The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1886-02-27

more. Goodbye, my little girl. W IN
throp, be good to her and may God
bless you both forever ~
As the old soldier spoke he stepped
into the larger boat, instantly relcas-
ing the skitt. His imperative gen
tleness had secured his object with
out lost time, and the boats were
apart with Winthrop's readiness to
pull.
"Now, row. Row tor her lite to
yonder shore. Bow well up! Away.
or the falls will have herr
But YOU cried Winthrop, bend
ing for his stroke. Yet he did not
comprehend Bedell's meaning. Till
the last the old man had spoken
without excitement. Dread of the
river was not on George-his bliss
was supreme in his thought, and he
took the 'Squire's order for one of
exaggerated alarm.
"Row, | say, with all your
strength, cried Bedell, with a flash
OF anger that sent the yong fellow
away instantly. Grow! Concern
yourself uot for me. | am going
home. Row for her life, Winthrop.
God will deliver you yet. Goodbye.
children. Remember, always, my
blessing is freely given YOU
God bless and keep YOU forever,
father" cried Ruth, from the dis
lance, as her lover pulled away.
They landed, conscious of having
passed swift current, indeed, but
quite minimizing of the price p2id
for their safety.
Looking back on the darkling river
they saw nothing of the old man.
'Poor father sighed Ruth, chow
kind he was. Pm sore-heartcd for
thinking of him at home, so lonely.
Left alone Bedell stretched with
the long, heavy oars for his own
shore, making appearance of strong
exertion. But when he no longer
feared that they might turn back
with sudden understanding, and
vainly, to his aid, he dragged the
boat slowly, watching her swift drift
downtown toward the towering
mist. Then, as he gazed at the
cloud rising in two distinct volumes,
came a thought squirting the Loyal
list spirit in an instant. Thereafter
he pulled steadily, powerfully, not
ing landmarks anxiouslv, studying
currents, considering always their
trend to or from his own shore. Half
an hour had gone when he again
dropped into slower motion. Then
he could sec Goat Islands upper end
between him and the mist of the
American Fall.
Now the old man gave himself up
to intense curiosity, looking over
down into the water with fascinated
inquiry. He had never been so far
down river. Darling beside their
shadows, deep in the clear flood,
were now larger fishes than he had
ever taken, and all moved up as if
| hurrylng to escape. How fast
the long trailing, swaying, single
weeds and the cfcviccs in flat rock
whence they SO strangely grew, went
up stream and away as if drawn back
ward. The samencss of the bottom
to that higher uo interested him
where then did the current begin to
sweep clear? He should certainly
know that soon, he thought, without
a touch of fear, having utterly &C
ceptcd death when he determined it
were base to carry his weary old life
a little longer and let Ruth's young
love die. Now the Falls heavy
monotone was overborne by terrible
sounds-a mingled clashing, Shrek
ing, grooming and rumbling, as of
great boulders churned in their beds.
Bedell was nearing the first long
swoop downward at the rapids head
when those Watching him despair
ingly from the high bank below the
Chippewa rivers mouth put his
boat stern with the current and
cease rowing entirely, facing fairly
the uprusiling mist to which he was
being hurried. Then they observed
him stoopng, as if writing, for a
time, And then he knclt with head
bowed down. kneeling, he prayed,
too.
Now he was almost on the brink
of the cascades. Then he arose and,
glancing backward to his home,
caught sight of his friends on the
high shore. Calmly he waved fare
well. What then? Thrice round he
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