The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1880-09-09
string broke, an the kite was carried
awav. an stuck fast in the branches OF Ia


awa7. an stuck fast in the branches OF
Jlg tree behind the proprlctor's mouse.
| looked over az the clock TO see how
much time was left me. an / found that
| could not see the hanos any longer I;
The darkness had come on in the last
few minutes. Then ] gave up all hope,
for knew / could never hold on till
morning.
l tried to think Of death, an TO make
myself ready for it, but l couidn't-not
n prayer nor a good word could l call
to mind, only going over an over again
in my head the way 'twould all happ,n n
how the people would go away one
by one, how I'd be left alone in the
darkness and the howlirg wind, an
how at last I'd rot be able to hold on
longer, an fall, an be found in the
morning all crushed out of shape. The
people below seemed 10 have given up
all thought of helping me now, an
were standing quite quiet.
Twas SO dark by this time that l
could not distinguish the faces at all;
! could Just make out Squire Philip in
his dark suit among tbs white mil.
mon, an poor Katie. She was crouch
ing down on the ground now, her apron
over her head. All of a sudden / saw
her leap up with a great cry, an clip
her hands, an call out something. Then
there WAS q confused sort of shout. as If
every one in the crowd was saying the
same thing at the same time, an then
Squire Philip, making sign to 81 ence
them, put his two hands up to his
mouth, an sang out in voice that came
up to me above the noise of the wind:
"Take of your stocking and ravel it;
the thread will reach the ground"
At first didn't understand him. being
da2ed like, but then the meaning came
on ne like message from heaven. i
got off one of my socks with some
trouble-nice new ones thy were, too,
of Katie's own knitting, that she had
given me- for Christmas boX-an' with
the help of my teeth l loosened one end
Of the thread. 1t gave readily enough
after that, an when l had god piece
of it ripped | tied my knife to the end
OF it TO make ii heavy, an let it drop,
ripping more an more Of the sock as it
went down. Then | felt it stop, aH'
presently there came shout telling me
to wind it up again. Very slowly an
carefully l did it, fearing the string
would lceak, an VIII u he last bit of it
came up, there was piece of strong
twfRe tied to the end of it. The twipe
in its tufa brought the rope l had gone
I'D by, an then felt that l was safe.
l managed somehow to put it through
the pulley, an to haul up the plank and
as soon as they had fastened the other
end to the windlass below, they gave me
the word to come down.
Twas 80 numb an stff that | could
not fix myself on the plank, but man
aged somehow to cling to the ropes with
my hands. Down, down l came, every
turn of the windlass making the voices
below seem nearer an nearer, an when
| was within few feet of the ground
there were dozen pairs OF arms ready
to catch me, an score of hands held
out to me, an a hundred voices to well
come me. An there was my father
waiting for me, an Philip saying:
"But for the girl he'd have been up
there still. Not one of us would have
thought of the stocking; twas the
brightest idea I've come across this
many day. She has saved his life.
Forde, and you can't refuse your con-
sent any longer"
But when l looked round tor Katie,
she was nowhere 10 be seen. She must
have slipped off as soon as she saw l
was safe.
The young squire hurried my father
an me away, l didn't quite know where,
/ was so dazed, but in minute or two l
found myself in warm lighted dining
room at the masters house, an Master
Philip shaking hands with my f'ther.
AS soon as could, l made my escape,
an went down to Katie's cottage. l
hadn't been there FIVE minutes when
there was knock nj the door, and in
walks my father. He went straight up
to Katie, holding out his hand.
Katie, my girl" he said, I've come
to ask your pardon for anything I've
ever said or done against you, an if you
an Jim are still of the same mind l
won't hinder you from marrying. Tis
YOU have the best right to him, for
you've saved his lite"
"And It's proud an glad / am that !
was able to do that same, Mr.. Forde,"
said Katie.
"And you'll marry him, won't you,
my dearP"
"It you're satisfied, SIR"
"I am, my dear, quite satisfied"
And with that he kissed her; and
from that day to this, he and Katie have
been the best of friends. He lives with
us for the last year or 30, for he was get
ting little past his work. an the pro-
prietor pensioned him off. He is very
happy with US, an he is never tired OF
telling the children the story Of the way
that tlleir mothers cleverness saved my
life.
The Razor Clam.
When the tide is out, one may find
the razor fish, so called because the
shell resembles the handle of razor