Litchfield enquirer., 1879-07-31
Well, I'd just as soon be drowned as burn up. Come with me to the head of the

unuerStOOu US SignluCance. In few moments cascade shot out over the wheel sending the water far into the garden.
 Right over my chrysanthemum bed l" sigh ed Dorothy.
 The wheel swung slower and slower, the mocking tumult subsided, and the old mill sank into sleep again. .....
 There was nothing now to drown the roar ing of the floods and the steady drive of the storm.
 There's lantern," Shep called from the door, He had opened the upper half, and was shielding himself behind it. II guess it's Evesham coming back for us? He owes us something for drowning us out at the sheep washing" .... ....... .-.
 ''What does all this mean ?" said Dorothy, as Evesham swung himself over the half-door, and his lantern showed them in their various phases of wetness. e6 a
 There's a big leak in the lower dam I've been afraid of it all along; there's something wrong in the principle of the thing"
 Dorothy felt as if he had called her grand father fraud, and her father delusion and a snare. She had grown up in the belief that the mill dams were part of Natures original plan, in laying the foundations of the hills;- but it was no time to be resentful, and the facts were against her. .tt
 Dorothy" said Eveshanl, as he tucked the buffalo about her, ''this is the second time I've tried to save you from drowning, but you nev. CT will wait! I'm all ready to be hero, but you won't be heroine"
 ''I'm too practical for hereine," said Dor othY. ''There! Ive forgotten my chickens. "
 ''Im glad of It! Those chickens were 8 mistake. They oughtn't to be perpetuated."
 Youth and happiness can stand great deal of cold water; but it was not to be expected that Rachel Barton should be especially bene- fitted by her night journey through the floods. Evesham waited in the hall when he heard the door of her room open next morning. Dor othy came slowly down the stairs; he knew by her lingering step and the softly closed door that she was not happy.
 ''Mother is very sick, " she answered his in quiry. 1t is like the turn of inflammation and rheumatism she had once before. It will be very slow,-and oh it is such suffering Why do the best women in the word have to suffer so p
 "Will you let me talk things over with you after breakfast, Dorothy ?"
 do and think about aoish father aoould come home!"
 The tears came into Dorothy's eyes as she looked at him. Rest-such as she had never known, or felt the need of till now-and strength immeasurable, since it would multi. ply her own by an unknown quantity, stood within reach of her hand, but she might not put it out 7! And Evesham was dizzy with the struggle between lonigng and resolution.
 He had braced his nerves for long and hungry waiting, but fatehad yielded sudden ly ;-the floods had brought her to him,-his fotsam and jetsam, more precious than all the guarded treasures of the earth. She had come, with all her girlish, unconscious beguilements lo1I hor nn1x ov1 ;nkSnc He must strive against her sweetness, while he helped her to bear her burdens.
 ''Now about the boys Dorothy" he said two hours later, as they stood together by the fire in the low. oak finished room at the foot of the stairs, which was his office and book room. The door was aiar, so Dorothy might hear her mothers bell. ''Don't you think they had better be sent to school somewhere P
 ''Yes," said Dorothy, they ought to go te school-but-weil,.1 may as well tell thee the truth! There's very little to do it with We've had poor summer. I suppose Eve managed badly, and mother has been sick s good while"
 ''You've forgotten about the pond rent Dorothy"
 ''No," she said, with a quick flush; q hadn't forgotten it but couldn't Gsk thee fol it
 '1 spoke to your father about monthly pay ments; but he said better leave it to accum. late for emergencies. Shouldn't you call this an emergency Dorothy?'
 ''But does thee think we ought to ask ren for pond that has all leaked away?"
 "Oh, there's pond enough left, and I've useC it a dozen times over this summer I would be ashamed to tell you, Dorothy, how my horr has been exalted in your fathers absence However, retribution has oveftaken me at last Pm responsible, you know, for all the damage last night. It was in the agreement that should keep up the dams"
 ''Oh !" said Dorothy; ''is thee sure?"
 Evesham laughed. *.s #. -si ~s.5 s..
 ''If your father were like any other man Dorothy, he'd make me 'sure,' when he get. home! will defend myself to this extent I've patched and propped them all summer after every rain, and tried to provide for the fall storms; but there's flaw in the origina plan"
 .'Thee said that once before," said Dorothy Il wish thee wouldn't say it again !"
 "Why not? ............. s-.... ......
 Because I love those old mill-dams! I've trotted over them ever since l could walk alone v'-
 You shall trot over them still We will make them as strong as the everlasting hills. They shall outlast our time, Dorothy"
 WI ell, dUOut Ilic TCuG, Sdlu nm afraid it will not take us through the winter, unless there is something can do. Mother couldn't possibly be moved now, and if she could, it will be months before the house is fit to live in. But we cannot stay here ir comfort, unless thy mother will let me make up in some way. Mother will not need me all the time, and 1 know thy mother hires wo men to spin."
 HShe'll let you do all you like, if it vii make you any happier. But you don't know how much money is coming to you. Come let us look over the figures
 He lowered the lid of the black mahogany secretary, placed chair for Dorothy, and opened great ledger before her, bending down, with one hand on the back of the chair the other turning the leaves of the ledger. Considering the index, and the position of the letter B in the alphabet, he was long time finding his place. Dorothy looked out of the window, over the tops of the grain. to the gray and turbid river below. Where the hem. locks darkened the channel of the glen, she heard the angry floods rushing down. The fOrmless rain mists hung low. and hid the op. posite shore. 1 sr@
 ''Seep' said Evesham, with his finger wan. dering rather vaguely down the page s'Youl father went away on the third of May The first months rent came due on the third oi ouaC. Il Hat WoS GHo Udy | UpCueu CnC gate and let the water down on you, Dorothy. I'm responsible for everything, you see, e,-even fol the old eve that was drowned p eat
 Ills words came in a dream as he bent over her, resting his unsteady hand heavily on the ledger. ,5 ,a. .tF
 Dorothy laid her cheek on the date she could not see, and burst into tears. @
 'Dont-please don't P he said, straighten ing himself, and locking his hands behind him ''I am human, Dorothy"
 The weeks of Rachels sickness that follow. ed were perhaps the best discipline Evesham's life had ever known. He held the perfect flower of his bliss, unclosing in his hand i; yet he might barely permit himself to breathe its fragrance! His mother had been strong and prosperous woman there was little he could ever do, for her. twas well for him to fee the weight of helpless infirmity in his arms, as he lifted Dorothys mother from side to side oi her bed, while Dorothy's hands smoothed tht coverings. It was well for him to see the pa tient endurance of suffering, such as his youtt and strength deted. It was bliss to wait or Dorothy, and follow her with little watchfu homages, received with shy wonder whicf was delicious to him. flor Dorothy's nineteen ba f,,1I I@f& '.