Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1885-08-27

| the prolonged Spring rains, the restivt
riyer had rent assunder some lettering
dam above, and the mighty floods were
already deluging the land.
| In another half hour the roadway
would be au impossible torrent. the
marshy crescent would be plunging
sea, and my helpless arch-enemy must
persish il nothing interyened to spare
| him.
I would leave him to his doom, as.
suredly ! should be an idiot to do
| otherwise
And then with n shock and fash,
the demon, the lmacy, the unworthier
duality, or whatever it might have
been, was extinguished within me.
Perhaps had ben ap idiot already, /
began to reflect If my girlish bride
had loved him in time of which had
no knowledge, even If she still loved
him, even il she had meditated wrong
to me, | should indeed be idiotic to do
ought which would be JOY to my foes
and grief to them that esteemed me,
and an eternal ignomy to myself
would instead he his deliverer |
would take him back to her, and then l
would leaye them to themselves I
would have done with them forever,
and / would 60 my way alone !
My reflections if comprehensive,
were OF short duration. Already q
vast avalanche of seething water was
tumbling down the valley, already the
rebelious river was rioting over knolls
and hollows, and down yonder in the
streaming road-bed riderless horse
was whinnying for his wellnigh insen-
sible cavalier.
"Come," began in my own natural
voice, ''life is as dear to you as to me,
and shall aot leave you to perish here.
Arouse your courage bit if you can
keep the saddle for a half mile you Will
be safe."
had fancied a few moments before
that my yehemence and menaces only
mystilled him but he understood dis
tinctly enough now.
My task was sufficiently perilous.
and accomplished none too soon. We
had scarcely gained the elevated ground
above the roadway when the watery
avalanche thundered down and SUBJ
merged even the precipitouS brink over
which he so anlnckily stumbled.
He was safe but of my own safety
had been too incautious. For even
as momently fingered on the brink
my footing failed me, the flood smote
me, and then knew no more.
When consciousness was restored TO
me, I was lying in my own chamber,
and my darling was kneeiing beside my
bed her beautiful beloved face all wan
and anguished with a trouble which 1
knew was for me alone.
"Life was worthless to my poor
brother. and you would have given your
own that he might live," I heard her
murmur.
needed no more to understand the
truth. The night was gone like some
weirdly distorted dream and in the
glory and gladness Of the dawning, L
put al arm about her and drew her to
my heart.
"You have never told me about your
brother-.tell me now," said.
The explanation was sufficiently lu-
cid. No doubt her brother had been
more sinned against than SHINING but
all the same he had teen condemned
for a grievious offense, and he was a
fugitive from pursuing justice. For
years she had believed him dead, and
now did not marvel she was so star
tied by the phantom from the past.
And now when all is over and done,
my mind content, my heart at rest,
can calmly marvel and moralize upon
the chaotic misery Of that eventfu
night can wonderingly question II
1 were possessed by some ffenzied spirit
not my own, or if some unreasonine
and inconsistent duality Of my being
had been quickened to uncanny volitior
within me