Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-09-01

ness she could not control overcame her.
the sense of hearing was, for the moment,
gone, ana, when she recovered, the
voices were no longer near.
She could not in the present frame of
mind meet the sister who had stolen
away her priceless treasure, for in her
bitterest moments, Alice exonerated her
lover from blame. Her own pride and
her sisters schcming had, she was sure.
done all the mischief.
Marlpits, where Colonel Pentwell and
his daughter resided, was town of COM
paratively modern growth, situated in a
wide deep valley, many Of the houses be-
ing built on the side of the hills.
Among its peculiarities was the reser-
voir for supplying the town with water
large circular mound on a hill, origin
ally above the town, thoagh the houses
were now creeping up to it.
There had lately been ominous ruomos
ct the Insecurity OF. the reservoir. some
said the side nearest the town was giving
way; that the severe trosts of the past
winters had damaged the stone and
earthworks, and there were many who
predicted that one fine morning would
find the town drowned.
1t WIS Sunday, and rs Colonel Pentwell
and his two daughters entered the church
they regularly attended, a ray of sunlight
tell upon the OH soldiers white hair,
and lighted UP his youngest daughters
pretty face, Oh which the expression of
pride had given place to a look OF hum
bic faith and resignation such as it had
never worn before. n
She had at that moment forgotten
George Ashbury and the love so lightly
transferred; bad forgotten her sister; al
that troubled and oppressed her. So
complete was her abstraction, that it was
almost with start OF pain she heard
George Ashbury speak to her, and hest
tated while he took her listless hand
The Colonel invited his intended SON
ln-law to return to dinner with them as
usual, and the party went home, George
walking as was his custom, by Alice's
side; but their was constraint felt by
both. 1fAlice had not heard those words
in the garden. all might have been well,
for George already repented his apostasy
and desired to return to his old allegiance
Awkwardly and painfully the day pass
ed with them all. They had scarcely
reached home when storm, unequaled
in violence tor years past, burst over the
town. Lightning and thunder flashed
and pealed incessantiy; the rain fell in
sheets rather than in showers; the wind
howled and dashed itself against houses
churches and public buildings, as though
on mission Of destruction George enc
Alice set apart, each with a book before
them, bur ever and anon glancing up al
the furious clements, till reading became
nothing but pretense.
Still TIE etorm RACES without. the
streets are flooded, and the water rushes
down them in streams.
family retired for the night-a feeling Of
subdued anxiety, feeling of coming
misfortune, upon them all.
1t must have been past midnight Mher
the sleepers were awakened by the house
rocking as though shaken from its foun
dation.
George Ashbury, who had remained
for the night, had scarcely slipped OF
some clothing, when woman's shriel
rose above the roar of the water, and ht
ran out of his room, to be met almost a
the door by the Colone, and Alica, who
were hurrying to the room whence tht
scream proceeded.
With word or two of concern an(
wonder, he followed them, to Mrs. Lay
tons apartment. AS they opened thu
door, the light was extinguished by /,
gust of wind; yet, for an instant, it hae
revealed an open window, and whit,
figure standing near it.
The noise had ceased, and before an
other light could be obtained, the room
was filled with rush of water. Crop
ing in the dark, George managed to dras
the old man and Alice from the place
then tried again to get light, and return
to rescue Mrs. Layton, but her room beins
half flight OF stairs lower than any o
the other bedrooms Of the house, the opel
window had admitted tn /, rushing torren
OF water without resistance, and now tn
room was filled, the furniture floating, til,
water pouring down the stairs, and join
| ing the accumulation in the lower rooms
but not trace Of the figure seen for
moment at the window, was discernible
1t was terrible morning for the inhab
itants of Maripits, one to be remembered
| for many year. Men, women ant
children were among the drowned, Mr.
Layton one of the number; the rush O
water had swept her off as she stood b
the open window.
Her remains were found more than
quarter of mile from the house. Sh
was dead now. Size had once been to
dear for either Alice or George to spea
aught of reproach against her memory
Once more are their hands lovingl
clasped as they look upon the visage nov
so calm and still in its cold and motion
less repose. A silent, but mutual, com
pact was sailed between them in tina
presence, which, when living, would hav
separated them. The fckleness an
enlargement would be buried with If
cause.