The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-07-15

. AL CLOCK this same afternoon wher
, every guest of the house is enjoying his O.
, her slesta, shut in the seclusion of thei
rooms, slight figure clad in flannel Knick
eroocker, with a sailor waist of the same, is
sues, stick in hand from side entrance.
, len minutes later the same figure make
Its way along the railroad track to where &
small foot path turns off to the left with {
, stunted pine near at hand labeled TO Tur
ner's Point
ut doesn't look so very awful" exclaim,
SWAN, as the path followed; he stands al
length beside clump of dwarfed pines, and
looks down upon the river, much more
peaceful here than 100 yards above, whert
, its fury seems to have been finally expended
IN the last OF the great cascades
But in spite of this peace and quiet the
scene formed by the stupendous masses Of
granite upheaved on every side with their
bare and frowning lodges and the sheer pre-
clpitous fall of their rocky sides for nearly
l,T0 feet, is enough to inspire even the
boldest with fear.
strange feeling of awe and drea steals
Tor moment into the child's heart, and he
partly turns as though he would go back
The next, apparently ashamed of even this
FAINT show of cowardice, he grasps his stick
firmly and begins to climb downward
There is no regular path, but ho catches
sight here and there of trodden tuft Of
grass, and the shredded twigs of ash and
laurel that show plainly where the foot and
hand of the daring climber have left their
prints
Very cautiously Swain picks his way at
hfst, then, as he finds it easier than he has
thought, he grows bolder Finally, when
ABOUT $40 feet down, a projecting ledge
stops his further progress. Kneeling down,
he crawls to the edge and looks over.
The very place" he cries excitedly, "and
Just know it is down there!n
But the down there" is fully $50 feet
beneath him, and is another projecting
ledge but much larger, and thickly covered
with ferns and NOSES over which a thread
like cascade trickles
| As he leans further over a tiny souething
that giitters in the suns rays catches his
eye.
| 1t Is lmbedded in the soil of the ledge a
| foot or SO beneath him.
Reaching down he quickly grasps it and
then, with an exultant little cry. springs IN
his feet But the next moment the cry of
exultation is changed to one Of supplication
and terror, for in the sudden spring his feet
have come in contact with a treacherous
tuft that is barely hanging to the clif',
edge AS they press against it it gives way,
and the next moment he goes headlong over
the edge
Up at the hotel all is confusion and ex.
citement, for he has been missed, and the
mother aunt, in her agony of terror, is be,
seeching landlord, clerk, guide, waters, all
TO so IN search of her darling boy
Only too well she surmises that in his
usual fearlessness and alive with the desire
10 hunt out things for himself, he is stray
ing along the dizzy edges of the dangerous
chasm
1t is twenty four hours before they find
him, and at least fourth as many more
ere, by the aid of ropes and ladders, he is
rescued
lie Is conscious, and able to tell his story
though when he is first lifted he cries ont.
with pain i'll spite of himself. One arm lies
doubled up under him AMI shattered vet
with this exception, there is no other ont
ward sign of hurt
His descent has been broken by the vari
Gus clumps of verdure, and finally. when he
has reached the ledge below. it is to fall
upon bed Of ferns and nosses For n time
the shock has completely stunned him
W hen he returns to consciousness it is Ia
find that he is unable to move his boIy. But
he manages to reach bis handkerchief
which he dips from time to time in the cas-
cade near, and thus sakes his thirst and
also with its damp folds protects his face
from the suns rays. 1t is the chill of tho
long dark night that strikes the greater ter
ror to his heart and death-liks numbna.s |
to his cramped limbs |
This Is the story he tells to those who rss |
cue him. but he says naught of these dread |
ful things when passionately clasped AGAINST |
the throhhing heart that all day and all |
night long has watched and waited in an |
agony of mingled hope and fear on the We. |
randa OF the hotel.
There, IN the presence of all, yet seem
lnG unmindful, overcome Mt last by the
sight of the agitated loving face, with if,
passionate eyes raining hot tears down upop
his own, he sob5 out the whole story of his
hopes and longings for her, the ardent de-
'Ires that cling SO fondly about the dear
lear book
Ciutched tightly in the palm of his uuin
iured hand he still holds the precious, spark.
ing thing, which, now that he is safe within
ler sheltering arms, he discio,es to the ,;a.s
If all
Not till the next day, however. when the
;.;rr, az fara,. - III, rs &c ~ '"s ue
covered. 1t is an emerald unusually LARGE
81 LII ,-i,., hin, &, an,
81 dacraras Ta,,,,r - ~ tuSu' as IL
aa,,s ,,.I,o - y, ti,,, ' tl. i'ouh -No" VI
oucboa nv the na,,,.,o 80 Is hi'tcu h'ore
IN the mother aunt's bosom than h, iS tat Du,
" the probabje valua ~. ,ha ,,' ''N.n