The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1876-01-27

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were standing by the fire, wouldn't
it2 What was the biggest fire you
ever SAW"
"'Twas old Bretzer's barn" said she
promptly. s'It burned way up to the
| sky, and made my face warm, wav off
on the fence, as far az from here across
the river"
"Did it roar, and crackle, and look
red, and comfortable ?" asked Sam.
ayes, indeed !" said the child. Sam
shifted her from one shoulder to the
other again, aud once more gave vent
to several calls, but no one responded.
There was dead silence for little
while, and then the child remarked:
"It's kinder lonesome here-why
! don't you say something7'
"I-I'm kind O. sleepy" said Sam,
Strengthening himself little.
why, it's early in the morning
exclaimed the child-s'the idea of be-
ing sleepy"
81 guess was up very late Last
night" said Sam, i'll explanation
"Aren't you glad caught the bridge
and kept you from floating way down
the river-nobody knows how far ?''
''Oh, amt 1 |" replied the little girl,
"Then couldn't you give me kiss ?"
asked the rescuer.
"I'll give you thousand said the
child, impetuously, as Sam lifted her
off his shoulder and in front of him.
carefully holding her so high that her
feet should not get wet.
"Why, how blue You look !" she ex-
claimed, as she saw his face.
"It's the reflection of the water that
makes one look that way" explained
Sam, pressing her tightly to his breast
and kissing her many times. But gou
think I'm coed for semething, don't
your ~
"Yoa're gooder than any ybody in the
world but my papa" replied the child
"That's darling" said Sam, putting
her back on his shoulder. Then h.
took from his pocket long piece o,
trout-line, "A heavy fishing line made
to hold forty or fifty hooks yard
apart-and managed to throw the end
around the tree by which he stood,
and catch it again.
"NOw hold tight to my head" said
he;" want to use both hands a mo-
ment. Why didn't think of this line
when the skiff hoated off? 1 might
have caught it. o God!'
"Oh, you swear!" exclaimed the
child.
"Net-exactly.s said Sam, hesitat-
ingly, though he did not explain. He
tied the line tightly around his body,
SO that he was fastened against the
tree, with his face toward the river.
Then he bent his head forward aud
said:
'sSce if you can sit on my back, now
with one foot oyer each of my should
ers."
The little girl wriggled about little,
and then exclaimed
"Oh, yes; it's just like chair, with
the big tree for a back-it's awful
comfortable"
"Well, when go to sleep" saidSam
you can sit there without my holding
you; do you see?
YES" replied the child, ssbut dom,
want you to sleep-I'll be so lone
some"
''Oh, no; you can keep a lookout 70
boat" said Sam. "Have you got |
handkerchief
"No."
"Then wave my hat and holIoa, if
yon see a boat do yon understand 2@
"Yes, understand" z-i
Two or three moments passed in ST.
lence, W hich the child broke by ask
ing:
"What are you whispering about 2"
II was thinking about the only |
friend I've got left, and was whisp-
ering just what I'd say If saw him.
said Sam, not overload. "Do you ever
say prayers?" aa
sob, yes every night and morning.
Cant you say little prayer for
me? don't like to go to sleep with
out praying, and the Lord might hear
two people better than one. Do you
ever tell lies?"
"No-not never at ALL"
s'Then you ask the Lord to let me
wake up in the right place"
"When the boat comes, you mean T"
eyes: and ask him to let the ferry
man take me where my mother is"
The child was silent for moment );
then she said:
''Dear Lord, let the man that's been /
so good to me wake up in the ishi I
place when the boat comes, and be
took right to where his mother is, and t
let her love him awful much for tax I
ing me off the bridge. And III be a
real good girl if you will. For Christ's
sake. Amen"
"Thank you," said Sam, hoarsely, |
reaching up wet hand and clasping
the child's little fingers. Now sing
Happy Land Aud don't-forget-i
to wave-the hat and-helloa.
The child began to sing, and Sans /
head dropped. 1t fell lower and low
er, until, when the song was finished, /
the singer had a good broad seat.
"Don't it hurt Ou to lean over so ?"
she asked. But she received ne re-
sponse.
On the same morning, as the cook
(for the day )of the hatbsat Rough-and-
Ready was taking a doomed chicke n
from coop en deck, he heard shrill |