The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-11-05
1t was too late The horses turned a
sharp corner, and took the road at smart

| 1t was too late. The horses turned a
sharp corner, and took the road at smart
| trot
Rose, stretching her head out of the coach,
screamed loudly. A small boy by the road
side threw up his hat.
The horses swerved to the right, to the
lett. They tossed their names. The trot
became canter, the canter gallop, the
| gallup run
| inside the stage covered the girls, too
terrified to think of jumping. Only Rose
| kept her head out of the window, snriekiug,
/ "Whoai whoal Save usi save usl Whoa
/ whoar'
hey were nearing Miss Treadwelps
house. There on the doorstep sat Alice
| Dill. Rose saw her. 1t flashed into her
mind how she had seen her on the same
| spot two hours ago, and had said:
I'VE don't want her."
1t seemed like dream, but she saw Alice
| spring from her seat aud dash into the road.
Save usl save usr' screamed Rose. Then
she fell back into Kalinka's arms.
How she did il Alice could never tell. She
only knew that her two hands grasped the
trunk rest of the coach, and with tremen-
dous Jump she was on The shelf.
A strap was swinging from the top of the
stage. Alice clutched it, and cambered to
the roof
1ne norses were running, but running
steadily. The country road was smooth.
Alice crept along She reached the driv-
er's box. She was repeating a Ii tile prayer
with all her might
''The reins the reins! Give me the reins.
Amenp'
She balanced herself with one arm. She
reached forward. IL was one chance in a
hundred. All! there were the reins twisted
around the whip-socket. A ices fingers
closed upon them. She planted her feet.
She frightened her hold. Her eyes almost
started out Of her head. Her teeth were
locked. Her breath came in quick gasps.
But just before her was Beadiey's Mount,
the steepest hill in all the country round.
The horses tried 10 veer into side load, but
short jerk on the reins drew them back.
Up the mount they plunged. Twenty
yards, and the run had become a gallop;
forty yards. the gaIlop was canter; sixty
yards, the canter was trot; eighty yards,
the trot was but walk. The leaders, head
dropped. Slower aud slower grew The pace.
The top was gained, and the horses stood
still, painting, trembling, their sides heaving,
the foam on their bits and on their quiyering
launches. On, blessed earthquake which,
in ages past, upheaved Beadiey's Mount!
On the box, white and stiff, he hands
glued to the reins, sat the New York girl as
motlOnless as a stone.
Rose, Lily aid Katinka crept out of the
coach. They stretch. out their arms to
Alice; they called her name, but she did
not answer. Then they saw her droop and
sink down.
The next three weeks were terrible to Rose
to Lily, snd to Katinka They haunted
Miss TcealwelPs yard, but they might not
see the fever stricken Alice.
Sand, oh, Rose," cried Katinka, with a
burst OF tears, ''they say she is out of her
head. and she keeps repeating. Push the
trapeze, Will. / can catch like monkey
And then she cries out, The reins!-giye
me the reins! Amenp Rose, Rose, she'll
die, and we have killed herr
But no Alice did not die She even went
back in time TO the "Classical Institute"
And did she stand in a corner now? Did
she vainly ask for love and friendship?
All! What happiness the blessed October
brought! 1t was Rose who called each
morning to walk to school with Alice. 1t
was Lily who gladly taught her games. 1t
was Katinka who could never do enough
for her.
Indeed, had it not been for Katinka, I
should not have heard word concerning
the misery of September
'sTo think how mean we werep' cried
/. Katihka, with bushes of shame" TO
think of it'll Only to think of itp'
But Alice forgot it all in her joy.
"Those dear Otisfield girls!'' she always
said. They were SO very kind to me-"