The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1874-01-08

NO one WAS near 10 nelp me. L Cdlleu
out with all my strength for help, and
struck out with my hands and feet as !
had seen swimmers do /; but it was all
of no avail 1 sank again.
Oh the horrid, horrible noises with
in my head They were growing loud
er and louder. 1 cursed my foolish fan
cies, that had prevented me learning to
swim when was boy. And why were
not the men doing something for me u?
They had but to throw out board or
rope and I would be saved. They must
have seen and heard me fall. Will they
be ready now? o God have mercy
and send me help
There is a man with rope All 1t
fell short The fool why is he so
slow? Help help He, o God :!
the word is finished under the water,
and have choked myself with what I
swallowed. This terrible, terrible roar
ing noise My head will split asunder
L have one more chance. If but hand
was near me if but some one would
save me l cannot die l. / cannot die
L am not ready it cannot be There
IS light again. Father in heaven, help,
oh help mel
There comes a boat Hurry, oh
hurry How slow they come ! o hea-
ven one minute more, but one short
minute Help i! help Oh the clum-
sy fool He has lost his oar, and am
left to drown!
won't go down I will not die
Oh, this cursed, yielding water! These
garments of lead ! I won't go down
Ha am rising! No, cannot feel
myself move. But the internal roar il
my head has increased and maddens
me. There are ten thousand shreking
devils within my ears. They yell like
tortured souls in hell Louder it grows
Louder ! Louder !!
Why, what is this Music Yes,
sweetest, dreamicst music comes steal
ing upon my senses and drives away
the hordes of Satan. 'Tis sweeter, this,
than life. Am / in heaven? No water
covers me no dread or fear rests upon
my spirit ; am content my soul is
full OF peace and rest. This must be
heaven, but / am all alone.
[ must have foated in the invisible
ether, for here 1 see another world.
There are hills and mountains, trees
and flowers, and there are men and
women walking to and fro. How like
L
is the self same place seem to re-
member that little boy who runs about
the street. ALI, I thought so He is
myself. Follow him! Sec him pinch
the lame boy, push over the little girl
dier Yes, did all that They We're
funny then, but they seem fearfully
cruel now. VS. / had never been SO
bad.
Follow him still. He drinks and
swears and CANDLES. Follow him
stop him ! Oh, if 1 had never done
these things But he goes on to worse
yet, His life is all bad. 1t was my
life, my own evil life. If but had it
to live again
But his heart is not all bad. See him
kneel beside that maiden and swear to
live better life Love has touched
his heart, and love is but another name
for God. He strives hard to conquer
himself; he is succeeding slowly. There
he sits beside the woman he loves. Yes,
it is Laura and myself My face is
trustful and happy, but Laura's is
somewhat suspicious. I hear our
words, and I am living over again my
last night with her. There, letter
drops on the floor, but do not think it
is mine, and turn to go with "good
nigh" on my lips. Before I close the
door [ turn around, and there is Bit
ter, scornful smile upon her face.
What could that letter have been? 1t
was not mine. Hold 1t must have
been the one l lost and had forgotten
until now. 1 saw it fall, but thought it
dropped from Laura's hand l ought
to have remembered it before. 1t was
from my old friend Jessie King, and l
thought 1 had put it on my table.
That must have been the letter Laura
found yes, and it accounts for her sub
sequent behavior. The letter was but
a line: "Dear Frank, L will wait for
you at H, Saturday." Laura must
have supposed Jessie was lover, while
she is really married to my Cousin
Saturday ?" When will Saturday
come, [ wonder? She will not find me
there. And Laura? She will learn,
some day, that Jessie was butmy friend.
How remorseful she will bel And
mother, poor old mother what will she
10 when they tell her am never coming
to her again?
7 All life, life, you were pleasant and
bright, but if this is death, give me
what L have. I hear the heavenly
music once more, and my spirit turns to
it. How sweet; how enchantingly
sweet 'Tis full of rest and perfect
peace. A delicious languor creeps up
on my soul, enyelops me, wooes me to
sleep.
Oh, horrors What was that? There
it is again. Can be in hell Millions
of devils are torturing me. They are
creeping into my lungs, my heart, my
brain Now they pierce my every
nerve o God have pity. They come
in myriads They pour hot lead in my
veins, they dance upon me, and their
feet are full of hot irons that pierce me
through and through. Have pity,
Lord, have pity Oh they grow more
cruel Let me out of this Away
from me! By Heaven, will meet the
very prince of devils hand to hand
will not be here, bound and tortured.
Unhand me
made a glorious fight. II opened
my eyes.
was not in hell, though the torments
were real. | was lying on the bank OF
the river, and men were rubbing me,
forcing air into my lungs, and doing all
they could do to call me back to life.
One of them saw my eyelids open.
Hurrah ! he's all right" he shouted
and in short time l was at home with
loving friends ministering to me.
Mother p / cried.