Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1872-10-19

Piayeo MS Sl1DpI cHliuitH pIayeu
Please make me Eood J.
And all the l. te for May left hel
heart, ard her low for Ned her yearn
ing, aching love io, him-so-tened into
sort of tender memory loon, with
her white, wcll-dcgeloped. milk maids
arms under her Lad, She siept upon
the mossy roof, under the canopy of the
stars.
AT last she began to dire m. They
were going to chur5h-May and Ned
and she heard the wedding bells but
going in at the door she saw, instead OF
gaily dressed guess, mourners all in
black and coffin taiore the altar, and
gave scream Al wakened. Bells
were ringing, but ,ct wedding bells
the bells that tolled If there were any
need of the men o the place-if fire
broke out, or robbers were heard, or
there were any riotlng in the town.
What could it mean? Norah listened.
A strange, surging sound fell upon her
ears. Lights cleaned in all the houses.
The truth flashed upon her. Years be-
fore, her old grandmother had told her
how the old sea wall had been washed
away, and tide had risen and swept
in upon them on that wild coast, carry.
ing with it, as it went out, kline and
tiocks and little dwellings, and even
land itself; and how there was mourn
ing throughout the land for those it
had done to death h-men, women and
chlldren-sO that many household
long remembered it with Woe This
had happened again. The sea wall was
down-the floods were sweeping in.
The bells were ringing as they had
rung before in the ears of those who
now lay in their grave ringing to tell
the same tale to those who were then
unborn.
The house in which Norah dwelt was
old, and near the sea--iar from all hu.
man aid too; and its occupants were
two very old people and TWO girls. The
only one who could have aided them
was lar away, and the waters were ris-
ing even now above the windows of the
lower rooms. She could see the star.
light reflected in it in CLEANS and
sparkles, and she knew that the old
people must be drowned in their beds
If she did not waken them. She went
down into the room where they slept,
and cried out. as she shook them, "The
tide has risen again! The tide has risen
again! Hear the bells ~
Then she led them, trembling and
in their helples. old age, to
the roof, and found May already
there. She was crying also,
and she turned to Norah and clutched
her arm.
Will the water rise so far ?' she
asked. "Shall | be drowned-I who
was to be married tomorrow Oh, it
can't be, Norah |"
"Others will go with you," said No
rah. There are four of Us"
Z" But no other besides me would have
been SO happy and SO proud to,mor-
row." May moaned. rhe old people
shook and prayed, and cried softly.
Norah, calm and silent, kept watch.
The lights floating about toll that boats
were out. Help must cone yet, but
the water was creeping W. 1t filled
the house. 1t Tapped the very caves.
Still it rose higher and higher. Those
upon the roof climbed to the very apex
Of its slope, and clung there, but the
water reached their feet, and May was
quite mad with error, when light glim-
mered close before them, and a voice
cried:
"Good folks, there's room for some
here. How many of you are there p
Four,' said Norah.
We've room for three said the
voice. " Is it Wilton's folk =?
YES"
Then stout fellow strobe over the
roof and carried away the old woman,
and then the old man, and came back.
Well return for the other as soon
Is we cam" SAID he; "keepup courage"
and seized Norahs arm In with
you!' he cried. There's litth time to
spare |"
And May gave scream, aud cried,
g Don't leave me! don't leave me p
Then Norah, in whose heart jealousy
mad lighted its fires but an hour before,
ielt that the angels had quenched it
With the waters of love. She wrenched
ler strong, white arm from the man
who held it,
Leave me, and take her." she said.
Pm not afraid. III wait. And she is
% be Ned Wilton's wife tomorrow.
Save her for his sake"
She commanded; she did not i'm.
olore. The man who listened hardly
thought of her sacrifice. He obeyed.
May was in the boat.
Keep courage until we come back"
he shouted, and rowed away.
Noral clung to the chimney side and
kept her feet firm on the roof; but
they were ankle-deep now. The water
was rising still. She knew that there
was little hope, but she was very happy.
"Oh, dear, dear Ned |" she said,
Syou'n have your love tomorrow.
What's plain Norah to any one :?
Who'll miss her but poor old woman
who'll follow her soon? But she, May,
is ha'f your life, Ned. Oh, God be
thanked that can give myself for May.
for your sake p
And in the starlight her face shone,
calm and sweet and happy, as the water
rose toward it. At last her feet lost
their hold, and her strength was gone.
She was lifted and whirled away !; the
long, brown hair, unloosened, swept far
behind her; the marble face cleaned
othrugh rings of water that the star
light made halo of. A voice sobbing
through it said: "Ned Ned! darling
Ned, goodbye |" and there was nothing
to be seen Tut the flood still rising, and
the ksy spread out above it.
On the morrow, Norah Abbot's body
was found lying close to the church
whence by that time the water had re-
treated. And Ned and May, among
others, came to see. The story of hel