Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1875-07-21

, in common parlance, so much rs a red
cent for portion" Miss Lynn's own con-
duct was now discretion itself. and such as
lent no handle to criticism, since, without
pOintedly avoiding Morris, she contrived
to be seldom in his company, and never,
for an instant, to Converse with him save
under such circumstances which insured
that the words spoken should be such as
the public crier might have repeated, had
that functiOnary been SO minded, in the
streets of Tyler City.
Time went on; the necessary prepara-
tions which precede the linking together
for veal or woe. of two lives, were COM
pleted. 1t was the eve of the wedding
day itself, and Mrs Gresham was quite
happy III the near accomplishment of her
schemes for her sons welfare. And no one
knew better than worthy Mrs. Gresham
that in the United States. as elsewhere. the
possession of adequate means produced !
wonderful effect in smoothing the road OF
the young aspirant to fame and power.
She had, as good mothers should. made up
her mind, long since, that her bright boy
ought to become great ana famous, prob
able senator, or chief justice. a possible
governor, or secretary Of state And her
| ltiitT Iltu Detu LIltl WHO WIS vel
impulsive, would form some h;.,ty attach
ment. break off the engagement with his
cousin, and compromise his prospects in
life by an imprldent marriage. That fear
was now dis-ipated. To morrow would
behold him the husband OF her wel-en-
dowed niece Nellie Carth-w; and if the
Young man would but have borne somewhat
more of the r;sdient aspect fitted to the oc-
casiOn, there would have been no cloud to
mar her unSeltish dc light.
The day. a magnificent one, like most
days in balmv Florida, WAS waxing to-
wards its decline and fall. The sun. as it
-Hnk on its course towards the Mexican
Gulf. threw on the t1owtr-slarred turf the
giant shadows of the trees. relics Of y
primevtl forest. that all but encircled
Green Cove. On mossv bank. Overshad-
owed by Il blo>sOmei bush Of the stlnach.
Morris Gresham and his cousin were seated
| The spot WAS fivorite one with Nellie,
nor did Morr is care to acknowledge that
her choice of Il resting place WAS fraught
with pain to him. on account OF the rtml-
nl>ctncts which were cOnjured up by the
sight Of II e fairy dell. where once he was
wont to keep try st with Phehe Lynn. The
young mans handsome face WAS some
what thoughtful and c:lrew0rn, and his be-
troihcd bride strovr. with only partial
success, To charm away the gloom from his
brow. Nellie and Mrs. Gresham had held
high consultation rs TO the cause 81 the too
evident moodines. of Morris. and h,l de-
cided that his active mind was chttlng for
lack of cont tct with more intellectual So
cietv than Florida could aff rd and THAI
the sooner the young husband assumed his
place in ifc's battle the better. Wnereup-
on Miss CArthcw began to talk. with that
prett. air of sage Importance which i
GOOD girl sometimes puts on for a man {
benefit, of the life which the Young couple
We're to lead-in Washington or New Ym \
and OF the pl ide which she should fee
when her own chosen one should have be
gun to make a name in the world, and tC
DO work worthy of him.
Morris could not be insensible TO the un
selfish fondne>s Of his poor little cousin
and to the artlc>s simplicity of dispo.i
ton in which there was indeed SO muri
that was loveable. He bent forward anc
kissed hcr. AS if she had been child III
deed. MY little Nelie" he said, lit shal
not be my fault I-but what is this, glin
ting through the papaw bushes Ant
Nellie. her eyes following the Indication
of the young mans pointing finger. saw 4
dancing bell Of water, crystal clear. glis-
tening amidst the grcenery of the tangled
thickct below.
How belutiful." exclaimed the girl,
breathle>sly watching the bright fountain
as it lcaped and fell among the trailing
pca-vincs and tufted wild flowers. Can
it be- do You think. that the str am Ions
dried up. that gives its name to Greer
Cove
BIO kyro y, 0y,,v1
roar. as forth from the rocky cleft there
>pouted a Kissing column Of water. hoilins
md bubbing ike Il Geyser in the first en-
rrgies of its recovered power, and instant
ly overbrmming the turf bor,ered hollow
which lav. cuplike. at the bottom Of tn,
dell. For a moment. the spectator
of this scene looked on. as th'
water rose and rose, seething and bubblin&
like the overflow Of IA witches c:tldron, un
Ill Morris. becoming gradually aware o
he approaching danger, exclaimed. Mel
lie-dearcSt, We must not stay here. Thu
whole glen will be flooded in = few min
utps of time. and unless" Anothe
leaftning roar, and, hearing away rock
and tree, and bunk, there broke forth al
, I'M pl isoned torrent of angry water furious
resistle>s Then. before Morris could re-
alZe what had occurred, he felt that h,
was waist deep in the lulbid wafer. clasp
ing Nellie to his breast, and then that tn,
inundtion had swept him and her ava,
like straw, before the blast Of "A tempe.,
\ strong swimmer. he did battle br.vel,
with the raging flood. and by desp"ral.
efforts succeeded in clinging t. poor littl,
Nellie, who. but for him. would have beer
washed away. to tirow n. at the first out
, burst Of the hidden spring. But the ru>l
and the onward force of the swift tid
were such as human muscles could no
stem, and already amidst the foam fake
on the surface We're floating dead branches
>. snpplings newly upron;ed, logs half moul
,ered by age, and Morris sustained NOR
. than one severe blow in shielding Nellie
delicate form from the rough impact Of tn
. drifting wood. Then he clutched n>tinc
lively, at the tough bows of an evergreen
. oak. half submerged, and held his gri
- strongly. supporting Nellir's fair. pas>iv
= head upon his shoulder, and bidding he
!, be of good c. eer. since help must soon III
- rive 1t was Il situ,ton Of deadly peri
', Within a few hundred yards of wher
- Morris clung, were the deep sullen water
Z of St Johns river. To reac them WI
J. to perish. Should fatigue cause him to Il
Z 90 his hold. or should his strength prov
=. unequal to the task OF supporting Nellie
:, light weight against the furious rush OF tn
: lnun1ation. death WAS imminent and Gel
- tain: The darkling river would bear /
: the sea the bodies OF both himself and hi
!. =. cousin and, swept by he fast-howing Gu
. Stream into the mea>url,ss expanse of til
:, Atlantic, neither would be seen again b
:, mortal eye.
u Roaring and leaping. the turbid wave
:, washed over Morris us he held desperatel
- - on to the quivering boughs OF the old oa
u u tree. and he felt the tough stem shiver an
q reel under the force of The hurryng It'd,
a new fear now aSsaiied him. How if tn
!, tree itself his one citadel of efuge. shoul
y be uprooted, like many a sapling and man
- Il hollow STEM that now came driving pa:
him, torn up by the violence of the cul
6 rent The fast running flood was scoopin
u u away the soil with a cruel rapidity, as
y impatient for its prey. And Morris. dea