Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-03-17

! nm hau nc not Decn under the lnnucncc
OF liquor. But the blow had been given,
AMI nothing could avert n hostile meet.
ing. unless accorded him an ample and
abjcct apologize do which would have
required far more courage than 10 fight.
for should have been stigmalized rs
coward, and completely ostraciscd by my
brother officers.
1t was the rainy season, and tolerably
cool, so when had finished putting my
house in ORDER as Ilawson had advised
set out for long walk, thinking that cx-
ercisc would steady my nerves, which
were somewhat unstrung by the effects
of tho potations OF the previous night.
As srrolled lcisurely along my way.
pondercd upon my past life. thought
of how. barely for years before, had set
ont from home full of zeal and ambition,
tho hope of winning name and lamc in
the profession had chosen, earnest in
my heart and now. even before had
| flashed my maiden sword, before | was
even tairly launchc on my career, | had
placed myself in such 4 position that it
was more than probable that my hopes.
my zeal, my ambition and my life would
( be cut doVn like a flower, | cursed The
enemy man puts into his mouth To steal
away hI- brains; thought uf the happy
/ home in 'Falhcrland' that would Inc mado
50 dosolatc by my death; 4 thought of
, the dear loved ones who would mourn
me there, and my heart was filled With
bitter anguish misery that WAS not lie.
creased whom reflected that. even ii |
was spared and my adversary fell, it
would be my hand that would plunge his
widow deep into = sea OF grief, and leave
/ iatherlcss his innocent child.
was aroused from this bitter train of
thoughts by tho hollow thud OF rapidly
advancing hoois, and, on looking up, |
/ say a lady, whose face was totally un-
! familiar TO me, vainly endeavoring to re-
strain n mGttlesome horse sho was riding.
The first glance told me she was Il skill
| iu equestrian. the second that she was
unacquainted with the locality, for she
seemed evidently bent on taking the fire
out of her stecd by urging him forward;
and TO go forward knew iull well meant
to rush headlong to dcstrc.ion, for right
in thai direction lay, half concealed by
bushes, a deep nullah or water course,
| down which, u torrenl, swollen by the
reccn; rains, rolled in rushing c;.taracls
over the rock >trcwn bed.
"T2m. madam; turn for your life.
there is danger ahead" | cried, ~ |
rushed toward the point for which she
was heading.
The lady turned her face, and SAW it
was as fair rs an angels; her symmetric
nj figure showed to full advantage, IN she
used her utmost efforts tn curb in her
/ horse, and her hair. which hal escaped
! from thc ribbons that hld bound il, float
ed. wave OF gold. far in her wake. |
was near enough to see the bloom Of cx.
citemeni fade from her cheeks when she
/ heard my warning-near enough to see
that tho barb was now bGyond her con.
/ troll, and thit catastrophe WAS inevta
! bic.
4 swift runner, | started forward at
! full speed and gained the brink OF the
nullah just in time TO see the hoIse and
his rider disappear from view in the boil
| ing flood that Surgod al my feet. For u
lcw seconds | stood paralyzed; then |
saw the animal struggle To the surface,
| and knew that his rider had freed herself.
There was little chance of saving her.
knew. it would be almost madness; to at,
( tempt ii; but it flashed across my mind
that il would bo better to end life in a bold
attempt to rcscue fellow creature, than
To meet death ut the hand Of my friend
Of yesterday. dolfed my boots, my hat
and coat, and plunged into the secthng
food. The circling eddics bore me
downward and onward, but | was 4
strong swimmer. and struck out brave.
/ " until | gained the SUI iace-gained il
Just in time to grasp the irailing riding
habit of the lady cssayed to save. |
twned one arm around her dainty waist.
dropping fleece OF locks, upon my shoul-
der, while the rushing, fOamin2 torrent
bore us along over rocks hat bruised our
flesh, through deep, whirling pools, that
strovc to suck Us under, and down steep
cascades, where the water broke with
Kissing roar, though they mcrrily gleam-
ed and flashed in the crimson glow OF
the setting sun. Bruised and battered
by the cruel locks, the lite breath almost
stiled in my throat, and my strength
rapidly giving away, yet clung tightly
to the pretty stranger then unconscious
in my arms, fully resolved that grim
death himself should not part us, and
when we issued from the flying foam AT
its FOOT leebly float was all that could
do My brain was all in whirl, all
power to resist was fast leaving me,
when the current bore us under the bank
at place where the bushes reached al.
most to The waters edge. | grasped a
root, but the swift stream tore me from
my hold, and | gave up hope.
An instant afterward, however, found
myself caught in the branches of tree