The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-05-15
Mrs. Freeman. ""rwould be like an in
YasiOn of spiders.

There was another lntcreStln., COnVcrSa-
ton the next Sunday in MabePs class. The
subject was the making Of sacrifice for
others. "Boys," said Mabel, "I want you
to tell me some way in which we can give
others proof Of our love for them2"
Jimmy Puff, the avenue to whose finest
susceptibiities seemed to run through his
appetite, thought it might be to let some
body else have "thc last piece of pic"
rod and line, thought it might be to give
'anothcr fcller the best chances for bites"
They kept on making their guesscs, low or
high, according to the standard Of their
daily culture.
"Now tell me-" said Mabel, "what sacri-
flee you think would be the grcatcst2"
TOMS soul felt the pressure of MabcPs
influence. She was touching the deepest
finest keys Of his being.
81 s'pose, teacher, it is what you read
about last Sunday, when you spoke OF Him
who laid down His life for His enemies."
cit would be hard to do that for friends
evcnj sometimes, Tom" --..,.
Tom said nothing. He looked up with
an honest admiration in his eyes, and
thought it might ec silly be done for some.
a third interesting conversation took
place few days after Mr.. Freeman and
Mabel were walking down a road leading to
Long Bridge. 1t crossed wide pond. The
pond had once been used for picnic purpo-
scs extensively. Pleasure parties had de-
serted it for more fashionable resorts, and
the bridge had been left to the ,yentlc decay
of old age. The floor timbcrs were weak.
The railing was still weaker. Mr.. Freeman
and Mabel were so absorbed in something
he was saying that they did not observe the
warning with which tho entrance TO the
bridge was placarded.
"Nabcl, want to have talk with you.
I suppose you do not remember further
back than tho age of four.
Mabel did not rccollect
81 have confession to make Dear to
Inc rs if you were my own daughter, it may
startlc you to know that you are not. Per-
haps you have suspected that. Have you2"
Just flush of Mabcl's agitatcd features
told MIR. Freeman that she had had her
suspicious. Then the color went like the
glow of a fire vanishing from a window
pane, leaving as little trace on her white
face.
'Aftcr our long resi- idencc in Europe, we
chance to have come back into the neigh
borhood that was your carly home, and we
arc near the family from whom / received
and adopted you."
Mabel was now looking up to Mr.. Free
man with most anxious gaze of inquiry.
The glow of the fire within came again to
her face. She stood lcanin,. against the
railing of the bridge
'Don't lean Oh that railing!h
1t was cry of warning from some one
hurrying along the bridge. The cry came
too late. The railing had already began to
crack, and it abruptly broke, letting Mabel
down into the deep, dark waters. To
Mr.. Freeman, who was struck with amaze
mcnt and astonished into helplessness, it
seemed only the lapse Of a moment when
some one rushed swiftly to the gap and
plunged down into the water. When he
came to the surface, bringing Mabel with
him, Mr.. Freeman saw that it was 'Barb'ry
Tom"
''Quick, sir" gaspcd Tom. clean over
and--pick her up-when-I get to-that
pile of the bridget" 49,.
The pile nearest Tom was soon reached.
Tom clung to it with one arm, and sup
ported Mabel with the other Mr.. Free
man acted like one stricken with q night,
mare. He recovered, however,. his self
possession sufficient to reach one arm down
toward Mabel, almost touching her
'Try hard, sir. DO! do" was TOMS
appeal.
MIR. Freeman tried and failed again.
What could he do2 Hc looked about him,
and saw where timber ran under the
bridge; and if he could reach it he could
reach Mabel. He frantically worked at a
plank in the flooring of tho bridge, dis
placed it, and, lowering himself, reached
tho timber. lie heard an ugly splash
Tom and Mabel both had disappeared.
Tom, in trying to make his hold on, the
bridge more secure, had lost that hold and
lost Mabel. In moment up came Tom
again, still clinging to Mabel. Mr. Free
man could see that Tom was much exhaust
ed but he struggled for the bridge and
reached pile once more. Mr.. Freeman
now graspcd Mabel and drew her up to his
own position. Hc saw the light of great,
triumphant joy in TOMS face; and then,
like the light of torch, it was quenchcd rs
the face sank under the water. Mr.
Freeman hardly realized all this at the time !;
but aftcrward he remembered each detail
He lifted Mabel to the bridge and carried
her to a grove near by.
ooh help help he shouted to some
men that passed. 81 can't swim and there's
a boy drowningl" The mon searched and
found Tom. They carried his body to Mr.
Freeman's house but all attempts at resus-
citation were fruitless, and everything was
then made ready for the grave.
81 want to sec him." said Mabel, who
had come out Of tho chamber whittier she
had been led, her face white, sweet and
pure, as q lily rescued from tho drowning
waters Of the pond. Mr.. Freeman led her
into the room where Tom lay In the hush
Of death. He raised the lowered gas-light,
turned back the sheet and took off tho white
face cloth. The triumph that Mr.. Freeman
saw in Toms face just, before sinking still
fingered in his features though softened
now, like the pale lustre shed from a golden
crown held above his head. ...
Mabel thought of tho conversation upon
sacrifice in tho Sunday school class, and
burst into q fit of violent weeping,
tsMabel, +" said Mr. Freeman, J"I did not
finch our conversation this afternoon about
your relatives Barb'ry Tom was your
brother!"& {S M y
4 H. ~