St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1886-01-30

he dropped between the vessel and the
wharf, falling with great splash into
the dark green water
Poor little Hal! you may we'll wish
you had not disobeyed your mothers
orders, for now there is small chance
of your ever being able to disobey them
again; The tide had begun to run out,
and although Harold struggled up to
the surface twice, so that his terrified
playmates caughta glimpse of his pale,
frightened face for moment, the
cruel current dragged him down again,
and the horrid salt water rushed into
his mouth, as he opened it to cry for
help. His father had given him some
lessons IN swimming that summer, and
he tried to put them in practice now,
striking out bravely with his plump
fists and sturdy legs, but of course
such swimming as that could not help
him, and he sank deeper and deeper.
Then at last he gave up trying to save
himself. He lost all sense of suffering,
and as be drifted passively away with
the current, strange thing happened
to him-something that he will never
forget though he lives hundred years
and it was this; all his past life APP
peared before his mind in series of
pictures, in fact, just like the piano.
rama OF the American rebellion he had
enjoyed the winter before. All his do
ings good and bad, but more particu-
larly the bad ones, seemed to come up
clearly before him. and as he saw what
naughty, thoughtless boy he had
been, he felt sorry enough never to dis
~, fo,,I p,,+
wasn't it too late now?
What! up in the sunshine once more,
and sitting on the solid yellow deals,
with his companions crowding round
him, laughing and crying, and patting
him on the back, and acting so comic
ally, while all the time the water is
dripping down off his clothes, and MAX
ing a puddle at his feet, and he does
feel so uncomfortable underneath his
blouse. And who is the big strong man
standing near, just as wet as himself,
and looking at him with his handsome
bronzed face full of pride and pleasure?
And isn't that father coming down the
wharf as hard as he can run, with face
so white that he looks like ghost?
Bewildered little Hal couldn't at first
understand what it all meant and
when his father, catching him up in
his arms, pressed linn passionately to
his breast, til little man Just burst out
crying, and hid his wet face on his
fathers shoulder. In this fashion he
went back home, the boys following ia
a triumphal procession.
An hour afterwards, when Master
Harold had got rid of the uncomforta-
BILE feeling under his blouse, and put on
q warm, dry suit of clothes, Jack Har-
die told him how, when he fell plump
into the water, the boys had all shouted
out for help; and how the Mate of the
Roseneath had sprung out of his cabin
at the first cry, and, directed by Jack,
without waiting even to take Off his
coat, had dived right down into
the deep, dark water; how he had
come up once without finding Hal,
and, after taking breath, had gone
down second time in search of him;
how he had hunted around in the water
until at last, seeing something black
below him, he had stretched down his
leg, and his toe catching Hal under the
chin, the gallant Mate drew him up
l1GO LIS tt1 Ilc ItliSl tIC1I AA4S'AS 1oA WIZ
daylight; and how, when Harold first
came out of the water he seemed to be
dead, but in few minutes came to
life again, and sat up, blinking his
eyes like young baby. All this, and
more too, did Jack Hardie, proud of
having such an audience-for besides
Mr.. and Mrs. Owen, dozen or more
of the neighbors had run in to hear
all about it-relate with great gusto.
And as Harold realized how very near
he had come to losing his life, and
looked into his darling mother S face
streaming with tears of joy and graft
tude, which, but for the brave sailor,
would have been tears of bitter sorrow,
he gathered up his little features into
a most determined expression, and
said:
Mother, I'll never disobey you
again"
Thus did his mother get her wish,
and Master Harold his lasting impress
sion, which many a time saved him
from falling again into disobedience.-
j. III. O1ley, Ia S. S. Times.