The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-08-25

2 Auntc. never lear Pefll1p5 the
ship got lost in storm Ifhe Is
E living YOU viii surely hear from him
: Do not think him untrue"
: My child, / will never hear from
: him again, never, never, never
f Please do not broach this subject
2 again, dear Rosa. It is very painful
: to me"
: Il viii not, dear Auntie, if you dc
| not wish it.
This is the first time that my heart
had ever been open TO any one and
) Rosa's violet ewes that were raised
to my face in heartfelt sympathy
fully repaid me for the secriticc ot
my feelings. We sat for some time
in silence-Rosa's golden curls rest
ing on my shoulder.
Presently | said, Let Us go home,
Rosa, tits too warm to remain here. .
rs We walked back to the cottage
Rosa's assuring words, He viii
come back some time, Auntie. never
lear, = We're constantly inmv memory.
1 began to think Rosa a little proph-
etess, sent to reveal some great han
piness in store for me. But week
after week passed away and he did
not come back, and / once more fell
into the old state of doubt. Thus
passed away six months.
One afternoon Rosa and myself
went to take Il walk, she with her
flower basket and | with my book.
I We had wandered farther away than
usual, and were standing on the
outskirts of q thick woodland. adj
miring the sublime scenery which
/ surrounded us when Rosa, who had
loaded her basket with flowers OF
which she was passionatey fond,
exclaimed: "Oh, Auntie, how |
should love TO have some ferns to
put with my flowers. / know that
/ 1 can get some in those woods. Just
see that lovely work Could anything
be prcttier? Ifyou are tired YOU can
rest while ! search for ferns No, |
am not afraid she said as | was
about 70 rcmonstrate. do you see
this path? Oh, how cool and pleasant:
Come on, Auntie, and sit on this
lovely spot while / am gone. | shall
be back in few minutes, SAID she,
taking out her tiny watch to ascer-
tain the hour. It was Of no use for
me to object. | knew that there was
nothing to fear, and telling her to
be careful not to get lost, | sat down
upon a messy log and began reading
my book. / was soon so absorbed
in its contents that ] forgot every
thing except the narration which ]
was reading. Suddenly ! rcmember-
cd where | was, and looking up /
saw that the sun had gone down.
Then / remembered Rosa. / became
very uneasy and did not know where
to look for her. ran along the
path, calling her by her name, but
no response was made TO my call.
/ On and on, | almost flew. Wild
/ fancies rushed through my brain.
Could Rosa have wandered into the
[ deep recesses of the fogest? Was she
lost? Oh, what had become OF my
dear little Rosa? | began to look
around me, and saw that the path
led along Il ridge To my right there
was a dark ravine. On each side of
: this ravine the perpendicular heights
were rocks-large massive rocks,
covered with moss and Ovcrhanging
with fcrns-Rosa's coveted ferns. As
my eyes took in the scene, | thought
/ that perhaps she had tried IS secure
the ferns and probably was at that
time living dead in the damp, dark
bed below. While these thoughts
were flashing through my mind, !
saw short distance ahead OF me
Rosa's hat; it was lying top down
ward, and on a nearer approach, /
saw that ii contained a quantity Of
ferns. The path here was very close
to the ovcrhanging rocks. Stepping
aside came very near losing my
balance. 4 jutting rock tipped but,
| stepped backwards soon enough
to prevent it from falling with me.
into the darkness below. Pecring
down | could distinguish the form
Of Rosa lyin2 pale and apparently
lifeless. i Young gentleman was
bending over her wiping her face
with handkerchief, which he had
damDened with water
"Oh, tellmc, ! said. is the young
lady hurt p
She has had dreadful fall, Miss
Bradford and ! recognized the
voice of Guy Osten, but do not
think she is seriously hurt"
He then told me / should be very
careful how | stepped, lest some of
the loose stones should roll down.
If you viii follow the path
short distance YOU will see q rude
way of dUconding. =
| went as directed and saw indeed
4 rude path, every moment seemed
more perilous, and every step taken
seemed bringing me nearer 10 dan
gcrous fall. ! reached the foot Of
thedescentin safety, and joined Guy.
who was waiting to direct me 10 the
scene OF accident.
Il suppose, Miss Bradford. that
this Is your niece. You know tnat
| have Just returned from n long
Journey abroad, and though ! had
heard of your niece being with you,
| had not as vet the pleasure OF
forming an acquaintance. How sad
10 meet her under such circumstan-
ccs.n
He then told me that he and a
friend who was visiting him were
out hunting, when they saw Rosa's
hat and ferns, and the next instant
saw herself disappear over the rocks.
They ran to her Immediately, but
she was unconscious. He had dis
patched his friend for help, while he
himself had remained in the hope Of
resuscitating her; all his efforts, how
ever, had been in vain.
What sight met my gaze when |
drew near to the spot where Rosa
had fallen. There she lay with a
face as white as marble, her small
white hands torn and bleeding, while