Stevens County tribune., 1878-07-11

Uou mas gul0eQ your IeeC 10 Wnere YOU
are. Pray to Him that he may guide
you back again"
''Oh, will return as I came,' he re-
piled; but when he looked for his foot.
marks he found them here, there, and
everywhere, as if the surface had shifted
in all directions.
"Do not move, mi'sieul oh, do not move
until you have rope round you" cried
the old man, as villager began coiling
one for throw. "If God has given you
a firm footing, stand on it till you get re-
lief"
"Tushm cried Ralph to himself, "what
laughing-stock shall make of myself.
it, after coming here to prove them tools,
let them drag me back like bullock.
And if this spot is firm, so must the rest
be-"
As he spoke he made two quick steps
toward the people; but the secOn, SEEM
ed as if made in water, and he strove to
staegcr back ,.
1t was too late Next momeut4 while he
threw up his arms and uttered wild
sharp cry, he found himself drawn down
into the sand as if by some irresistible
power beneath.
His cry was answered by one from Ed
ne, who; bursting from the crowd OF
women who w6tild have held her back,
dashed towards hi1fi.
A moment sne Matted On what seemed
| firm footing, and held out her hands to
weird hlili. And then as she, saw that he
scarcely took notice OF her, bit sank yet
lower, she gave low cry, like that OF a
bird in pain, and with three steps was Dy
his side, ami wildly trying to drag him
from his living grave.
This only tor moment. Next instant
she too, felt herself dragged downtown
into the heart of the cruel sand. Her
breath grew faint, an attempt to cry out
again failed her, an in what seemed a
mere pulse-beat of time she felt herself
as if buried deep in the bowels of the
| earth.
"Mother of Heavens! they are both
lostl" cried the old dame. "But it is well
for Morlaix. The shivering sand will
trouble us no m0rem
| As the old wofiian sp oke, the last YES
tige OF the devoted couple disappeared
beneath the sand. Then, while the peo
pie uttered an 'Amen" to the old wo
mans prophecy, the shivering sand itself
| began to sink; and in less than halt min
ute had entirely vanished, while the sea.
as if boiling violently, rushed in where
! it had been.
"It is very pititul, very pititul NUT
| tered the old man who had tried to argne
with Ralph; "but he was headstrong, and
would have his way, And she-ah poor
young madam. would give a thousand
| francs to see her alive and we'll again"
AS the old man said this he turned and
gazed out upon the sea with yearning
! look. All at once he started.
''The bodies do you see them?' he cried
wildly, as he pointed to spot in the bay
about hundred yards out. "The sea
has robbed them from the sand and
thrown them up again. A boat! boat!"
t Instantly a boat from the schooner
alongside was run out, and the old man
and three others leaping il, pushed off
for the snot where the bodies were just
disappearing again.
Scarcely had they reached this place
when the two fair heads appeared above
the water. Next moment they were
seized by strong hands, and one at
time lifted into the boat. Then this was
rowed back quickly to the beach, the
bodies taken ashore, and with very little
hope of success, every effort tried to re-
store life.
Presently, to the wild joy of every one,
young madam moved one arm and from
between her lips came sort of signing
breathing. The same moment Ralph
shivered all over, and his eyes half open
| ed. ..
Saved. savedr' shouted the crowd.
while the women went down on their
knees in the sand and wept with JOY.
After little more eXertion, and when
the signs of life had become quite GER
tain, the two victims were removed to
their own home, where in due time they
became thoroughly alive again.
| In week they were both out and about
again, the only difference being that they
were little paler than before, and that
| Ralph had become less certain that what
he had formerly c.lled superstitions were
altogether without foundations.
Strange to say, the shivering sand new
or appeared again; but in the place where
it had been, there is now steep-edged
pool, where boats and smacks lie as in a
dock. TO show their gratitu6e 70 the two
victims who had rid them of the evil
thing, the villagers had painting of
Ralph's sinking executed, and hung in
their little town hall, where 1t hangs to
this day, the glory and pride of the good
folks OF Morlaix.