River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-04-19


else to be done except wait. Bat there
was a Tiny threat Of stream. many
feet down under the bridge. full IF odd,
round pebbles. and great fiat rocks
large enough to build play-houses on,
besides the big bunch of ox-eye daises
they could gather along the path.
Take care of little brother. Joy."
Mrs. Nelson said as she kissel them.
The bridge was only half mile OIL.
almost in sight of the house. in fact,
and they were soon there.
Il was an odd bridge TO be built
across a country road. The declivity
it spanned must have been rivers
bell in some remote age. if was so wide
and steep. A Tiny rill of water ran
fully twelve feet below the bridge,
which was carefully built. after the
pattern Of some railroad bridges. with
ties very far apart and protecting
perhaps half ayard beyond the railing
that borlered il.
A fewyards before the road reached
this bridge. the ground on either side
Of it sloped gently down to the little
valley. and a fOotpath was worn up
and down.
1t was here that Dr. Nelson put the
children down. and drove briskly
across the bridge and out of sight
around the bend beyond. The road
was private one. and quite safe and
quiet, aud big Rover was guard enough
in case a casual stranger should vent
IRE too near
There was never a more perfect
June morning. flooded with brighter
sunshine or more deliciously- balmy
ain
Dr. Nelson found another patient
waiting for him. and it was an hour.
instead of fifteen minutes. before he
turned his horse head towards home.
As he reached the bend just above
Long Bridge JOY voice fell strangely
on his ear She seemed to he telling
Harry a story, full of alternate threats
and entreaty. with the words BE
s!illr' repeated over and over again
but in voice so Shrill. and high. and
rapid. that he scarcely recognized it,
He refined in his horse. and leaned
forward TO listen.
% God. make Harry keep still. just
till papa comes! Please don't let him
move againr' rang out on the morn
ing air. in an agony of entreaty.
IL was j Us voice, made sharp and
quick by fright.
In moment her father had leaped
from his buggy and stood on the
bridge.
1t was strange thing he saw near
the center of the Long Bridge.
From one of the ties outside of its
rough railing joys little body was
swinging out over The rocky chasm
beneath. with only her slender
strength between it and her. She
was balancing herself against her
chest with one arm. aud with the
other was holding fast her little
brother, who was half lying, half
sitting across the narrow beam.
DR.. Nelson could see. as he bounded
forward. that joys lips were purple
with the strain of her clinging and
Harry was hushed to absolute quiet
ness by some thing in her tone he had
never heard before
When she saw her father coming to
them. at last. she cried out with the
rapid. thick utterance of terror:
Quick papal / tried 10 take care
Of him. You We're so long we started
TO meet yOU-he crawled under here
before saw him slipped couldn't
get back. OH ! have held him ever
so long. Quick. papa. quick!' Her
breath came III little gasps
II was the work Of n moment TO get
TO them. but it was harder matter
for D.. Nelson to climb over the rall-
ihg-he was too large to crawl under
II, As The children had done-and
grasp Harry firmly.
He was obliged to hold on to the
slender rail with one hand. in order to
balance himself. as he bent To lift the
heavy child from his perilous seat
II can take only one at time" he
said, his face rs colorless as the child 5
below him. Hold on one second
longer, INV brave childr'
But it was one second too long.
Before he could put Harry down on
the bridge and step back again, the
nerveless little hands had relaxed
their hold. and Joy was lying among
the rocks in the little sire am belo W,
with bloOd-stains about her lips.
She had laid on her little bed for two
hours, with no other motion than the
faint heart-beats that told them she
she was alive. Dr. Nelson knew that
it would be sheer cruelty 10 attempt
to revive her. and so they gathered
about the bed. 10 wait until the little
heart should beat no longer.
The father sat close by the bed, his
strong frame shaken By mi ghty sobs;
but mother and sisters were notion
less and speeches. in their grief.
Presently there was faint fiutter of
her evelids. and long. signing breath
They bent still closer, and waited,
breathlessly. painfully-thc mother
with wild hope in her heart. Il was
not long before the lids slowly lifted,
and joys dark eyes looked out at
them. She was trying to speak. they
thought. and one of the girls quickly
brought Harry, who was sleeping
and laid him on the bed at her side.
But she did not seem to see him.
Her eyes were fixed on her father 5
face with wistful. pleading look
He laid his face down close beside
hers aud listened with his whole soul.
1t was only faint whisper. but they
heard il. The words came with all
The entreaty of doubt that had long
| been felt. Those watchers knew as
they heard. that they were words that
had long lain on the little heart. and
often struggled to the sensitive baby
] lips.
She spoke with a great effort be-
tween her painful gasps for breath.
Papa" she whispered, ''does-God
-love-strange children
Il was God who answered her -
Anne Nc CO1oH Jones. ia " T. Ezapi-
iRer.
q Persian Dentists Methods.
I had slept little. rs | was suffering
greatly from tOOthaehe. The Sheik
declared that there was a skilful dent
ist In the encamument, and, as the