The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1872-10-11

- Please make me good T.
And all the hate for May left ler
heart, ar d her love for Ned-her yearn
ing, aching love Tor him-softened into
a sort Of lender memory. SooD, with
Fer ah.t',5,, ll-developed, milk maids
: rms ,.nhrfs i.el. head. she slrpi up :
tie ms root, Under the c..no,y oi 81 :,
stars.
A. last she began to dream. They
were going 10 church-May .,l Md,
ard she hard the wei:iins bells. bp.
going IN at tie door she s, q ;nstssd Of
gailv dresseu guests, r .o,,r,ers al, in
black and coffin befc 40 tha sitar ar,i
gave a scream an wske,ad Re,ls
were ringing, but NOT w.dd;nc bo,Is.S
the bells that tc led if there we,e yry
he'I heei VI ,'e aen of the place-if fire
,h Jaone ou'' or robbers were heard, or
tHere M WEI any riotinc in the town.
" |. n"t rid 1t mean? Norah listened.
s''' .nge, SURFING sound fell upon her
ga gt' Lights cleaned in all the houses.
Je 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
fiocks and little dwellings, and even
land itself; and how there was mourn
ing throughout the land for those it
had done 10 deatE-men, women and
ch!ldren-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 We're ringing as they had
rung before in the ears of those who
now lay N their graves-ringing to tell
the same tale to those who were then
unborn.
The house in which Norah dwelt was
old, and near the sea-far from all hu-
man aid too; and its occupants were
two very old people and two girls. The
only one VINO could have aided them
was far away, and the waters were ris-
ing even now above the windows of the
lower rooms. She could see the star.
light reiiected--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 T.
Then she led them, trembling and
weeping in their helpless old age, to
the roof, and found May already
crtuchei there. She was crying also,
and she turned to Norah and clutched
her arm. -
Viii the water rise so far?'' size
asked. " shall ] be drowIed-I who
WAS to be married tomorrow Oh. II
can't be, Norahl'
"0tbcrs will 60 with you," said No
ral. There are four o. u.s.
!. But no other besides me would have
been 10 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 told that boats
were out. Help must conc yet, but
the water was creeping up. 1T filled
the house. /. Tapped the very caves.
Still it rose higher and higher. These
upon the roof climbed to the very apex
OF its slope, and clung there, but the
water reached their fest, and May was
quite mad with error, when light elIm-
niered close before them, and voice
cried:
Good folks, there's room for some
here. How many Of yon are there?'
-Four" said Norah.
We've room TOR three" said the
voice. "Is it WiIton's folk p
"Yes.' tff'-,
Then stout fellow strobe over the
roof and carried away the old woman,
and then the old mans and came back.
"Wo'll return for The other as soon
as we cap," SAID he; "keep up courage;
and seized Norah's arm. In with
you'll" he cried. There's little time to
sparer'
And May gave a scream, and cried.
+" Don't leave me! don't leave me |"
Then Norab, in whose heart Jealousy
had lighted its fires but an hour before,
felt that the angels had quenched il
with the waters OF loye. She wrenche d
her strong, white arm from the mar
who held it. n ,
Leave me, and take her." she said
"I'm not afraid. I'll wait. And she il
to be Ned Wilton's wife tomorrow
! Save her for his sake" f.. 49,
Sne commanded she did not I'M
| ploro. The man who listened hardi.
thought of her sacrifice. He obeyed
Nav was in the boat.
keep courage until we come back,
he shouted, and rcved away.
Noral chung to the chimney side an'
kept her feet firm on the roof; bu
they were ankle-deep now. TIE waite
WIS rising still. She knew that ther
was little hope, but she was very happy
"Oh, dear, dear Nedr' she said
"you'll have your love tomorrow
WHATS plain Norah to any one
Who'll miss her but poor old womal
who'll follow her soon? But she, May
is ha your life, Ned. Oh, God b
thanked that can give myself for May
for Jour sake!'
And in the starlight her face shone
! calm and sweet and happy, as the waite
, roe toward it. At la.t her feet los
their hold, and her strength was gon'
!. She was lifted and whirled away tn
! long. brown hair, unloosened, swept 10
behind her; the marble face gleame
, otbrugh rings of water that the sta
Jiebt made halo Of. A voice soboin
through it said: "Ned! Ned! darlin
q Ned, goodbye r. and there was noth'n
IN be seen ut the flood still rising, an
' the ksy spread out above it.
: On the morrow, Norah Abbots DOC
n was found lying close to the churc
4 whence by that time the water had
!, treated. And Ned and May, amor
others. came to see. The story OF b
!. sacrifice had thrilled his heart.
7 looked down at her face, on which q
4 beauty Of her beautiful love and unse
:. ishness had rested in her dying n