Morris tribune., 1881-06-16

ing bracelet. IL was Il present from GOu-
dard, and he valued it very highly. She
was about giving it up for lost, when sud-
denly she caught sight of it, almost hidden
by mass of sea- weed.
Isabel caught the bracelet up hastily and
turned to go, saying to herself, 81 must
hurry Or be caught by the tide"
| At the thought her eyes turned toward the
termination of the point around which she
must go. Her heart almost froze with hor-
ror at the sight that met her gaze. The waves
curled at the foot of the point, soft as
"carded WOOL
Help! Help!"
The cry sounded family above the beat
ing of the tide on the rocks, and reached the
ear of Nell Haviland, who stood watching
the waves as they slowly encroached upon
the sand.
Some one in the cove, said the girl, and
running along the edge of the cliffs, she
bent over the rocky precipice. She saw a
woman, evidently half dead with terror
crouching at the foot of the cliff.
''She will be washed away before I can
get help. must help her myself" said
Nell to herself.
There was an almost impreceptible path
down the precipitous wall. Though she
was as used to climbing as a goat Nell
found it no easy task to decend. When
she had nearly arrived at the base she cal
led, You must climb up this path. I will
show you how"
The woman, who had not heard Nell be-
fore, turned at the sound of her voice, and
Nell Haviland stood face to face with Isabel
Tressil.
"Oh, Nell! dear Nell! save mel" she
cried, clasplng her hands implcringly.
A VOW registered itself in Nell's soul Il
will keep my promise if drown"
Take hold of that little bush, she said,
"and put your foot there" pointing to a
little projecting stone.
Isabels terror caused her to catch at the
guiding hand instead of at the seemingly
insecure bush, and her excess of weight
caused Nell to fall downward. A stone
dislodged struck Nells foot, and to her dis
may she found herself unable to STEP She
braced herself against the wall and urged
remorseful Isabel to scale the cliff. She
tried in vain. The unused muscles refused
to perform the task given them. Then with
cold, crawling waves around them. they
screamed in unison. No answer. At last,
with moan of utter despair, Isabel gave it
up.
Nell, it is of no use; we have got to
drown. But 1 cannot, cannot die! Oh,
God, have mercy!" and in an abandonment
of agony she buried her face on Nell's
shoulder
The words of the grand old hymn she
had often heard Alice sing came into Nell s
mind. She put her arm around the trem-
bling form of the terror stricken woman,
and then the strong young voice rang out
clear and sweet as bugle call, tiinging a
| daft inf {bo 70 Of
Jesus, lover of my soul,
Let me to Thy bosom fly.
The cold spray struck the brave young
singer harshly in the face, as if to stop he1
utterance, but the next second the words
While the pillows near me roll,
While the tempest still is high,
fioated over the water. Strength came
back to Isabel; her voice joined Nells,
and steadfastly they awaited the seemingly
inevitable.
Goddard" The anxious face of his
mother startled him as he entered the hall
DO 60 and look for Isabel. She went
down to the cove and has not returned"
He waited to hear no more, but in 6
moment was running in the direction of the
cove. Hark! Above the roar of the surge
steady and clear, sounded the death song
Oh, receive my sotl at last
He reached the cove and commenced de.
scending the path at break neck speed Of
his horrorified gaze discerned two wome1
at the foot. They both looked up al
{ he called, Hold on for momentr'
The possibility Of being saved took ava,
Isabel Tressil's strength, and her horror.
. stricken brother saw her fall forward into
the embrace of the foam crested wave tina
had just swept up. But no. The pale
3 face of Nell Haviland cleaned from thu
water, and the almost exhausted fact
t said
Take her, quick"
r Tressil snatched the senseless form o.
t his sister, and groaned.
"Oh, Cod must 1 leave you to b.
drowned, Nell?"
l "You cannot take us both. Tell Alice
that kept my promise"
And Nell turned her eyes away to watcl
with a curious sort of expectancy the gi.
gantic billow slowly crawling towards her
1t swept over her, and then she felt herself
lifted up and borne off; but to her be.
humbed sense of hearing 1t seemed as if ar
} agonized voice called ''Nell,s my darling!'
and then Observation-Disclosures
, Was it Providence that called Alice Havi
land to the cliffs at that moment? But sht
gan his ascent. What was that object bur
led almost in the water below him? Sh,
! recognized it. Only an angel could hav,
, steadied the feet Of the light figure tina
swung itself recklessly by Goddard Tres
Y sill and his burden. She reached the enc
of the path just as the wave bore away tn
form of her sister, and great cry brok'
! from her lips.
"Nell, my darlingl'
t The covetuous waves dashed the helpless
body at her feet, and then strove to bea
away two victims. But the soft arms O
] Alice Haviland seemed to have been en-
dowed with the strength of iron, for seiz
ing Nell in strong embrace she fought tn
pillows until they shrank back conquere,
by the power of love. Soon Goddard Tres
{ sill relieved her, and how, she never knew
{ she reached the top Of the cliffs, but whe,
there Inconsistencies overlook her.
Slowly Alice drifted back to life. Sh
found herself in large pleasant chamber
I "Where am II" she questioned feebly
, Goddard Tressil bent over her.
] "You are at The Cliffs" he answered
I Recollection came back, and starting up
4 Alice exclaimed:-"Wh is Nell?. mus
y go to her."
+ "She is doing well, and mother is divid
t ing her time between Isabel and sister Mel
+ lie; that is. he added imploringly, 'sh
t will be my sister if you can forgive my COW
n ardice of three months ago."
9 If we failed to surmise Alice answer, tn
wedding bells that rang out so merrily ST
months afterwards would tell us whethe
J. she refused to forgive him or not. An
b among all the kinsfolks that assembled q
the cliffs to witness the marriage of God
J, dard Tressil and the fair young music teach
er, none was SO dear to the heart of Mrs.
I Tressil as Daughter Nellie, who nearl
: lost her life to save labels" and happ
Nellie Hayiland never regretted that oh
!. faithfully redeemed her promise. =.