Middletown transcript., 1871-05-27

plunge MS WIDOW deep into q sea OF GRIEF,
and leave fathcrless his innocent child.
was aroused from this bitter train Of
thought by the hollow thud Of rapidly ad-
vancing haors, and, on looking up, saw
a lady, whose face was totally unfamiliar
TO the, vainly endeavoring to restrain n
,net,lcsomc horse she vas riding The
first glance told mo she was skillful
equestrian, the second tina, she was unac-
quaintcd with the locality, for she seemed
evidently bent upon taking the fire out Of
her steed by urging him forward; and to
60 forward | knew fall we'll meant to rush
headlong to destruction. for right in that
direction lay. halfconccalcd BY bushes, a
deep nullah, or water course. down which
a torrent, swollen by the recent rain, roll
cd in rushing catarac,s over the rock
strewn bed
Turn, madam; turn for your lifo
there is danger ahead !" cried qs | rush
ed toward the point for which she waa
heading.
The lady turned her face, and | saw ii
was fair as an angels; her symmetrical
figure showed to full advantages rs she
used her u,mos, efforts TO curb her horse.
and her hair, which had escaped from the
ribbons tha, bound it, noated wave of
gold far in her wake. | was near enough
to sec the bloom of excitement fade from
her checks yhcp she heard my warning
near enough to see that the barb was now
beyond her control, ard that a catastrophe
was inevitable
A swift runner, ! started forward a,
full speed, and gained the brink of the
nullah Just in time to sec the horse aud
its rider disappear from view in the bGil-
ing food tha, surged at my feet For a
few seconds stood paralyzed; then saw
the animal struggle TO the surface, and |
knew that lis rider had freed herself -
There was little hope Of saving her, |
knew it would be madness to attempt it ;
| but it flashed across my mind that ii would
be better 10 end life IN a bold ollor, to res
cue fcllow creature, than to meet death
at the hand of my friend Of yesterday ---
I done. my boots, Ing hat and coat, and
plunged into the see,u,ps ,inod. Tho cir
cling cddies bore Inc downward ana 9n-
ward. but was strong swimmer, aud
struck out brayely until gaiiei the sur
farc-grinrl it u,t IN iiWs ~ grasp the
trailing habit oi tn laly ! cssayed to -avc
/ | twinld one arm around her dainty waist, t,
and threw her beau, gus head Hi,h its
dropping fleece u l5e& upan my shoulder.
whla the rushing. .ssuius to.renL bore
Us along over rocks tAa. bruised aud tore
our ac.h, through deep, @Aishae pools,
TIN. struyc to stick Us naier, anI down
,ttep cascades, where tie waters broke
with kissing roar, though they mcrrilg
CLEANED aud flushed IL tie crimson glow
Of the setting sun Bruised aud battered
by the collision with the cruel rocks, the
iie.breatl well nigh siied in my throat,
and ny sueng,h rapidly giving way, yet
eIuDg tightly to the pretty stranger then
unconscious IN my arms, fully resolved
that grim Death himself should not ptrt
rs Over another waterfall tue iast-how
ing food carried ns, aud when we issued
from the firing foam II, lis foot, to icebly
float was all that could do. My brain
was all in a whitl. all power to resist was
fast leaving me, whom the current bore Us
under the bank Il, a place where bushe,
reached almost 10 the Waters edge.
ernspcd root, hn, the swift stream tore
me from my hold and ! gave up hope
An instant afterwards, however, found
myself caught in the bushes Of a tree thai
had fallen partly across the nullat. aud L
it | cluug with the mad desperation thai
loyc Of life alone can nstill in the heart .
mai sill held the lady, claspel hei
close to me though ! feared she nevel
more would breathe again was not on
to relinqnish the prize hal 50 strenuous
Is ba,iltd for, 50 using what little powet
| still possessed pushed her up, and lai,
her on n well-forked branch ere strug
elcd on the tree myself.
At this point the nGiiah's bank Wa
low, aud only tall trees dotted the plail
beyond lis brink As Strengthened my
, self, saw. to my exceeding joy, thrc
horsemcn coming swiftly across the patcua
hallooed loudly. attracted their ai,cn
,ion. and they rode swiftly down whei
they recognized the pcrilons prodicamen
was in My head was dizzy, and wa
we'll nigh overcome with exhaustion, bu
| managed 10 r.ian my hold until ! felt
pair Of strong arms clutch me and bea
Inc ashore Then | sunk into dee
swoon.
, When M senses returned, discovers
! that ] was lying upon a couch in my owl
! quarters, aud by my side was standing
Lieutenant llowson. Two other gentle
, men we're seated near the vcrandah, wit
Q their backs toward me.
"Who was she, Ned? is she dead 2
asked, when remembered what had oc
I CURED.
I Ere my friend could reply, the two gen
tlemcn whom had noticed rose from thei
c seats and came quickly toward where
= was lying One grasped my hand.
1 glanced upward and saw the Colleeto
y bending over me.
l 1t was my wife, my brave fellow, and ]
Q few days | hope she will be suflicieu,l
!. recovered to thank you personally for ha,
e ing so gallantly rescued her from terribl
s death. She only arrived yesterday morr