News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1889-04-04

look at 1t.
Look, sister, he cried, with feeble
eagerness, "Burt's Landing is just
around that point, two miles frem here,
and only one mile further-O, Marie !"
''Only one mile further are home and
mamma, thank the good God :" said the
sister, touched by the joyous smile that
was strangely pathetic on that enact
ated comtenance. She ran up to a
house near by, and there learned a
startling bit of news Two nights be-
| fore some miscreant of Burt's Landing
had fired into passing transport, and
killed soldier; as result of which the
, place was now occupied by troops, and
gunboat lay at anchor opposite
She begged her informant to say moth
ing about this to Bouzon, and deter
mined to make bold dash for home as
soon as darkness should overshadOw the
river. Oscar was persuaded to take
some refreslment, while the old French
man ate voraciously of food which the
girl had cooked at his shanty, little
dreaming, poor wretch, that it was his
| last supper. The sun went down in
dark, mountainous clouds, while light
ming played ominously in the distant
southeast.
'It is Il black night, said Marie, as
the boat swept into the river.
Naturalization! do you want the sun to
shine in the night" snapped the old
man. "Want me to lose my boat? The
blacker the night, the better for me-" lie
9rowled, with an cath.
1t was black night, indeed The en-
tire heavens were shrouded in gloom,
and not Il breath of air was stirring
The river here was but little more than
n mile in width. The boat was at-bot-
toned, fifteen feet long by four feet
broad, its only thwart occupied by the
crazy oarsman.
Marie sat by Oscar, ON his bed of
moss, tenderly cheering him with joy
ous anticipations of soon reaching
home.
Thus they were gliding on in the thick
darkness, when the girl discovered that
the boat was leaking.
Hopefully recalling having once
crossed the river in skiff that had been
kept afioat by bailing, she instantly set
at work with tin cup. Still the water
increased. and she called on Bouzon to
find the leak. He roughly refused. An
other time of bailing, without pause,
For several days the poor girl had
suffered with grief and anxiety for her
brother; during the last two nights she
had not closed her eyes, and now an al
most irresistible longing for rest would
at times seize upon her. Oh, to lie down
and let the rising water cover her, and
the boat gently sink with her into end
less slumber
But no, no. Oscar must be saved.
With that thought she would break
from the insidious fascination, and go
on with her dreary task. The boat now
lay deep in the rapid current, and must
soon go down. Oscar called, and Marie
tenderly lifted his head from the drip
ping moss.
"Oh, my brother! ~ she cried, pas
sionately, 81 thought to save you. See
what have donel'
Dear, brave little sister, he replied,
fondly, you give your precious life in
trying to save minc. What more could
any one do -
A gaspiug sob was the only answer.
She gathered the moss high under his
head and shoulders, and reached for
more that had slipped between the !
loose planks. As if struck by blow
she started. What was it? The leak?
Yes, the leak. 1t was directly under
the middle plank, the only one that was
not nailed down. That removed the |
leak could be caulked.
She pleaded with Bouzon to come to
her aid, but he refused, and rowed on.
She felt herself goingwild. That would
never do; so with almost superhuman
effort she regained composure, and with
1t her common sense reasserted itself.
Quickly seating herself so that hec
right hand could be used in bailing, she
pressed handkerchief into the leak
with the left, and there firmly held it.
The position was cramped, but hope
now strengthened her exhausted arms
and warmed her chilled frame. If she
only had something larger to dip with
If she could only see where they were.
Slowly, yet surely, the water lessened
as one hand threw it out, while the other
kept it back. She now told Oscar of the
possibility of their yet being saved;
also about the gunboat at Burt's Land
ing.
As the water gradually decreased, the
boat moved less heavily on its course
down the great river in the coal-black
night But it was still much too full for
safety, and the devoted girl bailed with
out pausing. Thepoor little hand, bent
under the plank and immersed in the
water, though never relaxing its pressure
upon the leak, seemed no longer part
of herself, while the entire arm and
shoulder were aching almost beyond en-
durance. And thus they went on, until
the wind rose with sudden gust,
which q half-hOur before would have
Il. I. Il |. L
lead
Then followed a broad glare of light
ming.
What was that2 Burt's Landing?
Another fash. Burt's Landing, and the
gunboat anchored mid-stream, not three
hundred yards distant.
Bouzon's oars moved now with quick,
rattling jerks. A few moments elapsed,
and Oscar touched Marie.
'They are coming" he whispered.
"Who?"
"Feds."
Just then there came flash of light |
ming. About sixty yards to the leeward, |
q boat, fully manned, was bearing
swiftly down in hot pursuit. A shot |
over their heads, and a sum-
mons to heaye to came roaring over the |
turbid waters. BOuzon, livid and |
CHASTITY, rowed like one possessed.
Another shot, another summons, these |
and Marie's adjuratiOns were all alike |
by the crazy old man, whose |
only Thought was to save his boat.
Surrender, or We'll sink you!" was
now thundered close at hand, out of the |
gloom. Still the madman
ratified on with frantic haste. Capture
was no longer dreaded by Marie. 1t
would be timely rescue from the power
Of maniac. But what was that? Not |
rescue Their doom, instead
''Steady, there! Now! Send the
boat to the bottom!'
For few seconds she shra nix appalled,.
and drawing q long, deep breath, her
fresh, girlish voice rang ont, high and
clear, in the gloom.
eve surrender. Help us Save us !"
Instantly the scene sprang to view in
4 brilliant, prolonged electric illumina-
lion. There was Marie's slender, black
,obed figure erect and firmly poised in
5he heaving "hat, her sweet face death
" white and set in unwavering resolve;
md, while one hand was extended plead
nglyfrom the other-held high above her
head-the great flag of truce
spread abroad on the driving wind. And
here was Bouzon-hideous to behold
'owing with a madman's desperation.
There, too, was the pursuit boat, swoop-
ng down with arow-like swiftness.
"Hard a-starbord." That command
vas fairly roared.
Falling To her knees Marie clocnad