Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1881-03-19
HAIR BREADTH ESCAPE.

Say, mother, where are my skates!
Where'd you put emf
80. nv dear boy. don't want you to
90 off skating. Pm afraid to have you.
What if you should get drOwned?"
II never got drowned yet, did ~ re-
turned Joe, triumphantly.
This piece of logic. seemed to have its
effect upon Mrs. Jacobs.
you're not going alone, L HOPPER she
said. III =.
"Scorps out there on the fence whist
ling to me now"
'Scorp? Who's Scorp?"
"Scorp? Why don't you know? He's
the Teller that talks about ScOrpio Afri-
canus. Hal hap
81 suppose he meant ScipiO," said
Aunt Judith, with serenity. Historical
accuracy, Aunt Judith felt to be one of
her strong points.
"Well. say, mother, you haven't told
me vet where YOU put those skates"
20, dearl suppose shall have to let
You 90. What do you say, Aunt JUDITH"
Saving that he's never been drowned
vet don't prove to my mind that he amt
ever going to be. But wash my hands
of the whole matter. If he don't go skat-
ing he'll probably be up to something,
and Aunt Judith shook her head and
clicked her knitting needles.
"Well,- said Mrs. Jacobs reluctantly,
81 only hope you'll come back alive.
They're up in the garrett, hanging on one
of the rafters. l Shan't have minutes
peace till that boy gets home, she added
to Aunt Judith, as Joe bounded up the
stairs.
He was soon down again and out the
front door, aud with Hi. there old fell
lerr' had seized 'Scorp" by the shoulder,
and spun him round like top.
"HullO," said ScOrp appropriately, and
gasped for breadth.
"Come on" cried Joe, There's Giles
with his big sled. Let's hang on"
Mrs. Jacobs stood at the window till
they were out of sight, and then came
hack TO her, basket of mending.
81 s'Dose tAaN went down to the Falls"
said Aunt Judith, arTer-r-rAaus..-
''Yes, the mill ponds where ttcy all
ways go to skate. Deacon Giles is sled
ding to-day, AMI he let the boys climb on
behind. Pm glad Of it. it's as much as
mile down there"
The afternoon moved on TRANQUILITY.
Aunt Judith reached the heel of her
stocking, and Mrs. Jacobs, the bottom of
her mending basket. The talk ran for
the most part on the Jacobs family in its
remoter branches; but Mrs. Jacobs
thoughts would wander back to her own
little twig. in bending which she found
so much difficulty.
''It's getting dark, Aunt Judith; hope
they've started home by this time;" and
she looked anXiOusly out on the gather
ing night.
six o'clock, and he ism herew This
was an hour later. 20, lUhdt do you sup
pose has happened?" cried poor Mrs. ia
cohs, her face close to the window pane.
which gave her back only knocking re-
fiecti6niof the light and warmth within.
They'll be here before long," said
Aunt Judith. Don't you worry. You'd
better come and eat your supper"
~ j 81 can't touch mOuthful till Josie
comes, dear boy. He was so fond of
cream puffs, tOO," said the poor woman
with trembling voice.
Il guess his supper'll bring him." an
swered Aunt Judith, cheerfully. There's
nothing like an empty stomach to re-
mind boy of home"
But his super did not bring" him.
Half-past 6 found his mother pacing the
rooms, starting painfully at every sound;
at 7 she had broken down completely.
80 Aunt Judith" she sObbed, Il believe
4 believe-he is"
Aunt Judith had up to this moment
preserved the calmneSS of one who had
had long experience in boys. She began
now to think "that boy" might have got
ten into some genuine trouble.
- 'PIl tell you, Emily, what think we'd
better do. You and I'll put on our things
and take the lantern and go over to Dea-
con Giles's and ask him just where he
put those boys down. That's the first
thing to do. Then | shouldn't be at all
surprised if he offered to go and hunt
Fem up."F cI Tt[f. EVGl q
swell, declarer' was Deacon CHESS
emphatic greeting as he opened the door
upon the two women, and held high his
kerosene lamp, the better to illuminate
the darkness of the doorstep.
Deacon" said Mrs. Jacobs, trying to
control her voice, "we are in great trOu-
ble.s Josie went skating, and he-he
didn't come home. And o Deacon, you
know he's all have in the world, since
dear John left me" and the widow chOk-
ed and coughed.
"What we want to know is" said Aunt
Judith, with decision, where you saw
those boys last
81 set 'em down side the of the road
that goes by the mill pond. But I'll tell
YOU what I'll do, Mrs. Jacobs. I'll hitch
I'D and 90 down to the Falls and inquire
round. Its likely somebody's seen 'em.
The woman went silently home again.
The supper table stood untouched, the
fire burnt down without their needing
it. and not a-sOund was heard save the
steady tick of the old clock, whose hands
moved slowly round to weary hours and
still they did not come. Aunt Judith
made ingenious but vain attempts to
give cheerful turn to the conversation.
Dear bOyp poor Mrs. Jacobs would
say through her tears, "dear boy. He
was always so generous and affectiOnate
to me. He was full of fun, poor little
fellow! Pm glad, though let him have
good time the little while he did stay
in this world" Then catching sight of
faded brown stocking she had mended
that Afternoon, she broke into hopeless
sObbing,
In the meanwhile the good deacon had
''hitched up" and had extOrted from his
horse a fioundering gallop, which was the
nearest approach to speed the old nag
ever made. Reaching the mill pond, he
brought her to sudden stop, and stood
up in his sleigh to look about him. Moth
ing was to be seen but broad and silent
expanse Of white, with a sOmber fringe
of leafess willows.
"Hullo-O-Op' shouted the deacon.
But only the echo answered, leaving
the silence deeper than before,