The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1888-09-14

her angry call, . 70 answer
she ran 70 a part Of the garden
where the fence was sunken, y
Il a a bound. Once ON the
Il took but q glance Of her sharp
black eyes 20 discern the mgitivcs.
There. under shelter Of the great
mapie-trce. she saw her child hiding
from her. her child v~ouchsafing no an
10 her call. setting NJ naught her
authority. and clinging to the child Of
her arch-enemy! For once she was too
angry 70 speak. She swoopcd down
on the infants like an eagle on is prey.
She was in such a rage that the chill
dren were afraid OF her. and began 70
cry and cling the closer 10 each other,
resisting her frantic attempts 70 sep
arate them. Her blows rained on both
alike, and. at last. a cruel n fell on
the arm OF baby May. and the little
hand relaxed its hold. The angry
woman seized her child, and. pulling
him towards her. gave the little deli
cate creature from whom she had freed
him a vigorous push. She had been In
too great a rage 70 notice that during
the brief conflict they had gone nearer
and nearer TO the edge OF the bank.
Now the angry push sci the child 70
the very verge. where she tottered and
swayed a moment. then fell. with .
loud cry, into the water below.
For one moment. a dumb horror
that p~aralyzed every motion, that frozt
her blood and the wild cry on her lips
seized the frightened woman as she
looked down on the poor little Great
urc. whose fear Of the water In which
il struggled was 50 much greater thar
even its fear Of her, that the white
frightened face was u%pturned to her
besecchingly, and the baby arms out
stretched 20 her for help. Face ant
form disappearing beneath the waite
broke the spell. and with a shrek tina
woke the very echoes. and a franti
bound. she was in the water. too, wild
IL making for the spot where baby Ma
had disappeared. She was q goo
swimmer. and by great effort sh
gained il. But the water had bee
swollen BY recent rains. and the littl
creature. borne down stream by tn
} current, rose at some distance from tn
| spot where she sank. BY heroic or
deavor Mrs. Bray reached that spc
also. and just as baby May was sink
} ing for the second time. she caugf
! and held her fast. The child was III
! conscious. but still alive. With q CT
/ Of Thanksgiving and a choking sob sh
saw that. Carefully holding the littl
. head above water. she turned an
r tried to reach the shore. 1t was M
/ far of. but her wet. heavy clothing an
! the burden she bore, dragged he
4 down and impeded every motion, an
: in going back she was obliged
+ breast the current Of the swolle
d stream. Holding her precious burde
tight she struggled IN. Though pu
ting forth her utmost strength an
spurred 70 heroic endeavor by Il
n aconizing consc. ssness that eve
moment spent in the struggle TO ga
the shore was one moments lc
4 chance for life TO the child she w
a carrying. her progress was slow
she neared the shore she became Q
!, hausted. and the last few strokes r
q quired so great an effort that thu
h taxed her failing powers beyond 2
n durance. Clasping tightly the chi
! she had saved from the water, she 4
unconscious upon the shore she h;
gained. But help was just at han
:. The men from the mill, who HI
come too late to rescue them from Z
= watcr. raised in their arms the y
dripping. unconscious figures lying
!. the shore. and a sad little processi
followed in their wake. as they DO
= Mrs. Bray back to her house agal
u and laid her on the bed. They Ia
baby May down on a lounge opposi'
j A messenger was dispatched for
!, doctor, and one OF the womcn in I
\, little crowd a to find the abst
u mother. II was one who from the {
posite bank had Witnessed the sec
- n
from first to last, and had given I
alarm at the mill. Being no friend
- Mrs. Bray's. she told the story to M
NJ Bruck when she found her, with 81
~ dry damaging embellishments Of
"a own. With rage and anguish tuggl
at her heart. the frightened mott
~ few rather than ran TO the house
= her arch enemy, and painting .
a. b~rcathlcss. rushed into the room VIII
:. her baby was lying.
he All had been done that could be do
he but the spark OF life in that little. r.
o.. lie form had gone out orever.
10 doctor had cleared the room OF
crowd. and IL was strangely quiet
IN rose to meet the poor mother as
entered. She looked at him with "
~bcsecching face; then. seeing the
~ swcr to the question she dared not q
in the grave compassion Of his.
II stricken mother. with an agoniz
n wall. fell on her knees beside her d.
She kissed the little face, while
tears raincd upon II. With words
passionate endearment she held
cold form close; then she laid her .
down. and with her anguished
IA turned upward and her hands
~