The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1884-06-13

49, |'.<t<43 - W. "t.<t <"* ~ -
house had given way. and the stack Of
chimncys opposite had fallen.
III Il had been thesc!' said she.
They crouchcd nearer together. each
still holding 70 the other. The fca< in
each mind now WAS the fear Of being
divided. of losing all human compan-
ionship. The waters were rising faster.
rising. Is II seemed. with 4 malignant.
hungry Joy.
III cant BE- long now. \ said the man
Mo- said she.
There were few more life -long mo-
mcnts in which they sat silent. breath
ing hard. The wild gust II win1 abat-
ed the moon found wide. open arch
WAY among the clouds the face Of the
waters grew BY comparison still again.
''And So" said he. iii was for me
you siaid. and even at the end cant
20 away ia peace without pull ng down
some one else. And You. who staid.
are stranger. and we shall die here
together, strangers. Oh. the irony 81
this world All ms life have been
solitary and deserted 1, has been ms
fault; and now lite II over. It's al TOO
late. and there's no time
She remained silent. and the mOnotO-
nous pulse Of the water throbbcd be.
low.
do we? Well. the depths. perhaps,
Of each other, but not the shadows. II
we were 70 be saved we should feel like
friends till we came 10 land. ~ hen
You would 60 your way and nine
and II we were 70 meet once week
for . twelye-month we should speak X
each other at first. and then we should
nod and smile. and by and BY we
should pass and take no notice. No
what knowledge or friendship we have
does moi belong 70 this lifei''
"lou believe. then. in another"
1T Is hardly that believe in another
life. 50 much as that | cant believe il
death. We could not be capable OF *
much. and DESTROYS Of so much. ant
nothing come We have not hal
enough. feel SO much. much more
No. am not afraid. There's more.
He in his turn was silent Perhap'
he fcrebore. out q pity. 70 put forth !
word against her hope; perhaps, in hi
soul, TOO, like hope, which he hae
taken 70 be long dead began to stil
and murmur.
The moon had put on. minnie b,
minute. fuller glory: II was illumin
ing an arch Of clouds. and beyond thu
arch Law mcasureless. liquid. lucit
depths. She looked and pointed up
ward The full glow shone on be-
face He saw in her dark eyes slow
ineilable sotiening: in all the lines d
her features brexthed spirit Of ex
ultant reception
he. fitting to this radiance It's apt poetic
description. but without anything Of thu
poets rapture or belief Her lips moved
TO recognizing smile.
''And can you look up 10 that ant
despair" she asked.
That has no voice for me. Il i
too far of. too silent, too unmovcd
That glory may come back. As serene
to look down on my drowned face. Blu
4 You have 70 die with me. What hop
there is in life or death YOU have show,
me. don't know that II is lasting d
that il Is good for much; but such Is i
j.. il comes from YOU"
Again the waters came rushing ovel
the fallen chimneys. and they looked
out in momentarv apprehension. Bul
the sudden torrent subsidized. and the
waters went on rising again slowly ..
before.
He then quietly proceeded: s'Ons
thinks Of life As the lite one has known.
Tonight = glimpse has come 10 me 81
something that seems 10 make lie
worth going on with. II may be life
on the other side 81 division; / cam
tell. don't want 20 be carried back
into the old life. iut do want life--the
life that 4 nearly ~aw just now. when
we thought that our time was upon Us.
And have found yon. standing with
me upon the brink We ~ not know
each other. you say: we arc not friends.
and we cant be. ! don't know. only
know that would neither 20 on nor
back. alone
Her hand. which still chung TO his arm.
trcmbled and was withdrawn. and in
the next moment stole softly into his.
They sat quite silent. and the endless
night drew On. Memories rose before
each Of them Of hopes and dreams that
had once been all in all, and now were
ri41ii AHA i1iiit anu ENTHUSIASTICALLY
distant. Around them. rising always.
surgcd the persistent waters Now and
again gusts Of wind awokc suddenly
and brought q sweep Of waves over the
submerged masonry.
Presently. oozing drops began %
creep between the ch.mneys behind
them.
I've mus 60 up higher" said the
man.
They Quilted their sheltered nook.
and. mounting. stood upon the platform
Of brick work. The wind flung itself
upon them in fury They chung 10 The
chimneys and to each other, and for few
minutes stood 50. battling strcnuonsly
10 keep their fooihold.
The man cried ont suddenly: oh
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