The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1881-05-10

her face.
"Now for the ferns" said Deb, after
resting for a few minutes.
And Off she ran, now gathering fine
fern, and now rejecting 1t for n finer
one, and going into transports of delight
over each new discovery.
"What beautiful moss on that old
logl' suddenly exclaimed Deb. "Ill
have some of it!u
And off she ran toward the log, and
was kneeling down beside 1t, when,
without a moments warning, except u
faint cracking of breaking logs, down
went Deb, disappearing so suddenly
and noiselessly from mortal view that
= the ground seemed to have opened and
swallowed her up, which it really had
done, since she had fallen into an open
ing in the earth, which had been made
years before by some parties who were
prospecting for coal on the bluff, and
the logs and boards with which they
had covered the treacherous hole had
become so decayed and rotten and withal
so moss grown, that they hid from view
and twenty pounds avoirdupois had
been too much for the weak timbers,
and down she went into a hole at least
twenty feet deep, in about twelve inches
of water.
She was slightly stunned, but not in
the least injured, the boards and logs
under her having lessened the force of
her descent, but the pretty white apron
and clean dress were sadly smeared with
the dirty, stagnant water that had
splashed up all around and over her,
and one of her pretty "Oxford ties" was
missing, and was lying at the bottom of
the pit in mud and water.
Deb's first move was to get out of the
water; and, fortunately for her, she
succeeded in getting on log that had
fallen in such shape that one end was
above the water. She saw that it was
utterly impossible TO get out of the pit
without assistance from above, and
when she remembered she had not told
a soul where she was going, and might
have to remain all night in her uncom-
Portable quarters, she felt like crying,
but was too philosophical young lady
to cry when it could do no earthly good
to do so.
And now we will leave Deb to her
own reflections, while we return to Aunt
Nancy, who is wondering why Deb
don't bring her the eggs, but finally
come to the conclusion that she has
failed to find any, and is romping in the
barn, and therefore goes about her work
unconcerned about her darling's absence,
when, had she known where she was,
we do not think we exaggerate in the
least when we say that she would have
gone at once into Mysteries.
Three, four, and five o'clock come and
go, and it is nearly six now, and no
Deb; when Miss Nancy remarks to
grandma that Deb is gone an unusually
long time, and she thinks it possible
that she has fallen asleep under some
tree in the orchard; she will go and
see.
But neither searching nor loud cries of
Dee. b, - or Deb. o-r-a-h B.a.a-r-low ~
brings to light the truant girl, and Miss
Nancy returns to the house slightly
alarmed now, for the sun is nearly
down, and she feels confident Deb would
not remain willingly away SO long when
there are so many things she intended
doing before night.
AS soon as Nathan comes from work
he is told of Debs unusualIv lono
absence, and he and Miss Nancy at once
begin thorough search of the premises
all the while calling loudly for Deb; but
no reply comes to them from barn OIL
orchard, from garret or cellar, and poor
Nancy comes to the horrible conclusion
that she has been kidnapped by two
tramps whom she saw pass the house in
the afternoon, which conclusion, having
been reached incapacitates poor Miss
Nancy for doing anything but getting
behind the kitchen door with her apron
over her head and sobbing piteously
while poor grandma takes to her bed in
paroxysm of grief.
And now it is long after dark, and tn,
young folks come in, merry and laugh
ing, to the party, and are informed O
Deb's absence, and Miss Nancy's sur
mises, and all the young men proyid,
themselves with lanterns and Join III
the search, while the young ladies dt
all they can to comfort grandma anC
Nancy, the latter, however, being quit,
inconsolable.