River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-12-05
A RIVER MYSTERY.
rom Chamter.s .Ioarnal.

veral feet IT'S nelghooIs
its upper story quite overhanging tle
basement. This house was 50 old that il
almost tottered when the wind blew-ss
it often did at Mile end-even ii spite 81
the wooden props, themselves rotten now
with which it had been buttressed rs
But in spite or perhaps because Of its
age and discomfort and general dilapida-
ton, it was beautifully mellOwed ans
harmonious in the tone of its cOlOfing
Tufts of vivid green moss, and yeiloe
ana gray lichen at intervals carpeted and
softened the red tiles; and hevay clumIsS
Of orange wall-fiowers filled up the gap,
left by departed bricks and morter; thus
throwing over the actual decay and rot
tenness a gla,nor0us veil Of picturesque
beaus.. Within, this house was cruelty
old ana cold and comfOrtlcss; the beauty
of decay was all outside, and only its
stern reality existed within the frail and
draSghty walls. There were ten rooms
in this house, which gave shelter 10 seven
families. The noise and Drawing were
iucessant, never seeming to stop night or
day, for when at last the sickly children
were asleep, the night was made hideous
with the drunken blasphemies and low
quarrels of the degraded men and woe
men and the reeking air was thick and
heavy with gin and tobacco and disease.
In one OF these rooms-it was in the
projecting upper story, which tLrongl.
an unusually wide window commanded
view all up and down tie street-lay
on straw pallet on the floor, barely Gov
cred with an old patchwork quilt, boy
of about IA, who, Judging from his con-
slant cough, labored breathing and en-
aciated limbs, was in the last stages OF
consumption Beside him on the narrow
bed lay girl few years older then her
brother, fast asleep. She was pale ana
thin ard dirty2 but there was a rare
beauty in the firm soft curves of the
mouth and chin, and In the lower
broad brow, up from which was swept .
thick tangled mass of curly brown hair
Tears glistened on the long brown lashes,
and the eyebrows were knit together in q
painful frown, which suddenly relaxed
as the sick bov watched her with tired
sunken eyes, and sudden glowing smile
lighted up her face.
She can allus dream, and escape TO the
beautiful world she tells me about" he
muttered with wistful, impatient sigh;
'.and can never even sleep
Eyes, she was dreaming, but not so
4 eeply. but that the movement and sigh
of her brother woke her. "Whaten's the
trouble, Harry dear3 Be 20 worse to-
nightI'
80 no." he said, and 81 he'd again. II
was Just wondeun' where 20 was, yo
smiled so; and l loneed to be There too"
20 Harry, was way off out o sight
o'house an street an such like, all the
trees an the flowers an the river spak to
me, to give me comfort"
"Ah. the valley, said the sick boy;
CHATS where | wants II go, as | used to,
fore was took bad IF [ could sleep,
pIaps could 90 too Here he was in
terrupted bv terrible fit OF coughing,
which only left him strength to gasp fee
bly, for water
A cracked cup without a handle stood
on the windoN-sill, and in it was little
water. The girl rose to get it; but as she
was handing it To her brother the door
opened, and their father staggered in.
For an instant he looked at his children,
and iii a drunken fit of senseiess passion
struck the girl savage buffet which
made her reel, and shattered the cup into
fragments in her hand.
The girls brow flushed crimson with
anger and pain, and her brown eyes flash
cd fire. "Yo miserable drunken bruter'
she said
None o yer SARGE, gal, or Ill Kill yer"
and he glared at her dangerously, with
arm uplifted 10 strike.
Father, father" commanded rather
than imDlored the sick boy, sitting up
with an effort, and holding out thin pale
hand between them while hectic red blaz-
ed in his checks and vivid light shone in
his pale blue epes, Don't yer strike her
don't verstrike her. or God will strike yO"
There was q strange, almost unearthly
look in the boys spiritualized suffering
face that swed the man into temporary
soberness.
As he paused with arm uplitted, looking
al his son. an expression of shame and TN
certainty crossed his features; he hung
his head. avoided the boys intense eyes,
ana his ms slowly dropped by his side.
"Father," said the toy in a gentler
tone, you've hurt her-yo have, and
she's so good to 20"
The man shifted .uueasily from one
foot to the other. and looked up at his
daughter, who was standing defiant and
angry. with dull red mark on her cheek
face softened and her lips quivered she
knelt suddenly by the bed aud put her
arms round him, saying in piteous Voice
as the big tears tell on his yellow HAIR:
.sIt's no for me | mind It's for 70
Whaten viii 20 do the night through
withouten water} There's no drop
more / the house nor the street.
The boy said nothing as he stroked his
II fY,l i..y.rr
inc look In his eyes, and the half sigh
he could not repress, showed how much
he needed the water The man looked
at them for minute, and then the fumes
Of the gin he had taken overpowered him
again as he reeled to the opposite corner
OF the room. where he fell on an old mat
tTess, ana in moment was fast in deep
drunken sleep. The boy closed his eyes
YEARLY and turned his face toward the
wall. The girl kissed him and settled
HIM as comfortably as she could, then
rose from her knees and went 10 the
window. which she partly opened. The
moon was high and full and the street
without Looked IS bright rs day. A
sudden idea ;, med to strike her, for she
smiled brightly q she went softly to the
bed aad stood gazing at the brother she
loved SO well, and knew she should be
able to keep so short q time.
My boy" she said, with an intensity
Of pitifuI love in her face, and stretching
Ter clasped hands over him as though
she would keep him with her in spite OF
everything MY boy he is all l have,
she murmured. Dear God, take care III
him till come back and with the
love still in her face she softly left the
room
She went out into the brilliant summer
night. and walked swiftly down the
street towards the lovely valley beyond,
looking up at the quiet stars as she went,
something Of whose peace and rest seemed
10 be reflected into the depths Of her usu-
ally troubled eyes After q while she
lett tie town behind her and walked rap
idly through the fields and lanes aad
woods till she came to the rivers bank.
How lovely it lookedl The trees snd
flowers and grasses seemed outlined in
purest, palcst silver-a very fairy net
work. and the quietly flowing river
sparkled and shone with the glorious "a
dience of the moon and Stars. The girl
sat down on q stone that projected into
the river, and filed Jug she had brought
with the cold sparkling water which she