Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-04-08
SAVED.

SAVED.
Slowly to and fro woman paceC
the Waterloo bridge, London, appar
emily unmindful that drilling rair
had set in and that her thin shawl wa
becoming wet through. After awhile
she turned her steps toward the para
pet, and leaning over its edge, gaze.
down into the black depths beneath
The next instant she stood erect
upon the parapet, a shadowy figurr
seen through the mistiness ofthe night
In another moment she would have
been fiuttering like wounded bird
down to certain death, had not q
mans hand held her back from the ia,
tai act, as ne exclaimed:
20 Gods sake, lass. dinna dot. !"
For a second the woman struggled in
his grasp, then, half detiantly, hal
YEARLY, she said, as he helped her de
scend from the parapet: well, Isup
pose you want me to go aloLg to the
lock-up?"
"Na, ma, lass, I'd only like TO see ye
among friends. Come, he added. lay.
ing his hand kindly upon her arm,
''you'll be wet through standing here. ="
The woman gazed at the man with a
perplexed look, which he returned
with a friendly smile, noted her pale
face and the hunted, weary expression
OF her dark eyes as she said, almost
humbly:
II should thank you, perhaps, for
saving my life, and yet it were better
if you had let me go. Not a living
soul is there to mourn my loss, and
might have found rest"
INA tha' way, lass; but ye look Ill
an ma fit TO be out O. SIGH a night. II
We dinna moind, perhaps might be a
help to We, a-seeing yer home"
Home. / have no home. have
been sick unto death. This morning
only was / discharged from the hos
pitaI, and such as are best out ofthe
world"
1.-THE Lord knows best wha' Is TO-
our good" reverentIy repeated the
man, then, with slight tinge OF color
mantling his honest face, hecontinuei:
"If We dinna moind trusting yerself
to me think can find We place TO-
the night. We see, I'm just newly come
fra the country, on my way to
America, an there's a family as WIS
on the train with HE that is bound TO
the same place, an is stopping at a
bit OF a lodging over yonder, an I'm
ma doubling but Mrs. Bighart would
take We in, TO she has most feeling
heart, so il yer agreeable tot we'll be
goini, as it's goodish bit further"
For a second the woman hesitated,
then with every well" shemoved along
at the man side. On leaving the buss
which they had taken at the opposite
side of the bridge they proceeded along
divers streets. At last the man turned
in at a doorway, and with smile and
a nod babe the woman follow him into
a narrow passage lighted by a flicker
ing oil-lamp. Then he paused, saying
in his kindly tones:
Would yer moInd biding a bit here
till / just sort O. prepares Mrs. Big
hart TO yer comin'?" Signifying her
willingness, the woman remained
standing where he left her. little heed
ing or caring what was to become of
her. As she waited, look of dull
apathy upon her handsome face, the
door through which her rescuer had
disappeared opened, and a plump,
iolly-looking little woman burst INTO
the hallway, exclaiming:
"0h, there you are! didn't know
you for the minnit. The passage be
dark after the light inside. Ye look
tired; just come right along in. The
children have everything in a muss,
but, Lor' bless 'em, havn't it in ME
to scold, along OF their being so cooped
up here, after the country"
You are very kind" at last an
swered the young woman, a softened
expression gathering in her eyes.
Bidding her guest lay aside her wet
bonnet and shawl and seat herself
near the stove, worthy Mrs. Bighart
hustled about bent upon preparing the
supper. The children, some five in
number, admonished by their mother,
and, perhaps, "A little awed by thegrave,
silent woman. ceased their play and
shyly eyed the stranger from a dis
lance. All at once there was a delight
ful shout OF Papa" as large, jovial,
appearing man entered theroom, and,
catching up the youngest fodder. sat
her upon his shoulder. Then the man
who had befriended the young woman
came in and was Immediately hailed
by the children as "Jaek" as they
clsmbered about him in high glee. As
If 10 dream. the outcast.womanf found
herself seated at the table of happy,
honest family, who treated her as an
hcnored guest, receiving her unques-
toned within their midst, simply be-
cause she was friendless and in need
And that night, moved by a strange
longing, she had timidly asked to be al
lowed to kiss the babe that cooed at
her from her mothers arms. And
kindly Mrs. Bighart, with a pleased
smile, had held out the little one to
her, saying:
There, take her, my dear, and kiss
her as much as you please" Later in
the evening, when the little woman
had resumed the charge of her young
est and was bidding her guest good.
night, she calculated warmly.
There now, my dear, just you
sleep well and tomorrow we'll see il
there isn't way out of your Difficult.
ties, and with a hearty goodnight
kiss, Mrs. Bighart hurried off to at
tend to her children wants, while the
young woman's face paIed and flushed
at the unwontoned caress from such
lips. .......
One by one the days of that week
slipped by and the woman still! re-
manned with the Bigharts. 1t was the
day before the departure for America,
all business having been satisfactorily
transacted, when Mrs. Bighart, laying
her hand kindly upon Mary IS shoulder,
said:
DO you know, Mary, Eve been
thinking that | don't see how I'm 20
spare you, an I've talked it over with
Tom, an the long and the short of it
is, my dear, il you've a mind to 90
along with us, I'd be glad to haveyou
The children they've took to you so,
an you see, out west in them clearings
it's goin' to be a bit lonesome, without
a neighbor, barring perhaps three
miles. I'm sorry we're not able to
offer much wages at first along OF the
expenses well be to gettin' there, but
your bit an sup and an odd pound now
an agin you'll be welcome to-"
Like one dazed, Mary stood listen
ing to the kind offer, then, with deep
worderment in her tones, she said: