The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-07-25

had died all alone and in the dark. And then tried to think how things looked from our window, with the water s-eep- ing up to the very sill, and the rcd sun. set lying on it-and beyond the pretty town and steeple with the clock :; and thought 1t was better for me to die than Robbery, after all, for he could see, while l-I had no pleasure in my life. And yet wanted to live: waated to hear Bobbery's voice again: wanted the waters to go down, and somebody to re- member me at last-for was afraid. Wei, God answers our prayers some times in a way that is terribly just. ft takes us q long time to ind out that everything is very good, think, but we come to learn l: at last, and learn, too to leave our prayers as well as the an swers to God. Somebody did remember me at last. and came back; somebody whose laughing voice across the waters was nearer every minute; somebody whose eyes, felt, were on my face somebody who had never forgotten me Bobberyl
 "' Robbery Bobbeyv cried, and ! stretched out my arms to him.
 Robbery said: l came over in a tub-ony think Such larkl But as l climbed in at the window, our tub drifted away, and however we're to ge, over, can't tell
 "'You must think of something,' said. Robbery, it was such long day
 Why, of course it was,' Robbery an swered, without me. Come along; the rivers rising like fury
 e. Is it very wide? asked.
 Oh, not more'n good stretch from here to dry land, but deep over six feet, should say, and rising
 "' But the bed, Bobbery,' l sad {; and the other things?'
 "'Well, we must leave them until it's all right again
 "' Will it ever be all right ? asked.
 "' Why, yes of course, said Robbery.
 "He was such splendid chap sir, was Robbery, and so clever! He took the two chairs that were drifting about the roc m. and tied them close together, and then we waded across to the wlndo Y, and stood upon the sill.
 "'I think it's jolly good fun,' said Robbery. If you could only see how your boats bobbing up and down in front, here! Get in, quick, or can't hold her Here port her helm, or something! Are you all right?'
 "' It's splendid said. Come along.
 But when B)bbery put his foot on to the uns;e ady raft, she went down on one side with plunge. Never mind he said you've just 10 push yourself ashore with this pole, as straight as you can go, and I'll follow
 swear to you, sir, thought it was true, or never would have left Boobcry. took the pole he gave me, and went out on the restless waters, that felt were olood-red where the setting sun had touched them. People on the opposite side cheered and cried out once or twice, ship ahoy ' in shrill voice that knew and loved better tn an anything on earth, and once hear1 him say, fAintly seemed so far away in port at last
 At last
 The people on the shore had ceased their shouts of excitement and encourage ment; the light had diei entirely away. h an awful silence, and an awful dark ness, jumped to land and held out ny two hands.
 :" Robbery! Bobbery' cried. l want to thank you
 "Did Bobbery hear, sir, do you think ? Do people hear anything, do people un- derstand anything, alter they have gone away? only knew that the awful silence was turning me to stooe at the awful darkness was rising between me and Boooery-and l was afraid. When called, no one answered me, and l was glad. If his voice was silent, any other voice would have maddened me just then, and 1 wanted nothing more to tell me all the truth. learned through the silence on sea and land how God had answered prayer.
 They told me afterward how the plank he was launching to help himself to the shore drifted away from his hand, and vas out of sight directly; how they would have saved aim if they could, and how, when they began to shout to him directions, he made sign for silence, and stood straight upon the sill, with the sunset creeping all about him, and the waters washing at his feet. They won- dered why he made no effort to reach the shore with me; they used to wonder for long afier, why he had stood so silent. with his eager eyes, and restless feet so strangely still. knew, of course; but what right had any one else to come be- tween Robbery and me? It wouldn't have done any one any good to know what knew-that Boobey wouldn't let me lose the slightes, chance thought my bind, helpless life quite as well worth saving as his own. would have done the same for him sir any dAv-for P,b bery and me, sir, we were al ~ays fond of each other.
 ' The s,ory's been longer than thought, sir; but just the evening, and the floods again, and your wanting to know about the cross, brought # back to me like the same evening someho ~-and its company-hke, to talk of the lad.
 @And Robbery? He just died, sir; and tue folks thought such lot of him they collected bit to set me up, and took half the money just to put up this little cross by the rivsTside-for we always HAA thA arA | ',