River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-01-22

tell the same tale to those who were
then Unborn.
The house in which she dwelt was
old. and near the sea; far from all hui
man aid too; and its occupants very
two very old people and two girls.
The only one who could have aided
them was far away. But for this Jean
could have thanked Heaven, for he
was safe, and the waters were rising
even now above the windows of the
lower rooms. She could see the star
light reflected in it in CLEANS and
sparkles, and she knew that the old
people must be drowned in their beds
if she did not waken them. She went
down into the room where they slept,
and cried out, as she shook them,
THE tide has risen again The tide
has risen again Hear the bells ~
Then she led them. trembling and
weeping in their helpless old-age, to
the roof, and found Hulda already
crouched there. She was crying also,
and she turned to Jean and clutched
her arm.
''Will the water rise so far?" she
asked. ''Will / be drowned? / who
was to be married tomorrow Oh, II
can't be, Jean!''
..Others will go with you, if yor
are" said Jean. There are four OF
us"
"But no other besides | would have
been so happy and so proud to-mor.
row." said Hulda, and bemoaned her
self. The old people shook anC
prayed, and cried softly.
Jean, calm and silent, kept watch.
The lights floating about told that
boats were out. Help might come
even yet, but the water was creeping
up. 1t filled the house. 1t Tapped the
very caves. Still it rose, higher and
higher and higher. Those upon the
roof climbed to the very apex of its
slope, and chung there. but the water
reached their feet, aud Hulda was quite
mad with terror, when a light glim-
mered close before them, and voice
cried:
"Good folks, there's room for some
here. How many of you are thereo"
-Four" said Jean.
We've room for three" said the
voice. us it Welton's folkP"
YES" said Jean.
Then stout fellow strobe over the
roof and carried away the old woman,
and then the old man. and came back.
"We'll return for the other as soon
as we can," said he; ''keep up cour-
age;'' and seized jeans arm. I'm
with you, he cried, There's little
time to spare
And Hulda gave scream. and
cried, Don't leave me! don't leave
mer'
Then Jean, in whose heart jealousy
had lighted the fires of hell but an
hour or so before, felt that the angels
had quenched it with the waters of
love. She wrenched her strong, white
arm from the grasp of the man who
held it.
Leave me, and take her," she said,
I'm not afraid. I'm able to bear
more. And she is to be Ned Welton's
wife tomorrow. Save her for his
sake"
She commanded; she did not i'm
plore, or seem to speak from duty.
The man who listened hardly thought
of her sacrifice. He obeyed. HuIda
was in the boat.
keep courage until we come back, "
he shouted, and rowed away.
Jean chung to the chimney side, and
kept her feet firm on the roof; but they
were ankle deep now.
The water was rising still. She knew
that there was little hope. but she was
very happy.
80, dear old fellow--dear, dear Ned, +"
she said aloud, for there were none
to hear her, "there'll be no blight, for
you know you'll have your love safe
and sound tomorrow What's plain
Jean to any one Who'll miss her
but poor old woman who'll follow
her soon? But she, Hulda, is half
your life. Ned. Oh, God be
thanked that l can give myself for
Hulda, for your sake
And in the starlight her face shown
calm and sweet and happy, with more
then martyrs happiness, as the water
arose toward it.
And at last her feet lost their hold,
and her strength was gone. She was
lifted and whirled away; the long
brown hair, unloosened, 1swept far
behind her; the marble face cleaned
through rings of water that the star
light made halo of. A voice sobbing
through it, said: med Ned ! darling
Ned, goodbye - and there was
nothing to be seen but the flood still
rising, and the sky spread out
above it.
On the morrow Jean Abbot's body
was found lying close to the old
church, whence by that time the water
had retreated. And Ned and Hulda,
among others, came to see it. Hulda
wept. Ned stood quiet, but with a
strange regret in his blue eyes. The
story of her sacrifice had thrilled his
heart. He looked down at her face,
on which the beauty of her beautiful
love and unselfshness had rested in
her dying moments, leaving an angelic
smile upon the marble lips, and said in
dreamy way:
"Hulda, she was pretty. | never
knew Jean Abbott was pretty before. y
And then he kissed her.