Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-12-20

circle nearer TO their feet.
"Tbey can't hold on there much !
longer" muttered one big fellow ut
last, desperately pushing out a stick. |
Hal grasped wildly for 1t; it was too
short.
But bark! There was another skate
ringl A little figure in wide trousers
was coming upi Help, GallowsesT'
gasped Sam. The brown eyes took one
sweep over the black, widening gulf
and then, jacket in hand, Gallowses
crept toward it. One long vicious
snarl rang across the ice; Miss Judy's
boy stopped, and holding the jacket by
one wrist, flung out the other toward
Sam. But an arms length still lay be-
tween!
Then something else came flashing
off Gallowses' shoulders-long, red,
white and dangling. His gallowses!
His gahowses! He's tying them to his
sleever and the huddled figures held
their breath, but at lasta shout rose up:
"Comingi Coming! He'll fetch him!
Hurrahr and half-frozen, trembling
and livid with fright, Sam came crawl
ing on firm icei
But another piercing cry broke in,
and Halls eyes met the shouters' in an
agony of appeal.
He's losing hold! Save my boy
too!n groaned the Squire; and Gallow-
ses took one more sweeping look at
Halls corner of the hungry-looking
hole How thin and black the ice wasl
How the current underneath dragged at
anything it carried through! But once
more he crawled swiftly toward the
| l.
to throw to Hal, but the thin ice snarled
and bent. 1t would never hold them
both
"Throw me a line from the sleigh"
Trembling hands obeyed Tying one
end to what he held, he flung back the
other toward thicker ice.
"Catch it, some of your and then
he threw jacket-sleeve to Hal. He
grasped stiffly at it; could he hold it?
Yes; and with one desperate struggle
for life, he gained the ice. 1t bent and
snapped, but they were dragging st the
other end-dragging bravely now. He
was safe--but another cry rose up! The
thin shelf of ice that broke as Hal
climbed up, was all that had held Gal
lowses from the hungry, rushing stream,
and Miss Judy's boy was out of sight.
"Why, what upon airthP said Dea-
con Bayberry peeping through the mill
window as the cry rose: "Oho! Mis-
chief, and the Squire after 'emr' and
the deacon laughed softly to himself,
set up another psalm-tune, and then
peeped through the window again.
What was that yellow, cleaning thing,
Just taking the smooth leap downward
over the damp Miss Pophurst had
thought about short hair, of late, and
Gallowees' hat had been fitting tight
over crispy, golden curls!
"GingerrT exclaimed the deacon,
and in one instant he was in the water,
ready to meet what he had seen shin
ing, as it came.
When Squire Phillips saw it, few
minutes later, lying before Deacon Bay
berry's little "settin' room fire." his
start would have electrified the deacon,
If thoughts, hands and hot blankets had
not been busy with Gallowses. 1t
seemed the very same delicate, clear
cut face, the same golden head, housed
to stand worshipfully over when he
came home from sea, twenty years ago!
"Who Is the child?'' he asked, almost
fiercely.
Gallowses," answered Bob Aylmer
You-r' began the Squire, but
the deacon interrupted: "Here! take
that gew-gaw off; it henders;' and the
Squire drew a blue ribbon from Gal
, lowses' neck. What was that bright
thing hanging from it? A locketP Had
not the Squire seen that locket before
He had it open at last; fair face looked
yearnihgly forth, and the Squire gave
al u h. 4
everything this time. "Nelly! my own
lost Nelly! knew had lost her, but
have killed her tooP" The Deacon
turned to the bed again. The Lord
was working the 'Squire-Hallelujah!
but his business was with Gallowses;
and in another hour the brown eyes
were peacefully following him as he
went in and out, finishing the psalm
tune began in the mill. Suddenly the
Deacon shot a look back into them
again.
Did you think that there corn-husk
thickness of ice was going to hold you
and Hal at the same mortal minute of
timeP" he asked.
A faint smile passed over Gallowses'
face.
THAT was nothing; and 1 was to be
good and brave tor her Sake.n'
: "For whose sake? Whose child are
youP What's you name?" broke in the
Squire.
For hers! And nv name is Phil;
that was for my grandfather; Philip
Phillips was his name, but he was lost
long ago"
You" began the Squire again,
} and then snatching the little figure out
: of the Deacon's blankets and shawls,
, he held it in his strong arms, sobbing
like baby with his face held softly
, against Gallowses' curls.
Miss Pophurst's door was locked
that afternoon, for she had gone three
miles away: but when she returned,
with little dive into her pocket, for the
key there stood the Squire, pacing the
doorstep with his quarterback tread.
J "Miss Pophurst! l must have that
} boy of yours! He's minen' but Miss
J Judith's eyes flashed lightning.
, "Never! When the Lord said that,
1 gave him Tom; but do you think
| qOu-r
"No," said the Squire, in a voice
J that made Miss Pophurst start; it was
so strangely gentle and low, and yet
J she felt it ruling her like a rod oi
, iron. "Come up to my house and live
if you will; it needs you; but there the
} boy must ber' Isabella T. Hopkins, IN
Sunday afternoon,