The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1885-12-09
A Narrow Escape.

Mother. want to ask you IA
vor," said Eric. as he looked with
bright, pleading eyes into his moth
eris face
"Well, what is it, Eric ?" asked his
mother, feeling sure in her own heart
that unless it was very unreasona-
BILE request, she should grant it.
at is that Dolly and l may go for
a walk by ourselves this afternoon,
as il is half holiday. 1t is such
bother to have to walk out with the
nurse and the little ones.
Eric was eight, Dolly near ten (;
and the little ones were Trevor, aged
five and the baby of two.
Dolly now came up to her moth
er's side. please, mother, let US go.
| will be very careful, and Eric
promise to obey me all the time we
are out, it is such lovely day We
will walk along the cliff, but not too
close, and we won't go near the sea,
but will take a basket and gather
some wild flowers"
Mrs. Grantham looked from one
little eager face TO the other and said
"Well, Dolly, if you are quite sure
that / can trust Eric TO obey you,
| will not say no, though | had
rather you did not 60 on the cliff at
all. but walked inland to gather the
wild flowers"
"You may trust me, mamma,
said Dolly, who was fond of feeling
important. Mrs. Grantham was just
starting off for a drive. and asked
the children if they would not pre-
fer going with her; but they still
begged to have their walk. So of
they went, as merry little couple
as YOU would wish TO see.
Eric and Dolly lived in a house a
little way out of Brighton ; so the
children were not obliged to go
through the town at all, and soon
after leaving their home they got
into the opea fields. They soon
filed their baskets with wild flowers,
and then Eric said, dolly we must
have a walk on the cliff now"
Mamma said she mad rather we
did not go on the cliff at all, said
Dolly.
well, but I'm sure she would
not mind if we don't 90 too near the
edge" answered Eric. I'm going
at any rate.
Dolly scarcely knew what to do
she thought if she refused to go Eric
would Just 90 without her, and that
she felt sure would be worse than if
she went with him to look after him
little; so she said, ,"How unkind OF
you, Eric, to talk like that. OF
course if you go, | must, but that's
not obeying me as you promised"
At this naughty Eric merely
laughed.
The children soon reached the
cliff, and walked along it for some
little way, keeping a safe distance
from the edge. However. they
somehow crept nearer and nearer,
until at last forgetting all the wishes
their mother had expressed, they
stood close to it looking out over the
great sea into the far distance.
Then they took off their hats to let
the cool breeze blow over their heads
and then Eric lay down, leaning on
his elbows, and Dolly stood beside
him with her long, thick hair blown
out behind her.
"Hullol" cried Eric suddenly,
"Why, | do declare there's nurse
and the little ones down on the
beach; and he began shouting to
them. Eric, Eric y cried Dolly,
"don't pray don't" But Eric did
not mind in the least what Dolly
said, and he went nearer and nearer
the edge of the cliff. picking up and
throwing pebbles over at the nurse
and the children to attract their at
tention. There was a good long
piece of rope lying close to them
left probably by some workman.
Eric tied a large stone 60 this and
lowered it over; in doing this and
watching where it went he overbal-
anced himself and to Dolly's horror
tell over the cliff. Fortunately there
was a piece of protecting rock about
five or six feet below, and upon this
ledge the disobedient little boy fell,
and, happily rested there. just
then Dolly heard the welcome sound
of wheels upon the road, which ran
past at very short distance. What
joy it was to see her father and
mother seated in the carriage. Sne
made frantic signs to them and they
were coon beside her. You will be
glad to learn that Master Eric was
rescued from his dangerous position
by his father, and that he was un-
hurt with the exception of few
bruises