Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1888-06-07

Hung out its bare and skeleton limbs a. "
in ghostly protest. and fell far out into the
stream, in~terlocking is branches with a
sturdy, evergreen oak, which stood on the
opposite bank. while its trunk, loosely
anchored by long. snake-hke roots, tossed
helplessly m mid-stream.
Mamma, See the big boards coming!'
cried out her little daughter.
Kate looked far up stream and saw n
great timber sailing leisurely along.
Now IL caught ON a projecting suag and
swung half about, now II struck n sub
merged island, and idly -disengagrd it,
self and sauntercd on. Behind il was an
other. and vet nnother-the stream was
black with them.
ooh, my God! The railroad bridge"
The railroad bridge, and the afternoon
train now nearly due, soon To rush down
a steep grade 10 a leap int that yawning
cha-m! Her first impulse was 10 start up
the canyon. but she instantly checked
herself. What folly, when miles of over
flow lay between her and the doomed
train Word must be sent down
TO the station, and from there
a telegram to the next stop
ping place above the bridge. But how;
The hired man Jim had gone an hour be-
fore to the village 20 get the mail and have
his daily gossip with the loungers Of The
place. Even II he was here. neither horse
nor man was feet enough TO rover the
cirruitous road that lay between. Then
she looked at the PROSTATE sycamore.
Down the stream, leisurely. but nearer
and nearer still. sailed the great timbers.
Marian, take little brother and 90
straight % the house and stay there till
m comes back"
She had already pulled herself mp by
one of the roots, and was creeping stealthi-
ly along the swaying trunk. Here her
dress caught on "a branch; there she had
10 climb down and crawl along with her
feet under the water, to avoid an upright
limb. Once she slipped and lost her hold,
and was nearly sucked into the eddying
current, but she caught at "A stout prolec-
ton and swung herself up again.
She could hear the swash of the heavy
timbcrs upstream a. they rocked lazily
upon the water, but she did not dare tu
look. Before her the main trunk of the
tree was lost, and she saw two diverging
limbs, one low in the water, the other
locked with tn. oak in mid-air. Which Ia
take2 She dared not hesitate. but COM
meGced a perilous climb along the up
per limb, slippery and naked in
places, waverins SO that she grew
dizzy, and shut her eyes To keep from
falling. Aud 50, lying prone upon il,
haud over hand, she crept the entire
length. and the great stick % timber
struck heavily against the fallen syea-
more. and just a. Kate swung herself intd
the branches Of the oak she felt her sup
port give way, and with II gruau, and
crash. and wild up-tossing OF its skeleton
arms, the old tree tore loose from il.
mo0rings, and was swept down stream
toward the bay.
Her hands torn aud bleeding, Kate Mid.
dleton reached solid ground at length, aut
first her maternal instinct asserted itself
II she looked back and saw her children
standing still and looking after her. Sh.
pointed homeward with a gesture tina.
they dared not disobey, and saw then
turn and run up the lane, then sped nlon,
her way.
She was not light Of foot as in her girl
hood; whereas, she was once feet as
deer, and swift motion was n very Joy q
her, she now realized that she was grow
ing 10 be a stout and middle aged woman
She moved heavily and clumsilv. an,
labored for breath, and her feet were lik
clods beneath her. There was "A mile q
rough and rocky ground To- be covered be
fore she reached the station, and the trail
oh, but tn possess once more the agilit
of her girlhood.
Which would be firstY Would the train
flying across the upper levels of the Coas
Range, reach the next station before til
brave woman had sent her message q
warming How many times she aske
herself the question she could not hay
told. She scarcely dared hope that sh
might be in time. Her heart SCENE
-ady 10 burst with griet for the terribl
misery threatening SO many happy home,
Alas for the orphaned children VIII
mislt cry aloud to Heaven that night
Alas! for fathers and mothers whom III
morrow might behold bowed down wit
sorrows Ala for husbands and wives :
She was crossing the bed Of one Of tn
many abandoned channels Of the impet
nous mountain stream. a rocky pathway
strewn with the spoils Of by-gone fresh
cts, whe re, even then. a shallow strear
was ripping past, token of the torrent
surplus force. She fnlterrd. Smitten bv
new and awful thought. What il Tom-
Tom. who was not to come home for tw
day. more; Tom. who had started out i
an altogether different direction-shoul
have cut short his excursion. or, with hi
party. driven home by the continued ain.
somehow wandered to one oS the uppe
stations, aud boarded the train there.
Where was her Wanted physics
strength now What was she. after al
but a weak, wretched woman, with tremI
ling limbs, every muscle clogged bv thi
] frr-tsuf .4pvA FBwF l-l -.
her "a fierce pain gripping at her hear
something rising in her throat whic
sutfoeated her, her eyes blinded with baby
ish tears: Thank God her brain keI
clear and true 10 its purpose. and urge
~ the Tagging body. On. on, over littl
hillocks, across level stretches III sane
down new ravines she ran. Once she ca
her foot cruelty upon a sharp stone An
remembered for the first time, that sn
had ON the light worsted slippers she ha
worn in the house, and had carelessl
neglected 10 exchange FOR walking-b boot
when she started down the creek with he
children. She even bethouyht hersal
ina her loose house-dress was seareel
the style Of apparel in which she sboul
IKE To present herself at the station
could she nave her choice. and in IN
same breath sent up a prayer Of thankful
ness for its light weight. which scarceI
eneumhered her movements.
With all the rest Of her senses dulIed
her hearing appeared to have becom
preternaturally sharp. She seemed I
hear the elatter Of the approaching trai
twelve miles away. The throb. thrut
thr@b Of the engine kept pace with he
beating heart. She heard the hollo,
echoes from the ~neighboring hill
as the train crept over emsank
meats, it, d~eafeuing clamor as
rushed across tr~estle-work, its dulI rum
bic a. il rolled over solid ground. m
even seemed 10 see the engineer as he Iaf
his hand on the eseara-v,fva ~.a4~ +,