The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1872-06-28
FRIDAY, JUNE %, 1872.
COL. DEM. VOL. XXXVI-. NO. 10.

just then a harsh diScordant S0und
struck upon their o1rs, causing them to
start uneasily.
'"What was it? asked the girl with a
slight tremor in her voice. WAS that a
laugh OF groan?'
"Nothing but a rusty aXle,' he re-
piled, kissing her assurcdly. But as he
strodo hOmoward across tho fold his
face was serious, and ho did not whistle
as usual.
"As for the girl, she clanbered down
tho stoop path, met the miller ut the
door, kissed him az was her wont, aud
so to bed. But she rested uneasily, and
thcro was burning pain in her right
check. 1t was where his lip had touch.
cd her, but she never thought Of that.
"And the miller slept not at all, but
paced up and down his ROOM and at
last opened the door and went out into
tho night. There stood the wheel, black
and silent, like sullen enomy waiting
for him. For long time he stood gaz-
ingat it, bound by strange fascination.
II seemed as If the evil in his heart
were attracted by some kindred spirit
in the wheel, dragging down his whole
nature with q power at once irresisti-
bic and detestable. Finally he tore him
self away, and regained his room but
the wrinkles had deepened on his face,
and his eyes were hollow and blood
shot. lie was something quite different
already from the miller of that morn
ing before.
1.-THE next day, the miller and his son
sat on the bench in the sun, close to
whero the great wheel revolved, and
the white foam rushed down the tail
race. But the SUN did not reach their
hearts. A heavy cloud ovcrshadowcd |
them.
"Never! = said the old man, with an
oath. pa rather see your body broken
on that wheel, and yonder white foam
tinged with your blood, than know
you were her husband = AS he spoke |
the wheel broke forth once more into a
discordant scream, as Of devilish merri- |
ment 1t had grown rusty again. The
young man rose, with a frown on his !
brow and lips set
$50 be itn he said. But she is mine |
in this world and the next. And what |
she has given you will, by your misuse
of it, become tho very means of your |
destructionn So saying he turned and |
climbed the steep path, and disappear.
ed across the plank bridge. The old man
gazed after him in silence. What she |
has given you ! he repeated. Does he |
mean the talismanic necklace, or the |
filial love, of which, perhaps, it is but
the symbolic Then he laughed scOrn-
fully. Il talk like af ool, said he, 'believ-
ing the fantastic tales whereby ba file |
the idle curiosity!'
''The young girl, who, standing
trembling within, had heard the words
that had passed., fled to her room, lock-
ed the door and flung herself weeping
on the bed. Yet her tears We're not so
bitter as the dry eyes of the old man.
"Theroafter the miller's household
was as gloomy as it heretofore had been
cheerful. The son came no more to the
mill, and tho girl moved about silent
and pale-faced. But one day the miller,
who watched her closely, saw an I'M
wOnted flush on her checks, and she
seemed pre.occupied and distracted.
The same afternoon, as he was standing
by the wheel, he looked upward toward
the fall, and saw her standing on the
plank bridge and waving her handker-
chief as If to one at a distance. And
from her handkerchief, as she waved it,
he saw fall q small fold of white paper.
1t dropped into the stream, hurried
down to the wheel, which caught 1t and
whirled it round as if in triumph, and |
cast il in the foam at his feet. lie pick |
ed it up and unlolded it. 1t was note
from his son to the girl, bidding her
wait for him that night by the mill
wheel and that he would take her where
they would be married and happy. AS
he read, an evil smile broke out upon
his face. When he had finished ii he
went slowly into the house, and sat
down at his table and rested his head
on his hands and thought. At last an
idea seemed to strike him. He got up
and began TO m0veabout the house, look
ing behind the doors, in out and of the
house corners, and on high shelves; he
was searching for something evidently.
After awhile he found what he sought
nothing but rusty old handsaw. He
;,ta 10 oh hon,tar nnh al,
ed and oiled it.
"None of the three slept that night.
The mill was not stopped of as usual at |
sundown the miller remarking he had |
an extra job on hand, announced his |
intention of keeping it running till |
morning. Shortly after dark he went |
out quietly by himself, empty handed,
to all appearances; but he carried some- |
thing buttoned up underneath his coat.
The girl took the opportunity to collect
together whatever belonged to her and
pack it into small bundle; then she
sat down by the window and waited.
Once, through the din of the mill.wheel,
she thought she heard grating sound,
faint but sharp, coming apparently from
the direction of the plank bridge over
the fall but it soon ceased and was for
gotten. Not long after the miller return
ed, pale and haggard, and crept silently
into his room. A great tremor had
taken possession of him ; he shuddered
perpotually from head to foot, and his
very teeth chattored. lie tried to lie
down and rest, but could not he paced
the room unoasily, occasionally paus.
ing to listen intently. Once he had his
hand upon the door, as If about to rush
forth and-but ere he could throw it
open fearful soand as of screaming
laughter echoed through tho house
Pooh! 1t was only that rusty wheel
again, sounding the louder because of
tho stiffness OF the night.
"a long time passed. The girl opcn-
od tho door of her room gently, and