The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-07-05
TRI-WEEKLY EDITION.

ing over the balustrade, a cold, clamm,
dow gathering on my forehead. The ict
on the pond whore we usually skated Wa.
not safe; laborer had told me so as
came through the village before dinner.
had warned him; ought I to have ss.it
more3 Pooh somebody would tell hin
the ice would not bear; he would be al
right, of course he would. and then went
out and wandered over the garden an(
grounds, humming as / had hummed OF
the stairs. But the thought of Allan going
out solitary and alone to skate on that dan
gerous sheet of Ice, unwarned by me, who
knew how dangerous it was, by me, who
had done him cruel wrong, haunted me
like nightmare. l knew what conscience
was whispering might be happening; that
pcrchance he was falling prey to the
treachcrous ice and l shuddcrcd, and re-
solved to 90 and find hlm if not too late.
The sun was sinking fast in the west as
l set out, and by the time had reached
the meadow and the pond twilight was
! stealing on. The wide sweeping meadow
was very silent as I crossed it; fear, q
dread, a something horrible yet underlined
clutching at my heart. Oh that l might
sec one solitary figure gliding nithcr and
thither On the frozen pond But no there
| it lay, a thin mist circling and crawling
| over it, bleak, cold, dcsoatc--oh, 50 desc
late! as nearcd it.
"Allanl" I cried, Gallant" l felt l
must breathe his name, or should shrek
| in my conscience stricken terror but only
a mocking echo came back to mc-"Allanl
Allan |" low and weird and pitcous.
went to the edge OF the pond and
glanced over 1t. Oh, horror In the gather
ing gloom could sec long crack in the
ice; ay, a dark yawnlng chasm, like a
greedy dcvounng mouth.
'Oh, Allan Allan !" 1 shrieked in my
terror, but nothing save that mocking echo
voice answered me, no other sound broke
on my ear; no tongue gave word or utter
ance. l was alone, for aught l knew
and my heart was telling me it was the
truth-with poor Allan in his icy grave.
Never shall 1 forget the agony of the
momcnt>as the conviction came to Inc. |
clasped my hands, my head rccled, felt
like Cain my punishment was greater than
l could bear. He had come all unconscious
of danger, had darted Out bold and free
and sunk to his death as in moment. And
had watched him 60, and never really
warned him.
Had he struggled2 had he cried out for
Ben; Ben who had beon 30 good to him
All had the thought of my cruel wrong
flashed over him, or had his young soul
yearned and painted for him who lay in his
sunny far-otf grave Thoughts something
like this thrilled me through with anguish
and then I left the meadow and storted
homeward: would tell them all-my pa
rents, my brother Ben-of my cowardite,
my hatred. Poor, po1r Allanl And then I
thought OF that otnn homo whore now he
was sheltered from malice, hatred, united
ever. was glad that he spoke 80 mildly
a flood of tears as / went along by. way
home Istole up to the back door. dared
not enter at the 'front.' and there-there
stood Allan alive and in the body, the rls-
ing moon shining peacefully down on his
dear dark face.
"Allan |" cried, "Allan |" clutching at
his hand; and then, strong boy as was, l
tainted, and fell at his feet. When / re-
covered consciousness l was lying ca sofa
IN the parlor, my mother and Allan bend
ing over me.
"Oh, Allan didn't you go to skate and
fall through the Ice ?" asked, my breath
coming SO feebly that l feared was going
to faint again.
eyes, went to skate but some ono had
ripped up the ice as warning, suppose,
and so went on long walk instcad.''
"And thought was your murderer,"I
whispered, a flood of happy tears relieving
me- -
'.Not so bad as that, Bert" said the
generous boy, kissing me like some gentle
girl.
''But I wrecked the Saucy Sally" I
moaned.
"Yes," said Allan, sadly, "you did
that"
"And lam so sorry, so miscrably sorry,"
Irepled.
"Woll, lei the wrongs rest for to night,
my dears, only be friends, and lay ASIDE
your anger" suggested my mother.
''lt is laid asjdc-at least, mine is, " con,
fessed Allan generously; 81 put that to
rights this evening when the sun went
down."
From that time l laid aside my jealousy
of Allan, and took to hum wondcrfully--in
fact, we became fast chums, and felt a
pride equal TO his in the spring, when we
launched another little bark-not another
Saucy Sally, but the Saucy Katc-which
showed as nimblc q pair of heels as her
predecessor could have shown, and SKINNED
I'm NJ jo;, n ;,l