Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1888-11-07

o"olca ~ motuouts tuon tciis Wibh ~
loud cry. into the water below.
For one moment, dumb horror
that paralyzed every motion, that froze
her blood and the wild cry on her lips,
seized the frightened woman as she
looked down on the poor little Great
ure, whose fear OF the water In which
II struggled was so much greater than
even its fear OF her, that the white,
frightened face was upturned TO hers
beseechingly, and the baby arms out
stretched TO her for help. Face and
form disappearing beneath the water
broke the spell, and with shrek that
woke the very echoes, and frantic
bound, she was In the water, too, Wild
ly making for the spot where baby May
had disappeared. She was a good
swimmer, and by great effort she
gained IL. But the water had been
swollen by recent rains, and the little
creature. borne down stream by the
current, rose at some distance from the
spot where she sank. BY heroic en-
deavor Mrs. Bray reached that spot
also, and just as baby May was sink
ing for the second time, she caught
and held her fast. The child was I'M
conscious, but still alive. With cry
OF Thanksgiving and a choking sob she
saw that. Carefully holding the little
head above water, she turned and
tried to reach the shore. 1t was not
far of, but her wet, heavy clothing and
the burden she bore, dragged her
down and impeded every motion, and
in going back she was obliged to
breast the current OF the swollen
stream. Holding her precious burden
tight she struggled on. Though put
ting forth her utmost strength and
spurred to heroic endeavor by the
agonizing consciousness that every
moment spent in the struggle TO gain
the shore was one moments less
chance for life to the child she was
carrying. her progress was slow. AS
she neared the shore she became ex-
hausted, and the last few strokes re-
quired so great an effort that they
taxed her failing powers beyond en-
durance. Clasping tightly the child
she had saved from the water, she fell
unconscious upon the shore she had
gained. But help was just at hand.
The men from the mill, who had
come too late to rescue them from the
water, raised in their arms the two
dripping, unconscious figures lying on
the shore, and a sad little procession
followed in their wake, as they bore
Mrs. Bray back to her house again,
and laid her on the bed. They laid
baby May down on a lounge opposite.
A messenger was dispatched for the
doctor, and one of the women in the
little crowd ran 20 find the absent
mother IL was one who from the OPP
posite bank had witnessed the scene
from first to last, and had given the
alarm at the mill. Being no friend of
Mrs. Bray's, she told the story to Mrs.
Bruck when she found her, with sun
own. With rage and anguish Juggling
at her heart, the frightened mother
few rather than ran to the house of
her arch enemy, and painting and
breathless, rushed into the room where
her baby was lying.
All had been done that could be done,
but the spark OF life in that little, frag-
lie form had gone out forever. The
doctor had cleared the room OF the
crowd, and it was strangely quiet. He
rose to meet the poor mother as she
entered. She looked at him with wild,
beseeching face; then, seeing the an
swer to the question she dared not ask,
in the grave compassion of his, the
stricken mother, with an agonizing
wall, fell on her knees beside her dead.
She kissed the little face, while her
tears rained upon it. With words of
passionate endearment she held the
cold form close; then she laid her baby
down, and with her anguished face
turned upward and her hands out
stretched, she cried Il never will for
give her; so help me, God! never,
never, never!
These were the sights and sounds
that Mrs Bray saw and heard in dim,
far-off way, as she struggled back to
consciousness. One dazed, uncertain
moment she looked vaguely about her,
then, in an instant, sharp as sword
thrust piercing her heart of hearts, the
memory OF 1t all came back TO her.
With an anguish so great that it over
came her almost mortal weakness,
with a great cry she sprang from the
bed, and rushed to helounge on which
the dead baby was lying.
"She is not dead! She can't be dead!
God would not let her dier' she cried,
clasping wildly the little lifeless form.
On the delicate marble arm was the
black-and-blue mark her cruel hand
had made. A choking sob rose in her
throat as she caught sight of it.
"Ah! / was cruel to you, cruel to you,
God forgive me! struck you, baby
May" she groaned. But open your
eyes and look at me, darling. Say you
hate me, but only speak, just to show
you are not dead"
No moan OF pain answered her fran
tic appeal, or eased her remorseful
heart. All that could hear and feel
and see were gone. She gave wild
cry as the truth forced itself upon her,
and fell at the fcet-of the mother she
had bereft. Forgive mel" she cried,
"for Gods sake forgive me! l did not
mean to hurt her. / call God to wit
ness that did not mean TO hurt her.
~
was so near the edge of tho bank;
swear did not know it; periled my
life in trying to save hers, remember
that. Be pitiful! ! would lay II down
now gladly, gladly, II that would bring
her back. and / would do more than
that" she went on wildly; Ito lay her
in your arms alive, would give my
baby's life."
In her passionate remorse, she was