The Cecil Whig., 1875-09-11

!
both his parents being dead He had been
absent from his native country about four
years without interruption, and on his re-
turn had decided to go to the academy a
short time, to correct certain lacks in his
education. This explained why man of
his advanced age should be attending school
for he was twenty-one-if he was a day,
Belle assured me. l myself was about
seventeen. l was the only female student
of German at the academy, and it was on
that account that Mr.. Harrison manifested
some degree of interest in me, l suppose,
for he was almost enthusiastic in his admir-
alton of that scholastic tongue. So saw
good deal of him, after all.
The following Winter, at a party at Mrs.
Sands, in Sanford, one bitter cold night, l
chanced to be alone with Nellie Wells, one
moment, in an upper chamber, which was
used as a cloak-room for lady guests
There was furious fire in the stove, and
its sides were red hot.
Nellie was a pretty girl, but rather dull.
She wore dress of some gauzy fabric,
and, going too near the stove, it took fire.
ran out of the room, screaming at the top
of my voice:
"Mr. Harrison! Mr.. Harrison! Oh, Mr..
Harrisonv'
He came quickly into the hall, saw me,
was up the stairway in bound, and as |
was running back into the room, he went
past me, pushing me aside rather rudely,
and took in all, with quick, cool glance.
Nellie had hauled quilt from the bed
that was in the room, and was trying to
stitle the flames.
He threw her on the floor, rolled her
over in the quilt, like mummy, and ex-
tinguished the flames at once-hugged her,
too. She was not very badly burned, after
all, and her face was not touched by the
flames, SO that she remained as pretty as
ever.
Remarkably sensible GIRL" said Mr..
Harrison, afterward, to a group that clus-
tered about him in the parlor. " Most
girls would have rushed headlong into the
hall, screaming like, ,"-he looked at me-
"like mad," he added with smile. eff
ever marry" said he, (which probably
never shall, shall marry sensible woman
"a woman who would not set up scream
if our youngest should fall into a tub of
hot water, but would pull the child out as
quickly as possible, and send for doctor"
Somehow, 1 was vain enough to think
this sarcastic speech was intended solely
to rebuke me. l knew l should certainly
scream in such a case. 1t was my nature
to scream, and how could help my nature ?
AS for that poor little Nellie Wells, l
hated her, and almost wished it had been
my own dress that had caught fire-only
should certainly have burned to death be-
wrapped me in quilt and hugged me.
From that day forward, some powerful
influence was at work upon me. l strug-
gled hard after that cool manner in danger
which Mr.. Harrison possessed in so emf
nent a degree. l even ventured in the pur-
suit of perfection to ask him how he could
do it.
81 suppose" said he. =" it is because I
naturally have such an extreme terror OF
danger in every shape-such a lively SYM
pathy with those in peril-that feel very
strongly the necessity for being calm when
others are excited. 1 think that whatever
excuse lady has for losing her wits-and
that is, at the best, a very little-a man has
no excuse whatever. l always try to keep
my wits about me-
"To be calm, then," said l, with the
whitening irony common to girls of from
fourteen to eighteen, "one only needs to
| have his wits about him."
Exactly" said he, cor to change the
sex, her wits about her.
"Just as" added, "the secret of wealth
is to get money"
"And to keep it," said he.
One thing 1 was fully determined-he
never should hear me scream again.
However, he left the school soon after
| and did likewise in about six months.
had effected great change in myself
before met him again.
1t was in the Summer of the year which
| saw me pass my twentieth birthday that
we met at Niagara Falls. He was there
| with his cousin, my dear friend Belle Har.
rison, and I with my sister and mother.
On certain day we all took walk on
Goat Island, when mother dropped her par
asol, and it slid down the bank some fifteen
| feet and out of reach. Mr.. Harrison de-
scended the bank after it, and, though he
used proper precautions, his foot slipped
on the treacherous soil, as he was return
| ing, and he slid rapidly down to the very
| verge Of the precipice. l expected nothing
else than to see him go over and be dashed
low; but though the other three ladies
screamed, did not. You see was pretty
thoroughly drilled by this time. However,
as Mr.. Harrison neared the edge of the
precipice, he threw out his right hand
still holding the parasol in his left-and
seized the upturned roots of a tree which
leaned over the chasm. The tree shook
violently under the sudden shock, and the
roots began to tear themselves out of the
thin soil, slowly and steadily, under the
influence of this superadded weight. In q
few minutes more it would inevitably give
way, and then Mr.. Harrison would be kill
ed. l knew my face was pale, and that
was terribly frightened; but l leaned for
ward and spoke to him:
"Tell me what to do!''
"Take all the ladies' shawls, skirts, anC
any other articles of dress that you car
spare and which are strong enough-cu
them in wide and strong strips, then tic
them firmly together, and make rope.
! obeyed as calmly as knew he would
have done, but none the less expeditiously
on that account, be very sure.
He continued speaking to me at intervals
while l was doing his bidding, and hi
spoke as deliberately as if he stood in safe
ty at my side.