Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-09-02

Every avallaDle niulng-pIace n2a Oeen
made use Of but two; one was an old well,
long unused, and partly filled up and dry,
as we supposed; the other, an old water
ing-trough, large enough, / thought at
first, to permit us all TO crawl under, but
on trial found it barely roomy enough
for two.
Honore was timid child, and as it was
growing dusky she was afraid to hide
| anywhere alone; this angered me, for l,
boy-fashion, preferred my cousin Eu-
genia's company to Honore's that even
ing. Eugenia was not afraid, and pro-
fessed herself willing to hide either place,
alone or with Honore.
lone two - three fourr' counted
Wallace; I" I'm coming soon. Why don't
you hider'
was impatient
Well, come along, babyr' l said. :" /
can't put myself in the old well, but can
put you girls in and then run and
crawl under the trough, / s'pose. Come
quickr'
Eugenia and l caught Honore's hands
and rushed away with her to the well.
The old windlass was still there, and a
rope with which had coaxed Laz. to let
me down into the well only few weeks
before; there was moose to put one foot
in, and slipping Honore's foot into this
and telling her to hang tight 10 the rope
had her suspended over the well in just
such short time as il takes children to
make up their minds to do and TO act, es-
pecially in the excitement of game OF
Hid, and go-seek, when they are all on
the qui rare of anticipated surprise by the
enemy, upon the very moment OF success
| iul ambush
Honore was frightened, and begged me
| TO put Eugenia down first, and Eugenia
| begged to be allowed to go, but l only
"pshawed" at them and lowered the rope
with Honore, white with fear, at the end
let her down carefully, that she might
| not strike her head against the sides, until
| | knew by the slackening of the rope and
the diminution of strength required to hold
| the windlass that she was at the bottom.
Walace's voice, screaming out Com
ing. readyr' changed my purpose ofdraw'
| ing up the rope TO let Eugenia down, too
besides, had a thought of Furnishing the
baby" for being so silly and afraid, and,
calling down to her, Just let your foot be
in the knot, and I'll draw you up in a
minute" caught Eugenia's rather reluct
ant hand and hurried her away to the
trough, where in minute more we lay
snugly packed beneath il, having yelled,
loudly, " Ready!' as let 1t down over us.
What a hunt Wallace had for us, and
how we laughed at him for standing on
the trough itself and never once thinking
of peeping beneath it. We wondered il
Honore remembered to call out occasion
ally, and wished we could see Wallace
hunt; our position was so cramped we
were forced to let our hiding-place be
known before very long; but to Eugenia Is
proposition to "tell Wally where Honore
is because he is tired and We all are, and
it is growing dark, and you know Honore
was so 'fraid," ! turned deaf ear, until
Allie and my brother came out TO tell us to
come in TO supper.
LaZ. looked anxious when | told them
where Honore was, and shouted down the
well 10 her TO "be sure her foot was in the
rope good, and TO hang tight and tell
she was ready"
But no answer came up TO us.
| took hold Of the rope. IL was dangling
and loose. Honore couldn't have hold OF
il at all.
- Moral Moral" screamed supper is
ready. Put your foot in the moose and
hang tight. Quick! so We can pull you up"
Still no answer.
guess she likes the old well now she
is down there" laughed Eugenia. "She
hated to go down badly enough, but Grip
pa would down her."
Some way these words cut into my soul
like the thrust of sharp knife.
Sister! sister! why don't you answer,
Laz. waited minute and then started
for the house on a run.
This was the first moment OF real alarm
to me. A hundred conjectures rushed
into my mind. Had | killed her in my
haste TO get her to the bottom? What II
some horrid serpent had taken up It's
abode there and stung her TO death with
its poisonous fangs? What If the bottom
of the old well had fallen out and Nora
had somewhere?
But had little time for conjecture be.
fore my brother came back with lantern
in his hand and, attended by the whole
family. | dared not look at any OF them,
and they were all too much engaged to no.
tice me- think. ..
Uncle Clark let Lac. down into the well
with the lantern All was quiet mo-
ment, and then Lac. called up:
There is foot OF water here and l0-
more is chilled 10 death, guess. She is
sitting up straig ht, but won 'tspeak to me"
Can you lift her and hold her while |
draw you ups"
YesH'
There was few moments awful silence
and waiting, then Lag. called
I'm ready! Draw easy"
A turn or two of the windlass and cry
from below of Holdr' Another awful
minute In which Laz seemed 10 be chang
ing his own or Honore's position, and
again the word:
Draw slowly and listen 10 my word"
But no other word came, and at length
Laz rose 10 sight with the limp figure,
dripping with muddy water, Rugged to
his breast with one arm and tied about his
waist with the gingham apron Of Honores,
which he had torn in two and used 10 aid
his one arm in supporting her weight
during the perilous ascent.
Mother, aunt and Alice caught them as
they came up, AID drew them out on 10 the
ground.
/ only saw Honorc's white, white face.
She breathesi thank God"
This from my mother; my aunt an.
sw cred Yesl but there Is little life here;
she cannot breathe long"
Then there was no hope, after all, and
was my sisters murderer. The reading
Of the morning came back 70 me, and |