Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1878-09-06

uoIe, Uub uOu DC aITalu. here, IN
not cold, take my coat, and I'll tie our
handkerchiefs round your feet. There,
lean on me, now. We must hold on to
the rock, you know, or we might tum-
BILE. Now let's both scream fhelp' as
loud as we can. May be some one will
hear us and come"
But though we shouted till we were
hoarse, the only answering voices we're
those of the roaring wind and the wild
sea water"
1t was quite dark now. I could see
nothing as 1 clung there, half sitting.
half lying, with my face on Georgie's
shoulder. Strangely vivid were the
pictures that passed before my closed
eyes. saw my pretty nursery, with
the clear lamplight falling on the pic
tured walls and the little white beds;
1 saw my mother seated by the fire,
with the baby in her arms, and heard
her low, sweet voice singing:
'Sleep, baby, sleep,
Thy father watches the sheep!"
1 saw my father, laughing and frolick-
ing with my little brothers, as his wont
was on leisure evening. How longed
to be among them. Then my hair,
blowing across my eyes, blotted out the
pleasant picture, and the ,hoarse shout
ing of the sea drove the sweet cradle
song from my ears.
Georges voice stopped my weary
sobbing. "Allie," he said, softly,
''mamma told me that true knights
prayed for help when they were fight
ing. So shall ask God to help us now.
1 think He will"
Then, clear and soft, amid the roar
ing of the storm, arose the childish voice
repeating his evening prayer:
"Now lay me down to sleep,
1 pray the Lord my soul to keep!
III should die before wake,
pray the Lord my soul to take"
I felt little quieter when he had
finished. Georgie's strong, sweet faith
strengthened me unawares, and invol-
UNFAIRLY I repeated the little prayer
after him. Then we were silent
for a long time. 1 was strange
ly weak and weary. The fear
of death was gone now; I thought no
more of even my mother. I think 1 was
fast lapsing into Inconsistencies when
Georgie's voice half aroused me. "Allie!
Allie |" he cried. "Wake up You
are slipping down Oh, Allie, dear, do
try to get up! You'll be drowned +"
But even this failed to arouse me from
the stupor into which 1 had fallen. I
felt myself slipping from my seat. AL
ready my feet were in the icy water, and
the spray was dashing about my face.
heard George call me once again, felt
my hands firmly grasped in his, and
then knew nothing more.
"Alice, dear little Alice |" I opened
my eyes at the words. Somebody's arms
were about me; warm tears were falling
on my head, and the scent of roses was
in the air. Where was Ip Was this
my own little bed, with it's snowy cur
tains and soft, fresh pillows2 Was Baby
Robin lying beside me, stroking my
cheek with his tiny hand2 I was not
dead, then? Where were the water and
the cold sea-weed? A kiss fell on my
forehead, and voice murmured soft
love-words in my ear. "Allie my little
girl Mammals darlingl"
Then [ raised my head and looked
straight into my mothers sweet, fearful
eyes. Mamma" I said, throwing my
arms around her neck, "Oh, mamma, [
was so afraid I wanted you so p
But you are safe, Allie, now. Lie
down again, dear. You are weak yet
So I lay back on the soft pillow with
a feeling of rest and content in my
heart, such as had never been there be-
fore. cared to ask no questions. 1t
was enough that I was safe, with my
mother beside my bed and the early sun
beams Pickering on the wall opposite.
1t was long time before 1 thought
of even George. When asked for him
mammals eyes filled with tears. "Dear
Allie" she said, "Georgie saved your
life. Ny little girl would have been
taken away from me, but for him. He
caught you when you slipped, and, tired
as he was, held you up till help came.
He tainted as soon as papa took him in.
to the boat. We thought you were both
dead !" Her voice broke in a sob, and
she clasped me closer in her arms. "He
is better now," she went on. "Allie,
we must never forget his courage.
Thank God, he was with you p
Mamma, oh mamma |" I cried, "he
said he was trying to be like Saint
George. Isn't he like him? He saved
me, and he prayed there in the dark
and, oh mamma, love him so for it p
eyes, Allie" answered my mother,
"not one of the old knights was braver
than ours, and not one of all the saints
did better service in the sight of God
than our little Saint George last night. "
st. Nicholas.