in one hand, she feels
her way cautiously, foot by foot, down
the cliff, till she finds at last a stand
ing place. She knows where she is
now; the crag juts out here into a
huge jagged rock, with bush or two
on it, and then gees sheer down to the
sea.
Again, close beside her, the whistle
sounds louder than before.
She calls, but no answer comes;
and then she holds the lantern so high
that its light falls below her. Close
to her-so close that her next down
ward footstep would have been set on
his lace-John Fry is lying with shut
eyes. He has been caught, seeming
ly, between the bushes growing on the
edge, for only his head and chest are
visible.
Fanny kncelS down, she touches his
face timidly with her hand, and then
draws it back, shuddering:
John John, darling! Open your
eyes! Speak to mel"
He lies there as still as the gray
rock, almost as cold. She forgets the
danger Of falling; she twines her arms
round him; she murmurs to him. and
\ presses warm kisses on his face.
"Oh, John, my darling! my darling
Look at me just once; let me hear
/ you say once you forgive my wicked
ness y
She might as we'll cry to the rock
itself; and yet, as she presses her lips
on his, it seems as if some warmth
fingered in them.
Suddenly she raises her head, and
cries out loud for help. A strange
sound has reached her. She listens
breathle8sly. Yes, they are coming.
Overhead she hears voices, and from
the sea, the strong, regular pull of
oars.
John Fry was taken home alive, but
there came weeks of anxious watch
ing before he was able to walk, once
more beside Fanny Haywood, to the
scene Of his fearful fall-and then he
walked with crutches.
Fanny smiles brightly in her lovers
face. She is trying to cheer the sad
ness that, spite Of his efforts, clouds
the strong mans eyes at times, for it
is very hard for John Fry to realize
that he is crippled for life; but under
the girls smiles, is tender, subdued
look new to her face. 1t may be that
the bitter tears she has shed, during
her long patient nursing, g,have left their
trace-tears, not only of sorrow for
her lovers suferings, but Of contrition
for the part she had acted towards
him.
Fanny" (John had stood in 81
lence for some minutes beside the
broken pathway Il don't think you
and | will quarrel again-will we,
darling?"
He looks at her smiling, with his
deep, loving eyes, and she tries to an
swer brightly; but the recollection of
that foolish quarrel and its ending
masters her, and tears come instead
, Of words.
"Hush!' " he whispers softly; "you
will spoil your sweet eyes, my dar.
, ling, and they are my eyes now-at
least they will be after next Thurs
day."
Fanny hides the eyes on his shoul.
der. Don't ask me to promise, dar.
ling" she whispers. while you've
been SO i'll, I've learned more about
myself than ever | thought to know
, | wonder how you find anything to
love in girl who can put no trust in
/ herself"
There is no need to tell Johns an.
swer.
The consumption Of wood in the
United States is enormous. Railway
sleepers alone require 10000 acres
of the best timber every year. The
annual expenditure in wood for rail
, way buildings, repairs and cars is
S38,500,000. The locomotives in the
United States consume annually $780,
100000 worth of wood. The wood
industry amounts to $500,O00,000.
There are 100000 artisans in wood.
The consumption of albumen is
enormous; in calico printing alone for
fixing on cloth the new analine colors
) Alsace, in France, uses 100000 kilo
grammes, or about $4,000 pounds a