The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-07-07
"Mrs. Glass says, "frst catch your
hare 2"
'Oh but we are talking of hearts.

| HdIc
"Oh but we are talking of hearts
Very much the same thing
care they? What do you think 2
turning suddenly on Miss Wood, standing
by, silent and apparently hardly listening
Really | have never given the subjec
my attention" returned that extraordinary
little person with perfect GOODNESS, and tax
ing Valerie by the hand she marched int
the house. Arthur bit his lip. Miss Lloyc
looked puzzled, while Bellies large eyes
dilated and glared, and the rich blood leapec
up in her clear cheek, to fade as suddenly
away again into dull, angry white. She
saw at last.
The day neither passed nor few-it
worried away. Belle was piqued and much
grieved. [ was scolding secretly and Ar,
thur seemed ill at ease As consequence
i'll humor, which, in my opinion, is as con.
tagious as the measles, soon seized on the
rest of the party, and in an hour or two
every one was sulking. The water was toe
cold-the sun was too hot-there were
sharks-there was an undertow-ther
were not enough biscuits and too much
chicken-the whole thing was bore and
an early return advisable. Our wagon
CHANGED to be brought up first. Valerie
and took possession of our back seat, Miss
Wood perched herself where she was be-
fore, Belle was already in, looking cross
and jaded, and Arthur was coming down
the steps with Bellies shawl, which she had
forgotten, when an accidental movement on
the part of some of the others started the
high-spirited horses, already restive from
the delay, and with one powerful spring
that jerked the reins from the coachman
they were tearing wildly down the road
making straight for the beach. A mo-
ments work, and yet how it had changed
for us all things. Already the petty strifes
and ambitions of this life were as things
past, fading and paling in the light of the
eternity to which We are rushing so wildly.
There had been groan, and we knew there
were white faces and wringing hands be-
hind us, but we knew there could be no
pursuit would be only to hasten our
destruction. Belle was filling the air with
shrieks and cries for help. l sat frozen
and apathetic from the extremity of my
terror. Only few moments more, and
the wagon was swaying terribly horses
were growing wilder and still more unman-
ageable. \ stone, a tree by the road, the
possibility of breaking axle, were all that
now divided us from death. The white
lines of the waves came in sight
''The water-the water p shrieked Belle
"Help! oh, help! quick mercy-mer-
cy!'
"Be still, said Miss Wood, for the first
time moving since the horses started. "You
frighten them still more with your senseless
clamor"
Belle answered by another shrek. Miss
Wood looked at her with mixture of pity
and contempt, and holding with one hand
on the wagon, began with the other to un-
loose her shawl, and draw it down around
her waist.
"Hold on, as I do, by one hand" she
said, turning again to Belle, "and take the
ends with the other"
Belle stared vacantly at her. but made
no effort to obey her.
The governess made passionate gesture
with the hand that held the shawl
"Mad woman, don't you understand e?
1t is for life-I must get those reins and
want both hands. Can you reach them ?
and she turned as well as she could toward
me.
The moment before [ had been stupidity
helpless, but some inkling of her brave de-
sign was beginning to penetrate my be-
numbed brain, and with hope came strength.
With no small difficulty, tossed and thrown
as we were by the swaying of the wagon,
| seized and held firmly the ends of the
shawl, wedging myself on the floor between
the two seats. Then Miss Wood, cautious
ly at first, more bodily afterward, when she
found how firm was my grasp, kneeled be-
fore the dashboard and, leaning over,
grasped for the reins, trailing under the
feet of the flying horses. As we few past
a lane branching down to the beach, we
caught glimpse of Arthur riding wildly
toward, his horse painting and staggering,
evidently hoping to head us otf-only
glimpse, and the water splashed up around
our wheels, and the thunder of the surf
sounded in our ears. Still the governess,
no longer kneeling, but almost hanging over
the dashboard, her wonderful eyes fairly
blazing, struggled, and snatched, and caught
the reins, seizing one, and holding it as
though the muscles in her little hand were
iron, now grasping the other and pulling on
them with all her strength, careless that
the shawl grew loose around her waist, as
[, faint and dizzy, relaxed my hold; once
almost dragged out headlong, growing Of
deathlier white, as she felt her strength re-
ceding, but never quitting her hold till
well, 1 don't know how it was, for [ tainted
as the wagon turned over, and the next
thing knew I opened my eyes on half a
dozen women with smelling bottles-Belle,
disheveled, muddy, almost in rags, sitting
on a pile of rubbish Granger by
her, looking unutterable things, and Arthur
Granger, kneeling on the sand, kissing and
calling that brazen governess tender names,
as she opened her eyes, having initiated her
superiors, and tainted likewise. "Of course,
after such shameful conduct Belle said to
me that evening, while applying vinegar to
her ankle, which was slightly sprained, "of
course there is nothing left but for him to
marry the girl, and he did, the very next
day.
Colors Made by the Human Voice.
The PhiIddelphia Press, of June 2.