The Newtown bee., 1879-07-16

ruin of her bonnet. And how any modern little girl with half dozen hats to the season would havelaughed at her, l to be sure.
 She did feel lump rising in her throat as she SEW the feathery leaves hanging limp" like a hens tail in the rain,n she thought-but the money ; 1 how was that to be taken safely to town? l She dared not venture back lest the man had only pretended to run away, nor did | she dare climb up into the road for the same reason. Could she go under the 1 bridge? The water was not deep, not up to her knees; but the bridge was dark and low. She would have to crawl through with the help of only one hand, while in the other she held the letter. | Dru shuddered.
 "1f there's snakes there overhead I should be awful scared.' Then she remembered the path made through the Red Sea, and pondered
 II don't see why my fathers house ain't of just as much consequence to him and his folks as the Israelites' things were to them. I'm agoin to pray for ClllS b1Ooh to uiy up ao liltt CdH get through"
 No sooner said than done; though. mind you, Dru didn't say anything aloud-the man might be listening. just just as she was. She shut her eyes tight, and clasped both hands over the letter, and prayed:
 "Oh, Lordi make..the dark and dread fnl brook as dry as the Israelites found the Red Sea, 'cause my fathers house would be sold if I couldn't get the money in this letter into the postoffice to day. Amen"
 Dru hurried the last part, finding her. self beginning to cry; but she opened her eyes a little bit at a time, dreading, while she hoped, to see an immediate answer. But mol the brook flowed on as calmly as ever and as deep.
 Dru's first feeling was relief, her next. disappointment. and, it must be con fessed, sense of injury, as if she had not been as well worth notice as the ancient Jews had been.
 Then, with a swelling heart and def mt face, she thought:
 "Im agoin' through, anyhow"
 Pecping cautiously around to lear'' if the "old trav'ler" was in sight, she crept out from behind the big stone where she had hidden, and began her tedious journey under the bridge.
 It was wet, surely, but the water was warm, for the current set from the far rther side where the sun was shining. No snakes appeared to terrify, or be terrified by the odd-enough sight of a limp pink bonnet and dirty white dress bobbing up and down in that place. Dru's feet were not tender, and she made very good progress. As she neared the end of the bridge she heard hurried trampling, and her heart stood still for moment; but it. was only cows hastening down from the hot pas ture to drink.
 As they dipped their noses. taking in long, deep draughts without breathing, Dru thankfully murmured: I'm glad my prayer wasn't answered. I could get through, and the cows were so dry" .... ...
 When she suddenly appeared before them, however, it was their turn to draw back, afraid, but Dru said, softly:
 "Poor Moody! co-boss! co boss! CO., bossr'
 Reassured, they bent down their heads to drink again.
 As for Dru, she gave one eager look backward as she quilted the protecting bridge -one long look across the pasture toward Deacon Jones'-and, finding the coast apparently clear, she ran again, feeling that the dreadful man was be- hind, yet knowing he was not.
 She was breathless when she knocked at the deacon's door, and to his wonder ing question, "What little drowned rat is thisP" she could only gasp out:
 -silla-J ane-Ide
 Then she held up the letter and burst out crying.
 "Come here, mother!' cried the alarmed deacon.
 Presently kind Mrs. Joneshad changed Dru's wet clothing for dry wraps, had made her drink a bowl of ginger tea, so hot it almost choked her, and given her to eat no less than six seed cakes By that time, the deacon brought the shay" to the front door to take the important letter to the office himself. Afterward, he carried Dru home in state
 When her mother had heard the story, and looked in her little girls face for any sign of fever or other hurt from the trial she had gone through, and found nothing wrong, she kissed Dru and called her "her faithful child. .'-& Nicholas.