The Red Cloud chief., 1876-01-13
Gaziny absenfly on the smiling scene.

swum ashore behind the rocks. The
widow turned away, Rugged her thin
shawl orer her shoulders, and thought
that the sea wind was chilly. Hark!
What was ihat2 Surely she heard q
cry. No merry shout or ringing laugh
tbis;i it might be the cry of a wild bird
On its way to its mate.
She couldn't have got beyond her
depth, that young creature, surely. But,
la. what of it if she had! Dying young,
a body gets quit of a deal of trouble.
And-Yes, surely, that was a scream.
The widow looked sharply out. Would
Tom never come? The tide was rising,
and-something certainly was the mat
ter. She called-she beckoned franti
cally to the ba.hers beyond--they seemed
both blind and deaf.
No one, not one soul, at hand, and
that young thing in peril of life. A
minute she stood still ,listening-a feeble
old woman with a haggard, scared face,
to whom no one wonld have dreamed of
looking for help.
81 can't stand this" she said. "Scems
l might pull out that old scow myself,
Tom" she screamed, with a yell that
held the concentrated energy of ten
years. But no Tom appeared. And it
was the widow herself, with those with,
cred old hands that disdained the minis
ter's kitchen work-it was the widow
herself, who, strainiug, tugglng, and
with her gray hair futteripg in the wind,
Embossed the old dug out from its
mOOrings, and trembling, unskillful,
armed with a rude paddle, went spinning
out dizzily over the water. 1t leaked,
the old scow; it scorned the broken
paddle and the heavy oars, but finally it
came drifting out blindly and dizzily to
the object of her search A plump hand,
with a glitiering ring upon it, clutched
the edge of the boat, nearly overseeing
it. A young, eager face, with streaming
hair, looked up from the water, and
gasping, shuddering, half drowEed, and
wholly scared, the young water nymph
was presently aboard the old craft.
ooh, how frightened 1 was!" she
cried. 81 felt sure l Was losing all NV
strength, and would go to the bottom.
Oh, You good soul. you dear soul! how
ever did you get to NE in this water
logged cratic"
1t has seen its best days, certain"
said the widow, Juggling at the oars.
"You don't look able for such work,
said the girl.
81 haze seen better days" was the
quiet answe
And then-Oh, sufficient reward for all
her efforts! this real lady, this fair Young
girl with the soft hands and the pretty
bathing dress, actually replied, 81 though,
So
"Hefe, give me an oar" she added,
still painting. "But, my dear soul, We'll
never be able to row down to that point
where | left my clothes, and 1 can't walk
to the hotel; I'm awfully tired. CAM
you put ME ashore at your place, and
send wore for me down yOnder?"
The little dark cabin on the shore
frightened up with an I'm vonted luste:
as the widow sheltered her young charge
and changed her wet garments for some
of her OWE.
"If Tom would only come, I'd send
him for your things"
"Oh, no matter! I'll wrap your shaw
about me and walk down myself after
I've rested a bit. I'm not hurt, vol
know, only scared. Dear me, how l pa.
scared! My old nurse used to teach mt
not to scream; but if l hadn't screamed
where should | have been now, I won.
der ?r
"Mrs. Minton would gladly have
parted with the last shred she possessed
and gone shiverlng the rest of her days
to see her worn out gown donned Sc
handsomely by the bright lassie.
"They have seen better days, the
clothes, miss, and I'll not deny thai
they've been in good company in theil
time; but they're Dot fit for a lady now
Her companion laughed, a pretty
mischievous laugh. She read the weak.
ness of her rescuer, and treated it ten.
derby.
"Whatever a lady has worn is fiji for q
lady to wear she said, and forthwith
wrapped herself, smiling. in the old gray
shawl.
And at that moment Tom, with his
red shirt cleaning in the setting sun,
and a string of fish on his shoulder,
stood in the doorway.
He stopped when he saw the CUES:
standing upon the hearth stone, a bright
fire behind her, and the kettle boiling
cheerily. She nodded to him Familiarity.
Tom thought he must be dreaming.
"Tom and l are acquainted, " said she.
"Ars your responded the astonished
widow.
YES" said the girl. "I've watched
Tom many a time walking along shore
with his red SHIRT, and once he took me
and father out rowing. Tom, your
mother saved my life"
Saved your life!" echoed Tom, who
never in all his life had heard o! his
mothers doing anything before.
Tom, stupid and staring. WAS hurried