Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1888-09-05

tuat Drle1 lnterpOSltl0n OF light, they
made their way into the attic. and
crossing 1t carefully, afraid OF the low
roof, and also afraid OF unseen stumb-
ling blocks, afraid OF returning upon
the yawnlng aperture, made their way
to the gray square OF the window.
Here they found a large box, upon
which they sat down. They spoke but
little; there were so few things lett
worth utterance in such an hour as
this By-and-by, as their eyes grew
accustomed to the dimness, they dis
cerned the general character OF their
surroundings There was a table near
them with food; there were boxes and
bundles and a couple of old pictures
brought up hither apparently when the
tide began to rise. In the middle lay
the black square through which they
had made entrances; at the far END a
rough heap OF straw was dimly distin-
guished, and from this came restless
cravings, scrapings and rustlings,
causing the woman 10 shrek and shud-
der.
"I suppose they are rats,'' he said
once, when the sounds grew louder.
Il suppose so; do you mind very
muchl'
mo, II we could only see them"
Again for while they were silent,
hearing the little sounds within and
the ever increasing sounds without.
At last the man stood up, and pass
ing his hand across his face, said:
''Oh, this is very cold-blooded. They
used to torture witches so, fixed to a
stake, when the tide was coming up
lie moved to and fro Impatiently
and stood still by the table.
''Could you eat somethlng?"
mo, thank you"
He broke himself a piece of bread
and returning to the window, ate a
few mouthfuls. He pushed open the
lattice and leaned out.
The water was rising rapidly, and
was already washing on the window OF
the room below. He turned back
toward her face of dIsmay; hers, as
she sat within the room, was not clearly
visible, but her attitude was calm and
undisturbed. He sighed and came
back quietly to sit beside her. But his
quietness was of short duration. He
asked, after a few minutes:
"Would you not like to 90 out upon
the roof? We shall have to do It sooner
or later, and 1 don't think we should
feel quite so much imprisoned"
"Oh, yes, let US go. Is there a trap
door7"
81 don't think there is. I looked
Just now. But L can get up through
the wIndow-the roof is close above
and then l can help you"
He set his foot on the window sill
and thrust his head and shoulders
through the narrow opening.
''Oh, yes, it is quite easy. But how
it blowsi We had better have some of
those shawls."
She brought them up and handed
them out, watched him draw himself
up, and then mounted in her turn from
box to window-ledge, and, reaching her
hands upward, found herself lifted
safely to the summit
The surge of the wind and water was
terrific, her hat was blown away at
once, and she was blinded by her hair.
When she had freed her face and drawn
up her shawl over her head, she was
able 10 perceive that the roof was
formed of two parallel gables. and that
between them, at each end, stack OF
chimneys rose from a solid platform
They went forward TO the more shell
/ tered group. and sat down on the block
Of brickwork at the base They had
before them the wide, desolate ex.
panss of waters; below them torrents
ran laundering between dwelling and
outhouses, and IN the pauses of the
cannonade that beat the walls. aud OF
the rushing and rending sounds within,
/ they heard 4 southern wind drifting
with sighs between the chimneys.
There was no token of life, no light, nc
sound OF hope. Yet they felt a sense
OF relief and freedom in being here,
where they could see and know what
was Detailing.
"Oh, that Is betterir said she, and
lifted up her face 10 breathe the freshel
air.
lone would say" said he, watching
/ the dark cameo of her face, as It de.
tached itself from the straight line OF
masonry, that you had a kind Of enjoy
ment of all this"
"In a sense I have. There Is 81
much space and power. And there !!
the feeling or having for once put &C
tion and responsibility out OF one:
hands. There Is nothing now which
/ 1t can possibly be ones duty to do.
"You don't feel any fear OF death
then?"
II fear It physically, of course-th'
actual choking and drowning -ah,
don't let US talk of It. But at least We
shall have had this hour or freedom
and rest
~ could bear It better" he returned
''if there were any element Of struggle
To sit still ina cage until death choose:
to come and put an end to you-that':
horribler'
She turned toward him and seemeC
| to consider his point of view until 4
became hers, for sne shuddered and
said:
1T is horribleI"
There was silence again betweer
them for little while. Again. wheI
her face was bent forward, he was abl,
to watch its outline. Surely she Wa
much younger than he had supposed
"what made you stayp' he asket
suddenly.
She hesitated little.
"what made your"
II hardly know, more than what
said-that nobody cared much whether
I did OF not, and that did not care
much myself. But / am Older thar
you, and 1 have had about as rnuch ou
d life as 1t will ever give me-"
al don't think that It need be
question OF age how much ones life i
worth. Mine did not matter TO an,
one. either; and it was not very cas-.
or hopeful for myself. 1 had wante'
so much, and had TO learn that mus
do with so little. OF course 1t Is no
noble to care for 50 much about one
own petty happiness, but, ohl one doe
carel And then, all at once, here wa
4 way of escape, not selfish, but t
help happier people, and. 1t scenes
the key to everything when you stoot
| up in the boat and said that you wouit
stay"
| yet" said he. 81 could not hell
wondering, as we stepped out, wheths
what we were really giving to thoss
| Young lovers was only time to los
their love for each other, even in re
| membrance. For death can only destro.
the future. but life can destroy tn
past, too"
.sAre you sorry, then, that yo'
stayed?" she inquired.
There was little note OF mockerl