Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-11-28
inc progress towards convalescence but

good health, they solicited favors OF no
one, and with blinded eyes, and we'll
nigh unthankful hearts. they lived for
themselves only.
One afternoon, Adam Rawley had just
partaken of q very comfortable tea
which his wife had prepared for him.
Poor Mrs. Higgins pale and anxious
face, which he caught sight of as she
returned from her scanty marketing,
had by no means disturbed his enjoy
ment of it, and with the same unmind-
fitness regarding the wants of others,
he prepared to set out for his work
again.
you'll about have time to shell the
peas and get the supper on afore I'm
back" were his parting words to his
helpmeet, and with no thought beyond
the present the speaker started.
The following quarter OF an hour was
passed in fetching the horse and cart
from Farmer Kirby's. Then Adam
filed his cart with the collection of
rubbish, and leading old Derry by the
bride, proceeded leisurely in the direc-
ton of the chalk-pits.
Steadily and quietly the willing ami
NAL plodded on, passed the lime cot
tages, down the curve OF the road, to
within few feet of the deep hollow in
which the load he was carrying was to
be deposited.
But suddenly loud "Whoa !" ac-
companied by tug at the reins. an
nounced that something was wrong /;
but this failed to rectify matters, for
the horse, suddenly checked at the mo-
ment of stepping, was unable to recover
his footing, and, after one or two inef-
fectual attempts, his knees doubled
under him, and down he went.
Then began struggling and scuffiing.
as Adam exerted all his strength to get
Derry to his feet; but the ground,
which was composed of loose sand, was
unfavorable for this purpose, and the
horses struggles brought him nearer to
the pits edge. In bewildered dismay,
the old man gazed affrighted around, as
he endeavored to pull the animal back.
In vain he shouted and called for
help. No living creature was visible
and no sound broke the stiffness as his
agonized tones died away without re-
| Spouse. ,."
"Shell be over as sure as fate and
drag me in," he gasped, frantically,
feeling his strength failing with each
plunge of the horse. While large beads
of perspiration stood on his intensely
puckered face, his thoughts flew to old
Deborah, who was sitting in her kitchen
calmly Smelling fine gathering of mar
rowfats, little guessing the peril just
then happening to her husband within
short distance from her dwelling.
Having finished, she rose from her
seat as some one hastily passed her open
door, and, in another moment, she
heard Mrs. Higgins eldest girl explain
ing something to her mother.
;"What have they got to talk about
me for?" she murmured, somewhat
grufay, as proceeding to the door, she
was going to close it i; but her attention
was arrested by what appeared to be
the outpouring Of all her neighbors, as
though moved by one mind, they rushed
in the direction of the chalk pit.
Mrs. Higgins alone stood stationary,
and her countenance paled when she
saw the look of fear that overspread
old Deborah's face as she inquired:
"What's the matter-what's they all
gone down there for?"
ooh. Mrs. Rawley, don't be fright
ened the horse has fallen down and
your husband cannot get up again--and
we"
Her listener stayed to hear no more
with wild scream she ran off, and
reached the scene of the accident just
as, with an awful crash, the horse van
ished over the pits mouth, dragging
along with him old Adam.
The half howl, half shrek, which
broke from his wife's lips, long rang in
the ears of those who heard it.
"My Adam my Adam oh, let me
get to him !" and had it not been for
kind but vigorous arms, the poor Great
ure would have thrown herself into the
pit in her agony.
Nay, stay yc here he'll be. all
right"
But as the soothing words were spoken
the speakers looked around with Devil.
dered faces, as they saw no possible way
of making good their promise, for, to
use their own expression, "the men u
were all away.
Not man was within call the cot
tages were peopled by women and chill
dren at this hour of the evening, the
bread-winners being away in the fields.
If he's alive now, he'll be kicked to
death before he can be got out" walled
Deborah, as the horse gave restless
plunge, and once more she made des-
perate efforts to reach her husband.
All unkind behaviors and past .disa-
greements were forgotten by the poor
woman's neighbors as they wound their
arms strongly about her, striving by
word and deed to moderate her anguish.
"Oh, if the men would only come y
and springing on high railing, Mrs.
4 Keen-who had already sent her chill
dren screaming off ~ all directions in
search of them-lodked Wildly towards
the fields, as she waved her handker-
chief high above her head and shouted
franticaliy for help.
How slowly those moments of never
to-be-forgotten agony cscpt by, IS bend
ing over the pits edge, Mrs. RswleS
listened for any sign or sound to de.
note that her husband was living; but
only the plunging of the horse was to
be heard, and, in the violence OF Yer
| sorrow, the distressed woman MIGHT