The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1873-12-16

of becoming a wealthy widow slip by unim-
proved. f
But alas for human naturei If Becky
was really so Indifferent to Fred Eckerson,
why did she run up stairs after that inter-
view, and take the starch all out Of her
nice, clean pillow-shams by crying herself
into Mysteries on the bed? 1t was not all
wrath, not all vexation, not all pique.
There was somewhere deep down in Becky
Newton's heart, feeling very much akin
to remorse. She was not sure that she
would not one day be sorry for what she
had done. She had no doubt she could
be very happy as Fred Eckerson's wife,
after all. .fr.-
But then," she cried growing hot with
the recollection, "he was so rude and so
insulting could never live with such
man--nover % sf ,r..
When Fred Eckerson had walked off
some of his feelings on the piazza, he con-
cluded to take look at the river. The
Mississippi, which flowed within 500 yards
of the house, was at that time nearly at
the height of its regular "spring rise."
Its turbid waters rushing swiftly toward
the sea, had nearly filled the banks, and
in many places had broken through the
levees and flooded the low lands for many
miles. A creyasse of this description had
been made in the farther bank, nearly OPP
posite the house, and the windows of the
Newton mansion commanded view of a
vast and glittering inland sea, not laid
down on the map The current of the
stream bore upon the coffee-colored bosom
an enormous mass of floating timber, which
was dashed along in the boiling flood, rem
dering navigation wholly impossible. The
waters were still rising, and the frequent
crashes far and near told of the undermin-
sandy banks succumbed and disappeared,
carrying with them the trees which over
hung the stream.
| Now it happened that by curious CO.
incident, Miss Newton also resolved to look
at the river. She dried her tears, and put
ting on her hat, slipped out by the back
door to avoid Fred, and soon found herself
at the foot of huge cottonwood tree ON
the bank below the house. Throwing her
self upon the grass, and lulled by the rapid
flood beneath she soon fell asleep. Had
she possessed any power of foreseeing the
future, it would have been the last thing
she would have done; for, although it was
very pleasant dropping sleep there in the
shade, with the soft sunlight hltering
through the leaves overhead, the awaken
ing was not at all TO her mind. A terrible
crash made chaos to her dreams the tall
cottonwood toppled and fell and Miss
Becky Newton found herself immersed in
the cold flood, with her mouth full of
muddy water. In a moment more some
body's arms was around her and she felt
herself lifted up and placed in the sunshine,
though precisely where, she was as yet too
bewildered to know. Getting her eyes
open at last, she found Fred EckeIsons
whiskers nearly touching her face.
"Wellr'
"Well p
"Where am ?' asked Becky, shiver-
ing ana looking around her.
" You are in the middle Of the Mississip-
pi, replied Fred, "and you are in the fork
of cottonwood tree, and you are voyaging
towar DIS the Gulf of Mexico just as fast as
the freshet can carry you."
How came you here?'
In the same conveyance with yourself
Miss Becky. In fact, you and and the
tree all came together, to say nothing of a
portion of your fathers plantation, which
fear is lost to him forever"
Becky was silent. She was thinking,
not of the accident or their perilous posi-
tion, but Of her appearance when she was
lying asleep on the grass.
Chow long were you there before this
happened 9'' she asked.
"As long as you were. was up in the
tree when you came p
"You had no right to be up there, she
said, coloring, "a spy upon my move
ments."
Nonsense - he replied, "You intrud-
ed on my privacy, and while you slept
watched over ycu like the sweet little
cherub that sits up aloft"
"Thank you for the service, I'm sure, "
she said, bridling.
"You snored awfully."
"Mr. Eckerson, remove your arm from
my waist"
"Then put yours around my neck.'
" Indeed, shall do no such thing"
"You win fall into the river il you do
not"