Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-09-30
TERMS 2.oo PER YEAR
WHOLE NO. 1856.

ing the roofs off of the houses an,
deluging them with wild waves.
have been walking rapidly toward
the Murrays', but suddenly a though
strikes me, and | turn. The Hal
Moonn say with cold lips. On
beyond the Myrtles, toward the sea
| see a faint glimmer of gray rock.
edged on one side with foam
They are in shape like half moon
and are favorite spot for adventur,
GUS children of all ages. Only this
morning Alice told me of her deter.
mination to search there to-day for
shells. Could she have fallen asleep
there | grope in the darkness, and
find that the narrow bridge of rocks
is still dry. The waves have not
yet eneroaohed so high. One mo-
ment | hesitate and look back TO the
cleaning windows. If / cross, this
path too may be covered Have
you a good hearth The question
seems to mock me. With a prayer
rushing p to God, l step on the
rocks and pass over.
'Alics!' l cry, alice I TEEN
stumble and grope about the rocks,
feeling everywhere, but feeling only
olinging seaweed, and shells that cut
my hands.
Alice, Alice | cry, in agony.
Alice and my own sharp gasp
irlghtens me. She is not here. Oh,
it is so dark | alice = once more,
and the sobs of the surging water
seem to beat on my brain. Then
sink trembling on the wet rocks.
pass my hand over them with
chill at my heart. In vaiap l
think. Oh, Alice. l must die, in
vain 7
Then, with a great effort, l crawl
out towards the bridge of rocks. 1t
is black and dim above, around and
everywhere. l step out bIindly. My
feet go down, down through the
pulsing water. Now it reaches my
knees, now my waist, then sudden
rush OF salt waves over my head
and face wakes me from the dumb
despair overpowering my senses. In
the darkness | Chamber, l know not
how, back to the Half Moon, and
up to its highest point. Here l
watch the line of foam creeping,
creeping up, with its awful musical
murmur. To die here alone, in the
dark grow frantic. l have lost
all idea of locality and as / lean
over the steep edge of the rocks, |
cannot tell whether the awful black
gulf below me leads down into the
depths of the cruel sea, or whether,
under that curling foam, some.
where, the path back to the Myrtles
lies hidden. | am alone-on a spot
of slippery rocB-with the foam
wreaths entwining my feet, and
around me the world, black and
drowned. All this while the wind
has heen tugging at mo, and some.
times it smltes ne till 1 fall on my
knees, and then again II pauses /;
I%ih ;.sr taahs iJaseGs ssem falling with /
crash, and flashes of CHASTITY light
show me the awful tomb awaiting
me.
sob, AllieP l cry, shrilly. Allie,
| am dying =
Il am coming to your | hear it |
above the roar of the hungry waves
and the booming of the sky.
Il am coming to your L. Is a
mans voice, strong and hearty; |
and the blood leaps back to my |
heart and my cheeks.
Are you on the Half Moon p
Yes cry back, painting
| am standing erect, and the
water is at my waist, and creeping
higher. [ feel my head reelng, but |
L make a wild effort to keep it |
above the awful foam. A flash |
comes, and see man whirled |
about 10 the boiling waves.
ooh, the sharp rocksl' / sob, Then |
there passes en- awful age, duri g
which the water reaches my shout. |
u0io, ouu my iooS ZIP anu siuo
about the little spot between me
and Eternity. Then Mr.. Mdrray's
arms are about me. My darling
my poor little darling he cries in |
strange, eager voice.
'Put your arms around my neck,
he says, hold on tight. The water
is only to my shoulders across the |
rocks. | can carry you over
His voice sounds fainter and faint
er-further and further off | put
my arms tightly about his neck, and
smile above the waves. Then the
whole world seems to swing of,
leaving me in space, and everything
seems blotted out.
Some one is sobbing. Some one
is saying, ooh, Lotie, Lotie.'
/ wonder dimly who Lotto is
then l become conscious that my