Ellsworth American., 1873-06-26

Anen We began 70 1all again. Then
we bumped down hard. After that
we stopped falling. l lay still. MY
heels were doubled up over my head.
l thought my neck would break. But
l never dared to stir. l thought that
l was dead.
By and by l wondered if Jill were
not dead too. So l undoubled my
neck little, and found some air. 1t
seemed to be just as uncomfortable to
double up your neck, and to breathe
without air, when you were dead, as it
was when yOn weren't.
SO called out, softly, "Jill!" No
answer. Jill" Not q sound. 10
JILL"
But he did not speak. So then l
knew Jill must be dead, at any rate.
l couldn't help wondering why he was
so much deader than that he couldn't
answer fellow. Pretty soon l heard
a rustling noise around my feet. Then
a weak, sick kind of noise,-just the
noise l always had supposed ghosts
would make if they talked.
| "Jack?"
"Is that you, JillY
"I-suppose-so. Is it you, Jack p
"Yes. Are YOU dead?"
81 don't know. Are you!"
81 guess must be if you are. How
awfuliy dark it isi'
"Awfully dark! 1t must have been
the comet!"
Yes. Did you get much hurts'
Mot much. say-Jack!"
What"
IF it is the judgment day" Jill
broke up. $50 did l. We lay as still
as we could. II it were the judg ment
day
thought Of SO many things. l re-
memoered all the lies ever told. |
couldn't help thinking how | hadn't
said my prayers since mother had the
typhoid fever. don't believe | ever
cheated at a game Of marbles in my
life, that didn't think about it then.
And the queerest thing was about a
baldwin apple l took from a fellow
once,-he was little chap-and lame !;
had crooked legs; poor, too. He left
1t in his satchel,-I couldn't seem to
get over that Baldwin apple, TO think
| took it.
"Jill !" said I.
so dear me !" sobbed Jill.
We We're both crying by that time.
don't feel ashamed TO own up, as far
as I'm concerned.
''If I'd known" said |, that the
day of judgment was coming on the
18th of August, l wouldn't have been
so mean about that jack-knife Of yours
with the knotch in it ~
And l wouldn't have eaten up your
got mad at you," said Jill. ""'" 4
Nor we wouldn't have cheated
mother about smoking vacations" said
I'D never have played with the
Baily boys out behind the barn l'' said
Jill.
IL wonder where the comet went
to- said /.
"'W neither we shall be plunged
quoted Jill, in horrible whisper, fIom
that dreadful newspaper" shall be
plunged into wild vortex Of angry
space-or sutfocated with noxious
gases, or scorched to helpless crisp,
or blasted"
"W hen do you suppose they'll come
after u.s." interrupted Jill.
That very minute somebody came.
We heard step, and then another.
Then heavy bang. Jill howled out
little. l didn't for | was thinking
how the cellar door banged like that.
linen came q yoice,-an awful,
hoarse, and trembling voice, as ever
you'd want TO hear, George Zacha-
rias !"
Then knew it must be the Judgment
day, and that the angel had me up in
court to answer him. For you couldn't
expect an angel to call you Jack when
you were dead.
''George Zacharius T. said the awful
voice again. didn't know what else
to do. was so frightened, SO l just
hollered out, "Herep' as do at
school.
Timothy" came the voice once
more.
Now Jill had a bright idea. Up he
shouted, "Absent % at the top of his
lungs.
George! Jack! Jill! Where are
you: Are you killed? o, wait min
ute, and I'll bring light"
This didn't sound so much like judg-
ment day as it did like Aunt John. l
hogan to feel better. So did Jill. 1
sat up. So did he. 1t wasn't u min
ute before the light came into sight,
and something that looked like the
cellar stairs, and Aunt Johns spotted
wrapper, and Miss Togy in a night
gown, away behind, as white as a
ghost. Aunt John held the light
above her head, and looked down. She
had her hand above her eyes to shield
them. don't believe l shall ever see
an angel that will make me feel any
better to look at than Aunt John did
that night.
20 you blessed boys!" said Aunt
John.-she was laughing and crying
together. ITO think that you should
have fallen through the old chimney to
the cellar floor, and be sitting there
alive in such funny heap as that!"
That was just what we had done.
The old flooring, not very secure, had
given way in the storm! and we'd gone
down through two stories, where the
chimney ought to have been, jam in
to the cellar on the coal heap, and all
a. good as ever, except the bedstead
And if 1t hadn't been true, upon my
word and honor, wouldn't have told
it, Elizdbeth Stuart Phelps in Our
Young Folks for Aprl.
POSTAL CARDs.-These little missiyes
cost the government el.3 sc per thousand.