River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-11-29


est pitch, she came to place in the
road where the stones and the gravel
had been plowed up as if by the plung-
ing of a horse.
Here lay the wagOn-seat. A little far
ther on lay two or three planks across
the road, and at the foot of the steep
pitch lay, on its side, wrecked lumber
! wagon, which had run backward till it
| capsized; and across the steep gutter by
the roadside lay load of plank which
had slipped from the wagon as it
went over. Here was part of the bro
ken reins, belonging to the harness
| with the ends under the load of plank.
The wagon was her fathers Dear
knew that; but where was her father?
She stood and looked on either side, up
the hill and down into the valley. Moth
ing moved; there was not even wind
| enough to bend the tall dead grasses by
| the roadside, and no sound was to be
| heard in all the still night but the gurg
ling and babbilng of the little brooks
that had quilted deep channels in the
| waterways on either side of the road.
Dear could bear this silence no longer
| Papa, papa, where are you?" and the
| wild cry went M the hillside and down
into the valley bringing no answer.
20 papa papa what shall | dor" she
called again, and as she listened with
| stralning ears, she heard, or thouE ut
dropped on her knees. Papa, papa,
are You here" II was a prayer now!
Surely she heard a sound as if in answer
and it seemed to come from the plank
that had slid over the gutter.
| In an instant Dear was over there,
Deering among the planks. She could
| see nothing but she could hear sound
| plainly now She tried with frantic
haste TO raise the planks, but there was
| not strength enough in her small arms
| for that, and almost without thought
| she darted, not up the hill to her moth
er. bat down into the black valley at the
| foot OF the hill, where a cart-path leading
| rom the woods intersected the road
| Along this dark path, OVergrown with
alders she went till she came to a low
| shanty built between two trees, and,
| bursting open tie door, she crled
80 Biddy Mccoy! come quick some :
thing dreadful has happened on the
| hill"
"WhAt is't yer SAYING" said the STAR
| tied Biddy, starting from her seat, but
as Dear was alre idy out of doors, she
added, suiting the action to the words;
Here, Bridget, take the baby, and you
| Nike" to a stupid boy by the fire, get
yer lanthern ami come aiong;" and with
out waiting to put anything on her head
| she followed Dear.
The child was already out Of sight but
| Biddy went on at a sounding gallop till
| she came to the foot of the hill. There
| she saw the small figure 2yIng before
| her and reckoning her on.
'Shure, ali something dreadful has
| happened" said the GREATNESS Biddy,
\ 1, f,l ,l,a
| wrecked wagon. els any one hurted?"
| as Dear called her to help.
"I'm afraid-pm afraid there's some
| one under the planks." gasped Dear,
| trying single-handqd TO lift the load.
Here CURL, that's no way to Warruk,
TAX the top one first. Mike, We lazy
Isowl, get along wid yer lanthernw and
| her voice went down the hillside like the
| blast of trumpet, starting even the
| slow Mike into Al run.
There, hOu!d that, said she. hand
| ing the lantern to Dear, and with Bid
| dy'S stout arms at one end and Mixes
vt the other, the planSs were flung over
| into the road. Dear held her breath,
and before the planks We're all off they
| could see that man lay there stretched
IN the bed of the gutter The planks
| were over him like a roof, or the cover
1
| of Dear saw her fathers face, still
ana white, but she could not inter a
| sound.
"Howly Mother, help u.s." calculated
| Biddy. Take his feet, Nike, and help
| get him ont of the wather. He'll be
| drowned intjrely if he's no kit already"
| For as lie lay damming up the narrow
| channel, the caoked water had risen
aud spread around him in an ever-risine
| pool.
As they took him up and laid him
| down in the road, the motion seemed to
rouse him to life, for Biddy, stopping
over him with the lantern, saw his eyes
| suddenly open. He looked about him
in bewildered way, and then clutched
ut the reins that were still in his hands,
shouting: whoa, Fan, whoap Then
he slowly raised himself on his elbow,
and seeing the planks scattered
| about him muttered: "Whyl she's got
| away"
Are We much hurried. SURF" asked
| Biddy, concernedly, taking his arm as if
| she would help him to his feet
Il don't know, Pm cold," said he
| slowly.
''An' well We might be lynn in all that
| wather." and she told them how they
found him lying in the gutter, with the
| blanks over him, but not on him, and
| tae water around him.
Is that VI, Dear? and has the horse
| gone homer asked he after moment.
seeing the little, shaking figure beside
him.
eyes, papa" and all at once the CON
vu's We sobs leaped beyond her control,
| and she fell on her knees, quite unable
to say or do anything but sob.
| The sight and the sound Of her sobs
| d;ti more than anything else to restore
| her father TO himself. With Biddy's
| help he slowly rose from tae ground,
| and. after standing moment, he said,
| steadily: =" believe | am all right, only
| cold and little confused. The fall must
| have stunned me, but for your help, my
| good woman, | should have been dead
/ man soon"
1t was ger little girl touId us. We
| shouldn', have known"
lie held his hand to Dear, and she
caught il and held it under her chin, still
| unable to speak.
'Dove think We could, walk sur? we've
| no r:5at to be ST ndin' here wild yer wet
| clothes"
Thus admonished they began to move.
Biddy and Nike and the lanthern"
! went with Ghem to the top of the hill.
| By that time Harvey Gates had obtained
| full possession Of himself and he babe
| Biddy goodnight, telling her be would
| see her on the morrow.
Now, Dear, said he, "run home and
| tell Your mother quietly, that the wagon
! broke do Il, but that | am all right and
will be in directly"
] Ii Was not until near noon the next
! day, when Dear broke into SIN irrepTes-
| s.bie tit of sohbing, that her mother
| knew how near death had been to them
| that night She turned very white and
! after a moment said: Children, We have
| great reason 10 be thankful to-day"
| 4 little later Harvey Gates came in.
| He had been down with Luke to get the
| planks out of the road and to see Bidd V
| Mccoy. He told pitiful story of the
| proyerty in the little shanty. There
| will be no Thanksgiving supper there
! to-day" he said. Mrs. Gates WINGED Il
/ little. She was thrifty woman, and it
was not easy for her to understand the
! blessedness Of giving. And such ba-
| by, such little C1lte Of baby con-
| tinued Harvey Gates, as if speaking to
| himself
| a baby" repeated Mrs. Gates, paus-
| ing on her way to the oven; did you say
| Biddy had haby?'
! Yes, and the poor little things looks
! hSlf starved"
"Namma." said Dear. eagerly, why
/ can't NE have them all up here to
Thanksgiving supper we've got enough
/ {f,-,.,.- r.,to, ,i,,aa3 Of his WI