Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1876-05-27

q
Echo expressed fear that It would rain
When they were launched and rowing
up the river, the girl found that her posi-
ton directly opposite LaneeiOt was deci
dediy embarrassing, owing 20 his un
pleasant habit Of staring. She was very
pale, and was dressed all in white, hel
long, bright, rippled hair floating loosely
back from her face. "HOw dreary-hOW
desOlate everything looks this afternoon,
said she, with a slight shiver. Gradual.
ly their conversation flowed along until
they began TO talk Of the ancient days OF
jousts and tournaments. "What crue
old times they WERE" exclaimed Lance
lot, and upon EchO's saying that she did
not think them so very cruel, he asked
could you be Sans merci' to your own
true knight, as some Of the damsels
we're -
"Let any one prove himself false, where
1 thought him true, and then l could be
sans merci,'" " she cried, sudden CLEAN
in her dark eyes. Besides" she added
softly, "Like the Lady of ShallOt, i have
mo loyal knight and true
'sDO you remember who would have
been her knight, had Il been possible p
lac asked siEaifi2anLly-
'fI remember only one" she answer
ed cOldly, ''fOr whose sake curse came
upon her"
''LancelOt spoke presently. ''May
have your bouquet Of fOrget-me-nOts 70
remind me of to-day? Dsrling-may
not?'
She flung back her golden locks, and
said, with a solemn smile in her large
eyes, holding out the bouquet as she
spoke, '"Take them, and keep them in re-
membrance of the little girl who was nice
enough to fiirt with, when no one better
was present"
LaneelOt gave sudden start, and drop
ping the oars, caught her hands in his
'GOod heavens, EehOl what do you
mean?"
''Only that am not the fool you imag-
inc me 10 be. Let my hand go, and row
me to the landing she cried, and Lam
celot mechanically Obeyed.
As they parted ut the gate, he began
passiOnately, echo, if you will only lis
ten to me"
''But he was interrupted by Eoho's
voice, saying quietly, "GOOd-bye Mr..
Verschoyle; you need not try to excuse
yourself"
"AhiI perceive-'Ld belle dame sdnS
mercP is being enacted for my benefit
Pardon me, If say that little wOmanly
gentleness would not be unbecOming, F"
and he turned away. As he spoke, the
setting sun burst through a cloud, bath
ing them in its dying radiance.
Next day LancelOt was gone.
Soon Nellie was married and went a.
way to live on the hill among the roses.
Life was very hard TO Echo at this time
to be forced to smile and look interest
ed, when she was longing to steal away
and be alone. One night she could not
sleep, SO she rose, and going to the win
dow, looked out on the purple night, and
at the starry sky. Heaven seemed so i'm
measurably calm, so far away-sh should
she ever reach it. She felt very roman
tie and miserable, and very much like
'Marianaa in the MOated Grange"
The low Of the cattle sounded from the
dark fields below, and just then the bell
of far-Off steamboat tOlled sOlemnly
through the silence, dying away with the
soft splash of the curreIis against the
shore. Without hope Of ehGRge" sobbed
she, "Ahl that is the worst. How much
better would it be if were lying in the
and her eyes sought the
quiet spot. When we wish for death, we
little know how near the dread presence
is to us.
The next morning the sun sh0ne with
a yellow glare through veil of clouds; ;
a sort of a bOding hush seemed to rest
upon the little town, and the ring of foot
steps and voices died drearily away in the
arid stiffness. Presently the storm burst
from the lowering sky The rain poured
down in a steady sheet, and the people
plOdded along through the mud, hopping
over the puddies, and looking like gi-
gantic bats, with their umbrellas and
"The oldest inhabitant"
stood in his doorway, cycling the swelling
waters, aud expressed his opinion that
the river was rising, although such an
idea was laughed to scOrn.
True to his predictions, the river did
rise over its banks, and kept rising stead
lily, until those that resided on the shores
were obliged tC Vacate their lower apart
ments, The philosOphic citizens OF River
port, living for the time in the upper
stories of their houses felt sure that the
water would soon go down, and were in
elined to treat the matter as a gigantic
joke. They visited each other in skiffs
when the sun shone, made illusions TO
Venice and the gOndolas, and enjoyed
that the river was not falling, and then
they began to look anxious. ''The old
est inhabitant" announced, fear with
some satisfaction lit is needless TO say he
lived on the hill), that, it was Irregular
OVERFLOW
There came night, at last, when none
of the Tudor family-their house was
upon the river bank-cOuld sleep on ac-
count of their anxiety. They began to
course, to have moved up to the hill, in
stead of exposing themselves to their
present risk. Echo was alone in her
room, pacing restlessly up and down,
occasionally glaneing out at the sombre
scene below, which was now and then
lighted by a vivid flash. Presently she
flung up the sash to see how far the wa
ter haf len; to her horror she discOV-
cred that it was up around her window.
"a. - 4.
rain, and the sullen wash of the tide,
ebb and flow. Chow the river has ris-
en!' she exclaimed. ''I am afraid the
house will be swept away, and we shall
all be drowned! ~ just then 4 Jagged
arrow of lightning tore the sky asunder /;
il was followed by horrible crash
Blinded, dazzled, terrified, Echo sank
on her knees beside the widow, and was
unconscious to every thing farther.
But when the watchers saw the water
was rising, they sent boats TO the houses
on the riverside. Making its way
through the waves, a skiff came to EchO's
window, and its sole occupant stepped in
to the room; what would she have said if
she could have seen the one who came to
rescue her? 1t was LancelOt, who, al
though Echo did not know it. had been
in RiveTport for the last few days.
The lamp burned so dimly that he
could hardly distinguish anything in the
room, but as he CROPPED his way through
the darkuesS,sa glimmer of white caught
his eye. ''EchO - he cried, 81 have come
to take you away" She neither spoke nor
moved. Was she sleeper deGdP There
was no time to lose, so hurriedly takidg
her in his arms, he placed her in the boat,
and then springing in himself, rOwed for
land with all his might.
Through all his trouble and anxiety,
through all the fear tagging at his heart
that the house upon the hill to which he
was taking Echo would be narrow,
narrow one, in which he would have no
part; still, he was strangely reminded, as
he looked at the white -rObed figure with
its flowing hair, of the Lady Of Shallot,
as she fiOated, "dead-pale, betweeen the
houses high"
He pulled hard against the tide, max
ing the skiff skim over the water, and
reached the hill at last. Later in the
night noise was heard like the sound OF
a thousand thunders, followed by the
mighty rush of waters, as they poured
out into the river.
The grand levee had broken. and the
water was rushing away from the River
port side, to flood the opposite country.
For many days Echo bgttled with the
fierce fever which seemed to burn her
life away; but she did not die, for she
was young, and youth does not let life
slip from its grasp so easily. BY the time
she was able 20 80 out into the open air,
Riverport had resumed its familiar As.
pect; but Echo did not know, even then.
who it was that rescued her, until her
sister Nellie casually mentioned it. Echo
sank back on her couch with flushing