Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-01-23
LOST IN THE FLOOD.

Why. Daniel, you talk rs though
You doubted me,''
NO. Ethie, no, no! l don't want
VOu 10 think that-you mustn't think
50! But your father is SO kind to me,
and treats me SO well, and loves you SO
much. that il does seem TO me that If
he knew how the happiness OF both was
bound NJ in it he would not refuse.
He las known me from childhood.
have been in his service now these five
vears-ever since | was big enough to
do = mans work-and he knows who
and what l am"
Yes, Daniel, That is all true, and
do not wonder that you feel as you do.
But mother knows better than you or /
what his ambition is for me, and she
assures me that did father suspect our
love, he not only would not employ you
for another day, but would forbid our
even speaking together"
And then" Daniel cried impul-
sively, Il could claim You, and We
could defy the world TO keep us from
each otherl"
no, no, not now-not yet. For the
present we must hope and wait. We
are both young, We see each other every
day; let US be patient for time, and
hope for the best. My father, as you
know. is very kind to me, ald 1 love
him as a child should love a parent,
and | would not willingly displease
him"
''Iwish you loved me az much as you
do him!''
Tie voice was petulant, but the
tones showed that the speaker did not
distTust his companion. Ethie bit her
lips in momentary vexation.
Daniel DeWOlf. YOU must not talk
SO TO mel" she exclaimed. You know
that ] love You more than l love any
one else on earth, and if duty called me
| should follow your fortunes wherever
they might lead But at present it is
better as il is"
And Daniel. who knew that she
spoke the truth, craved her pardon for
the unkind reflection, and they parted.
The scene, not devoid of a certain
pictuTesqueneSS. could scarcely have
been called romantic, far the converse
ton Just recorded had taken place in
the interior of rude saw-mill, rising
almost from the bed of a brawling
mountain stream known as the Branch.
The swirl Of the water among the
rocks, the patter of rain upon the ROOT .,
and the ceaseless tear of the great up
right saw through the massive leg
mingled with the voices of the lovers,
while a brace of antiquated lanterns
gave an uneaTthly distirctness to the
chill interior.
1t was early autumn, and long
drought had prevailed, but now the
first considerable rain was falling, and
the stream was high enough to allow
tie continual running of the mill which
was pressed with demands for lumber
which had been delayed by the low
water.
Daniels assistant had long since gone
home, but the former had volunteered
to run the saw mill into the night, and
Ethie had come through the storm with
Il pail of hot coffee and lunch: and it
NAV be readily supposed that the Op-
pOrtunity was not allowed to pass
without few sentences of endearment,
for the young couple were ardently in
1--we.
The situation Is made reasonably
plain by their conversation.
Hugh Crittenden, the father of Ethie,
was the one man of the section in which
he lived. From a small beginning he
had become comparatively wealthy.
His We're the mills, the country store,
tie pOstOfiice, the local magistracy-in
fact, the business and social life of the
little community revolved at his pleas
ure.
IL was but natural that the father
should take great pride in his sweet and
beautiful daughter, now some nineteen
years of age. There was, in fact, no
limit to his ambition in her behaf-an
ambition which Ethie no longer shared,
since her heart was gwen to Daniel
DeWolf, worthy young man in her
fathers employ, whose fortune she
would be content to share.
'She must go into society in the
cities" her father bad said only the
evening before cur story opens. "She
is qualified, and she'll shine there
mind what / tell you, she'll shine
therel'
For week the storm had continued
almost without cessation. So great a
rainfall had scarce been known, and
the Branch, which had shrunken al
most to succession of pools, now
roared and dashed with frighttul energy
past the old brown mill.
All day long, and far into the night,
the keen-tOothed saw tore its way
through the endless succession of logs
and Daniel often gazing out upon the
mad waters fancied that they reflected
his own heart, for truth to tell, he was
far from calm He loved intensely.
but It was by no means clear to HIM how
his love was ever a more hopeful phase
than al present,
And when at last the gates were
shut, and the wheel ceased its revolu-
tlons, he wOlld retire to the little
office" in which a couch had been
placed, and divide the few hours of
rest between sleep an4 the futile efferts
to see beyond the dark veil of the
future.
Ihe ottlce was narrow room, built
outside from the side of the mill, and
projecting directly over the bed of the
stream. and the food dashed by now so
close to the flooring that it almost
seemed he was pillOwed on the whirl-
ing eddies; but VIXEN his emotions were