The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1874-12-25

the sturdy arms.
That night, in her dreams, she
saw the Rev. David Lonsdale as Her
cules and "Steve" winning race.
"Steve," " meanwhile, was arranging |
with his companion TO crack a bank
down on Providence.
H. y *
1t was Just as the sunset had gone
from the quiet waters. The Rev.
David Lonsdale was in the cabin OF
the dying Irishman, assuring him
that, for Mary's sake, the corn would
bring a good crop. Helen was walk
ing beside the lake, wondering what
David meant last night in comparing
her music with with Byron's verse,
when Hercules started up out of the
shadows.
II we're vain to tell how she met
him, and how he told her that III
there had been no woman on board
he would have taken the water of the
pale whipper-snapper and left him
in the dark. Nor shall it be for us
to say that the physical life of this
beautiful young woman gave victory
to her accomplishments, to her mem
ory of many beautiful literary I'M
ages, to impulse bred Of criticism,
and love begun in devotion.
That night carriage stood beside
the door Of the Summer hotel; and
it was driven away, there appeared
in it the shade Of Hercules and the
shade of Helen Lonsdale, She had
forsaken the real; had accepted the
false. When, the next evening, the
Rev. David Lonsdale returned from
the cottage of the woman who had
lust become the widow Of the poor
Irishmap, he saw his wife was not in
her nest. TAe classical Helen had
fed.
X X * II
A year is passed by. The scene is
transferred to New York city. Rev.
David Lonsdale, having resigned the
ministry, and with it all hope in hui
man nature, is walking calmly down
Fourteenth street. Suddenly there
peals out the alarm of fre-bell. -
More from curiosity than from inter
est. he hastens whittier those fiery
monsters, the engines, are golng;-
and, reaching great crowd before a
shabby tenement house, he pauses,
looking at the flames as they burst
from the windows.
The engines are snorting, the po-
lice are shouting, and the streams Of
water are kissing against the flames.
Here and there ladder is lifted
against the burning building; people
come staggering down the ladders
AS David Lonsdale looks up at the
highest story, he sees at a window
the form Of woman, clad in rags
and peering down upon the crowd IL
the street.
It takes but moment; he hat
clided up the ladder, standing on the
HIGHEST round, and lifted himself in
to the window. Grasping the WON
an by the waist, he lowers himself tt
the ladder, while the crowd hole
their breath; and, with one arm
about his fair burden, and the othel
holding the rungs Of the ladder, hi
goes down, reaching the street JUS
as the crowd bursts into cheers
There, under the street-lamp, HI
says;
"Helen, I thank God | have save'
yort;" and then she replied to him
s'David, he has beaten me every da,
Of my life since, and has given M
away to his companions. Forglv
me, but / choose him"
The flames were leaplng highe
from the lower stories, licking th
, sills Of the upper windows, whei
there appeared in the window, 1roI
, which Helen had escaped, the fac
: and form Of man Hercules. Ill
Y eyes had been opened from a drunl
/ en- sleep; his knuckles were yet re
0 with the blood which had come froI
his beating; his face had the pallo
l Of an abject coward.
J, David Lonsdale stood under tn
. gaslight, upholding Helen and II
9arding the coward in the windo
}, above. The flames began to rehe'
i on Hercules face. Still the ladder
were raised against the window
Q above. For q moment David Lon
n dale looked down on Helen's fat
4 lovingly, yet loathingly, and then l
9 brokd away and assembled the ladde
d The flames burst against him, yet
it escaped them. He reached the tol
y most round Of the ladder, and +
d ouested Hercules to come down. !
IS last the athlete let himself over u
s. edge and David Lonsdale caught hi
n in his left arm. For moment II
j. crowd murmured, as If the slim ge
d aeman could not sustain the weig
/ Of the heavy man; but the crowd sal
e and Helen saw, that David bore u
1t limp body Of Hercules safely dow
the ladder. II was no easy matte
g. David's weight was not more th'
" lao pounds; the athletes was 200
e But he landed his burden safely
a the bottom. Taking Hercules
ly his shoulder, he carried him over :
meath the lamp-post, and stood 81
ID at the feet Of Helen. She look
ii more in fear than in admiration
him; and when he asked her whe
he should go, she answered never
word, but clung TO Dayid's arm.
y - David LonsdaIe led her along t
II ~ darkened streets into Broadway, al
a. a. into the doorway Of his mothe
70 y, house on Twenty-ffth street, H'
II y, cules following in the rear. The.
~ y ringing the bell, David Lonsdale o
- dressed Helen:
'fYou 60 in here singly."
She replied: "Singly-unless VI
=, you"
o. Then he gave her hand to the %
'e- OF the house, and leaving her alc