The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1885-06-04

trast between solemn beauty ant
intense suffering. The bright Septem-
Der sun never shone on a falrer
land than that which lay spread out in
intervale n mountain and river and
glinting lake and distant villages before
hardly iife-like lay on It all. Amid ali
this beauty and glory and peace of nature
he was caught to die like vermin in O trap
figure as a mysterious disappear
ance."
It was too horrible. He must cry for
increase of pain and cramp would soon de-
prive him of all power to call.
"HelpW
Hardly had the first cry issued from his
lips when a distant clatter reached his
ears. He called again, and listened. 1t
was in truth a party descending the noun
tains. Every moment brought nearer the
SOUND of boots striking sharply the rocky
path and hammering across the bare
lodges. Yes, they were surely coming in
his direction.
sTnank Godw groaned Chiffon. "Tf I
can only make them hear"
Nearer and nearer came the invisible
cavalcade. A light breeze sprang up from
the sound of an airy laugh mingled with
the flank OF the horses steps Even in his
anguish Chiffon rebelled at tho thought
hat this laugh was in answer to Lank-
toms pleasantly. But the breeze that car
ried these snatches of merriment to Chill
toms ears waited away the cries which he
sent up for aid. -.
"He1p! Help" he called And "HelpI"
came back in musical echoes from the OPP
posite hills.
ceased. Had he been heard? No; the
sounds returned again, but FAINTER. The
party had turned the corner, which had
momentarily shut off the noise of their
march.
For an instant Chiffon yielded to despair,
and prayed for the insensibilfty which was
so painful in its coming. 1t was more as q
duty than as a hope that he again raised
his voice in the solitude, and uttered the
m~onosyllable of such awful import on
Help! Help. o Godl help mem he
groaned. as he weakly bowed his head on
his granite rock.
"Hi!" was the response to his prayer, in
a boyish voice.
Raising his glance in wonder, he saw,
peering over the ledge above him, framed
in some stunted bushes, apallid and terror
stricken face, round checked and sun
burned, with stains of mountain blackber-
ries about the mouth, and eyes expanded
beyond belief.
The angel had come in the shape of
George .Burleigh
George" said Chiffon, ~abbreviating his
directions as much as possible, ''run after
your party, n bring back the guides to
get this rock off me-"
George was not lacking in perception or
lazy in execution; and as Chiffon bowed
his head again in pain and thankfulness,
he stumbled back along the route on which
he had ~recklessly wandered from the path
in search of berries, and slid rather than
walked down the steep mountain o in
| pursuit.
From his lofty position Chiffon saw the
party emerge upon and Cross the rocky
| plateau far below him, and enter the woods
where the cool spring flowed. His throat
was parched and his body seemed on fire.
Then a smaller figure, on foot and with no
hat, was seen to dart across the stony
ledge, tripping and falling at full length
as it went, and to disappear also among
the trees.
Chiffon was now at liberty to faint,
which he did forthwith.
How the two stout guides found him in
sensible; how between them they managed
to raise one end of the bowlder and release
his limb from its terrible grip; how George
| steadied the limp body as it slid down to a
| safe place among the rocks-of all this
| Chiffon knew nothing. He awoke to con-
seriousness to find himself nat on his back,
| staring at the bright sky with scared faces
about him, and rough but kindly hands
rubbing his limbs.
When at length he was swathed in COM
presses, put on cruel diet and stretched o n
| his bed at the Mendon House for slow re-
covery, he had time for reflection n for
explanation. 1t all came out when George
was allowed to visit and talk to the cou-
valescent.
az tell you what, Mr.. Chilton,' said he,
eif Alice didn't send that Lankton fellow
kiting!"
"What do you mean?" asked Chiffon,
with as much animation as could be ak
pected of q man still unable to turn over in
bed.
tinued the boy, which, as Chiffon was at
the moment referred to, under the
rock, would have been a pleasure as
well as the duty which Georges words
indicated. SIT was when I got to
the spring. Mr.. Lankton was lying
on the ground close by where Alice was
sitting, looking up in her face, and asking
her something, and I couldn't see where the
guides were, n I ran right up to him, and
he said: 'Confound the boy! But l didn't
mind that, Mr.. Chiffon. And I called
of our guides, and he is a good fellow, too
-and I told him a man was under a rock
up on the mountain. And Westman said
tWhere?' And Mr.. Lankton said: He's
fooling.' And said: 4 ain't fooling, for
it's. Mr.. Chiffon, ana he told me to come
and get you to help him. And Westman
said: 'Come along Mr.. Lankton, and my
brother will bring tho horse.' And Mr..
Lankton said: Tdon't believe the story,
and he looked wicked, and said he would
ride that horse down the mountain him:
self. And Westman said: '11 be hanged
if you will, so long as that horse belongs
to me- And Alice she got white as q
sheet at first, but now she was red enough
and she drew herself up just as she does
when she feels top-lofty, and said: eMr
Lankton, you can take your answer right
here, and it's no, siree.' She didn't say
just those words, but she looked like it
And she pointed to her own horse, ane
said: you may take mine to ride dow
the mountain, and as far away as yor
choose, and you will find a side-saddle ar
appropriate seat for the chivalry you pro
fess.' But he didn't take her horse
though he went right away. told Aie'
Yesterday / thought she gave it to Lank
ton f~rst-rate, for a fellow that won't rul
to help another fellow isn't fit company fol
a fellow. She said I mustn't say fellow
so much"
George, you're a brick" exclaimet
Chiffon, somewhat i~rrelevantly.
"That's another word she says muslin
say,o answered George.
Nothing more was needed to expedit'
Chilton's recovery. The revulsion of feel
ing in Alice's mind caused by Lankton'
conduct in a moment that called for chival
rous service-although the complex motive
working upon him at that time were not al
known to her-seemed to IA influences
her Judgment of the qualities of her t
rejected sultor. Lankton was noG see
again; and before the family's departure
was Alice's arm that supported, or pre-
tended to support, the limping Chiffon Il
his promenade on the piazza; and it wa
George who, when tending his snake in tn
box on the roof of that structure one even
ing, surprised them both gazing at tn
moon, and leaning over, like an angel fror
above, hoarsely whispered:
"Alice, Pm mighty glad of it. You ma.
talk freely. '-Harper's Weekly.
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