The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1870-10-13

! NOt more tilAn Two llueS year S6ts
up there
Ali if Esther could only he told
that! They could but trust power
lessly TO her steadiness Of nerve and
common sense.
'iShe's such a wise thing" Helen
sObbed out So they waited.
A rattle of wheels came from the
road. They all turned to look, and
some one said: perhaps it's the Doe
torw Though what earthly use q
doctor could have been would have
been hard'to say.
A figure was rapidly coming up the
path-a young man. Nobody recOg-
niZed him till DR.. Gray started for
ward with the face of one who sees a
ghost.
'Paul! good Godl Is it possiblep'
''Yes, Doctor" with a hasty hand
shake. mo other. 1 don't wonder
you stareu
"But in heavens name how has il
come about. Where have you been
since we gave you up for lOst?"
''It's long story. You shall heal
it some time. But"-rapidly-"for-
give me my impatience-where is my
cousin? What is the matter@'
There was dead silence. AT last
with groan, DR.. Gray spoke.
paul, my poor fellow, how can I
tell you %
'In the grotto?u
SIN the grottO. Can anything be
done?"
The young man staggered. The
glow faded from his face, leaving him
ashy pale. For moment he stood
irresolute, then he reused himself, and
his voice, though husky, was firm.
"It's q frightful place, still there is
no absolute danger if she keeps her
presence of mind. 1 stayed there over
a tide myself once just to see if. Is
your boat at home?" heasked of one Of
the fishermen.
Eyes sir"
'Fetch it round then quickly as
possible" Then to DR.. Gray: az
shall row out there opposite the en-
trance, and make dive for it. If /
come up inside its all right, and Tn
see that no harm happens to Esther
till the water falls, and we can get
her out"
HBut-the risk"
''There is the risk of striking the
arch as rise-that is all. am a
good swimmer, Doctor, as you know.
l think it can be done. Can you
guess,n with a sort of a pale smile,
Chow have been counting on this
meeting; and to leave her alone and
frightened, and not gOtO her is just as
Impossible. shall manage it-nev-
er fear"
The boat came. They saw it rowed
out, Paul taking the bearings careful
ly shifting position once, and yet
again, before satisfied. Then he look
ed up with a confident smile and nod,
and clasped mis- hands above his head.
A splash-he was gone.
Within the cave, Esther watched
the strange, moving phantom which
darkened the entrance. The splash
reached without startling her, but in
another moment a flashing object
whirled down and inward, and, Tis-
ing, the waves revealed a face-a
white face with wet hair. In the pale
earthly glow, it wore the aspect of
death. 1t drew nearer. She covered
her eyes with her hands. Was the
sea giving up its dead, that there in
lAll5 4CeAllul 6OlAAAftAC TIC NloAOn vi AACE
drowned Paul confront her, or was
she going mad2
Another second and the hands were
withdrawn. The peril, the excite
ment of the past hour, thestrange un-
reality of the spot, combined to kiEdle
within her an unnatural exaltatiOn of
feeling. Had she not eraved this? III
they met as spirits in this land ofspir-
its, was she to be afraid CT Paul or
shrink from him ? No, a thousand
times, hO.
The face was close upon her. With
rapid strokes, it drew near-a form
emerged-it was upon therocks. With |
a shrek she held out her hands. Cold |
hands clasped hers-a voice ibid dead |
men speak?) cried: "Queenie my
own Queenie.
The old pet nameI 1t was PauPs |
ghost but none the less Paul. 'I
know you are dead, +" she said, "but I |
AN not afraid of you," and felt, unter-
rified, a strong arm outside her. But |
the breast upon which her cheek rest
ed was throbbing with such living |
pulsations that, half aroused, she be- |
gan to shudder in a terribly blended |
hope and fear, and she shrank away /
from his touch,
30 Paul are we both dead, or only
you? Is this the other world ?1
"Why, darling" gently seating her
on the rock, ''you are in a dream.
Wake up love. Look at me Esther. |
1 am not dead man, but living Paul.
Feel my hand it is warm you see.
God has restored US to one another;
and now, if his mercy permits we will /
never be parted again"
Paul Paul % cried Esther, con-
vinced at last.
They were very happy. Prosy
folks, could they have looked in,
would have seen two exceedingly wet
young persons seated high up on a
ledge, with FeOeding waters rippling
at their feet; but they, all aglow with
life and happiness, scarcely knew of
The lapse of time before the shiny line
Of light appeared at the mouth Of the
cave.
With blessed tears streaming down
her cheeks, Esther had heard his
stOry-hOw picked up-the sole survi-
VOr of that dreadful Wreck-by an In
1ia-bound trader, her lover had lain
1eliriOus for many weeks in far-Off
ands, unable to tell his name or story,
md in part recovered, started at once
or home, and landed in advance of
he letters which told of his safety.
And so they had met here, mid "eOT-
al and tangled almondine;" and as
Esther heard the history Of his perils
ihe held his hand as If she never
lgain could let it go.
That prOvident little Helen-bless
ler heart? "builded better than she
lnew," in providing such a store of
lamp sandwiches and refreshing wine
or those two drenehed and happy
overs. When at last the receding
ide again opened the rocky gate, and ,
he vista of the sea, tinged with rosy
and Esther, aided by strong
arms, left her rocky prison, it was
With glow like the sunset upon her |
.heeks, and in her eyes such a radi-
Ince of happiness that it fairly bedaz-
lied the fOrlOrn, bedraggled group
Ibove. Mrs. Grey embraced her fond
y and fell incontinently into a fit of
Ong-deferred Mysteries. The boys !
Executed war dance of cOngratula-
ion, and Helen and Isabel laughed
md cried for joy. And as Esther tuTn-
ID with Paul for last look at the
Gene of her deliverence, the chime
md murmur of the sea seemed full of
,lessing, the blessing of the dear Lord
Who had had compassion upon her
restoring her to life, and to
hat life its joy. II
So we leave her.
-<s-
Selecting Seeds.
Autumn is the most suitable time
or selecting seeds of every kind
some of the most celebrated varieties
# wheat, oats, barley, corn, &c, have