The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1885-03-27

town. The truth Aashed upon M
Years before, her old granddaughter KI
told her how the old zee Wall hed bee
washed away And . tide had risen an
swept ID upon them on that Wild COS
OF Lincolnshire, carrying with Il. A
dwellings, and even land itself; an,
now there was mourning throughou
the land tor those that t had done {,
death-men and women and children
young and old-so that many q house
mold long remembered IL with WOO
Ihis had happened again. Tho se,
wal! was down, tho Hoods were sweep
ing III. Yhe bells were ringing as the,
had fung before. In the ears Of thos;
who lay In their graves-ringine {,
tell the same tale to those who wer,
then unborn.
The house in which she dwelt va.
old, and near the sea: far from all hu
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 be
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
1t she did not waken them. She went
down into the room where they slept,
and cried out, as she shook them,
1.-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, I'd
the roof, and found Hulda already
crohched there. She was crying also,
and she turned to Jean and clutched
her arm.
"Will the water rise SO fara" she
asked. ''Will l be drowned? who
was to be married tomorrow Oh, It
can't be, Jean!"
"Others will go with you, if you
ares" said Jean. "There are four of
u.s."
''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 and
prayed, and criea softly.
jean, calm and Silent, kept watch.
Tho 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, and Hulda was quite
mad with terror, when light glim-
mered close before them, and voice
cried:
GOOD folks, there's room for some
hele. How many of you are there7'
-Four" said Jean.
We've room for three" said the
voice. "ls it Welton's folk?"
EYES," 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.
ago." and seized Jeans arm. "In
with you, he cried, "There's little
time to spare"
And Hulda gave scream, and
cried, Don't leave me! don't leave
mel"
Then Jean, in whose heart jealousy
had lighted the fires Of hell but afi
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 rue, 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 bis
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 tho roof; but they
were ankle deep now.
The water was rising still. She knew
that there was little hope, but she was
very happy.
20, 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 sooni But she, Hulda. is half
your life. Ned. Oh, God be
thanked that 1 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, Oswept fai
behind her; the marble face cleaned
through rings of water that the star.
light made a halo of. A voice sobbing
through it, said: ''Ned Ned /! darling
Ned. good-bye!" 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 Il. Hulds
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 unseltishness had rested ir
her dying moments, leaving an angelic
smile upon the marble lips, and said in
dreamy way:
"Hulda, she was pretty. [ neve,
knew Jean Abbott was pretty before
And then he kissed her.
She Enjoyed Cold Weather.
The recent spell of weather call.
attention to recent article in LtttelL'.
Living Age called "a Lady's Life in