Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1885-12-03

to take her out, but he did not listen to
me. She threw up her hands wildly,
there was gurgling sound, and then
all was still. l begged father tn take
her out, prayed God to save Ressie's
life, but all in vain, God was far away
and did not hear me cry, at least it
seemed so to me. 1t seemed hours to
me, but father at last lifted up Bessie's
white dripping face. ] called her name
frantically, madly, wildly, but her blue
lips didn't move; she was dead. Father
carried her and laid her down on the
green grass. Il guess she won't be hun
CRY for awhile he said, as he laid her
down, | was so stunned that | neither
moved or spoke, until saw the blue
bells that had twined IN Bessie's hair
floating out on the water. | could not
bear to see them drift away; it seemed
as if it was dear little Bessie's sweet,
dead face drifting away; L could not
bear the thought, so waded out after
them; the water was up to my arm.pits,
now over my shoulders, still the blue
bells were just beyond my reach. but L
must haye them; the water touched my
chin, another step and | caught them,
and Just as | did, I heard mother call:
willie oh, Willie where are you y" l
looked for father, he was seated on the
ground by Bessie. Willie! oh, Willie!'
came mothers voice again. | was out
of the water now, but so weak | could
scarcely stand. Bessie! oh, BessieH |
called. Here mother, at the pond
Father gave one mad leap into the
water, he plunged in face down. l was
SO terrified l did not know what to do.
L heard mother coming. trembled so
l could not walk, so | crawled up to
Bessie, and taking fathers old straw
hat, put it over Bessie's dead face to
keep mother from seeing it. In a
moment she came in sight. She saw L
was dripping with water. willie, what
is The matter?" I could not speak.
She lifted the hat off Of Bessie's face.
SIZE stood for a moment as If turned to
stone. Tell me how it happened, Will
lie; tell me quick Then found voice
and told her everything. She heard me
through without word, but when l
had finished. shrek after shrek rent
the air. She stood with clasped hands
over Bessie, and shrieked such unearth-
ly cries that soon the neighborhood
flocked to the spot. Father had drown
ed himself; his body was taken from
under the beautiful water and buried
in the cemetery along side Of Bessie.
Mother was raving maniac from the
moment she uttered the first heart
rending cry over her dead baby Bess.
I put the blue bells in q little box, and
hung them around my neck, but after
the funeral lay in the hospital, sick
for weeks with brain fever, but when l
came to myself, the box was still a
round my neck, here it ISL and he
drew from his bosom small box,
which upon opening, revealed few
withered leaves.
They speak of sweet little baby Bes-
sle,' he said, as he closed the box and
slipped it back under his shirt bosom.
Then he looked at me straight in the
eyes and said:
Please, mister, don't ever vote for
whisky. 1t killed my father and dear
little baby Bessie, my only sister, and it
locked mother up in a mad-house.
Please don't vote for rum"
And I. man that | was, drew the
boot-black down and kissed him, and
said:
"God helping me, never will vote
for license or whisky men again."