The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1870-03-10

. see no possible chance of escape"
replied and our speed continued to in
crease and louder grew the roar of the
rapids as we neared them.
GLOW long will it be before we shall
reach them 3" she asked
''We cannot have but a few minutes
longer TO spend upon earth,'' replied
| She leaned upon me, but felt stronger
when supporting her than when alone l
saw no way to avert our fate, and expect
ed to be in eternity in short lime. AL
though life was dear to me, would most
willingly have relinquished it. if by so do
ing hers could have been saved. Yet the
| the fate that decreed that we were to die
together, robbed it of all It's terrors as far
as L was concerned. 1t was then | real
lied how much | loved her, and | felt
could not die W ithout telling her of it.
'Lettie," said |, "we shall soon be at
the rapids, but cannot die without tell
ing you how dear you are to me- | would
quickly sacrifice my life TO save yours
but that is denied me- If we were spared
| would offer you the homage of a lifetime.
Will you now accept it for all eternity ;"
A faint flush overspread her cheeks as
L ceased speaking, The last time thought
that they would ever be crimsoned before
they were cold in death. She cIung still
closer to me, and firmer pressure Of the
hand was the sufficient and only answer.
l felt thaoI was loved
For few moments we were both silent.
l noticed that her tears were flowing, and
the sight of them almost caused me to lose
my self>possession. We had already pass
ed several of the islands that stud the
river Immediately above the rapids, and
our rate of speed was constantly increas-
ing. / drew her closely to me, and en-
deavored TO prepare myself for the ap-
preaching moment, when we would 90
down together TO a watery grave. My
mind was busy, and l wondered how long
1t would be before our fate would be
known; Of the various conjectures that
our disappearance would give rise to and
where our bodies would be found, or if
they would become entangled among the
rocks and our fates never known, aud if in
the death-struggle we could still maintain
hold of each other, and our spirits soar up
in unison l also wondered In what man
ner our deaths would be announced in the
journals Of the day Whether it would
be melancholy accident" or if we were
found cliuging TO each other, as a ''ro~
mantle casually" and fancied what the
emotions of various persons would be when
they learned of it. These reflections were
all stopped by my noticing a fisherman's
hut upon All island only short distance
from US, with couple of men engaged at
work in front of it.
l pointed it out to Lettie, and said,
f'We may yet be saved, if can only at
tract their attention. Have courage and
| will attempt it."
left her and proceeded to the extreme
edge of the ice nearest to the island, and
then gathering all my breath for an effort,
called TO them. AS our lives depended
upon the result, of course, made much
louder noise than could upon an ordina-
ry occasion, although my emotion was at
first SO great that l could hardly control
my voice. At length l succeeded, and
had the satisfaction of seeing boat put
out after US. Although we were at some
distance from them, and going very rap
overtake US. Just as everything seemed
to be well again, was surprised to hear
a cry from Lettie, which caused me TO
look round quickly. l was startled by
the new aspect of affairs. The ice, owing
to the action of the waves, and my weight
upon one edge of it, had parted, and we
were upon separate pieces. Lettie had
sunk down upon the ice and was gazing
earnestly towards me. The pieces of ice
were caught in eddies and went of in OPP
posite channels; but it was with the great
est delight that saw the boatman row
after her, leaving me to my fate, and
when had passed the island and looked
back, saw that she was rescued.
Safe in the boat my feelings almost
overcame me and if ever l earnestly re-
turned thanks to an overruling Provi>
dence, it was then. Although | was at
a considerable distance from her, l caught
a last glance, and saw that, although al
most fainting, she was gazing after me.
I knew that the boatman would not think
of following me, for | was now upon the
edge of the rapids The principal events
of my life passed rapidly in review thro'
my mind, and my memory was very ac-
tive; bui The sweetest remembrance OF all
was of that moment during the last hour,
when Lettie confessed that she loved me.
The last hope had fed, and | was cal
culating the moments that would elapse
before the ice would be dashed 10 pieces,
when turning round to take farewell look
at earth and sky, saw canoe, propelled
by couple of skillful voyagers, coming
rapidly after me but although it fairly
seemed TO skip over the waves, it hardly
seemed TO gain on me. The water dashed
over the cake of ice, and l was wet and
almost insensible. The pursuing craft
reached me just in time TO save me, and
I saw that it was one of light birch bark,
and that my rescuers were Canadian In~