The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1890-08-15

so very much superior 10 the people
there as he had felt. They proved to
be kind-hearted and intelligent and he
liked them better the more he knew
them.
He had found Nan a disturbing ele-
ment in his little dominion. Not that
she meant to do anything wrong. but
she had too much mischief in her nature
not to be at the bottom OF many a pro-
ject which brought the new teacher in
to disrepute. She never pretended
that she had no hand in these plots,
There was no deceit in Nan. What
ever she did was so frank that J0el's
reproof was tempered by a strange
feeling which caused him to forgive the
spirit which prompted Mans action-a
feeling he knew not how to analyze.
Once, when she perpetrated some es-
Pecially annoying trick on him, and he
had met her out Of school hours ON the
way home, her pretty smile and look
of respect had driven every spark of
anger from his heart. and he broke
out:
20 Nan! Why will YOU"
But she had pulled her hand out of
his and fled before the words were out
Of his mouth.
And Nan-she was the same thought
less girl, rs far as Joel could see,
rs the weeks sped quickly by and
brought them nearer the end of the
term. She led the boys and girls in
every game. She could outskate them;
not a boy dared to challenge her to a
race Oh the ice for fear of the defeat he
knew would await him. Hire happy
laugh rippled everywhere. Not a boy
but would have risked his life for her.
Not a girl but fled to her in time of
trouble, for she was ever to them a
champion equal to every emergency.
TO all she was simply "Nan"-kind,
loving, mirthful Man"
About the time Joel's school closed
the river, which had been frozen all
winter, began to break up, and the ice
gave signs of going out. Here and
there great seams appeared, and q warn
ing oar sounded through the valley.
Some of the older boys who had ex-
plored the stream higher up sagely
predicted that there would be trouble
before night, but this brought to Joel's
mind little fear. He thought the
stream might rise and carry away the
ice, but that would be all. He knew
nothing about the fearful gorges that
sometimes damned the river and flood
ed the entire country for miles around.
At noon the report came that a gorge
was forming II short distance above the
school-house. There never before had
been such a pile of ice crowded into
that part of the river, and water was
beginning to flow over the valley. A
heavy rain set in, falling for hours in
torrents. Still Joel had no idea what
danger was impending. This was his
first experience with the river, and,
when some of his pupils begged to 60
home, he thought it best for them to
wait until the storm was less terrible
or their parents came for them. This
latter thing happened sooner than he
had thought likely, and some of the
sturdy yeomen.came for their little ores
quite q while before the usual time for
their dismissal, and gravely advised
Joel to close for the day, as they feared
trouble from the gorge up the river.
AT length the young man, impressed
more by the anxious faces of the child.
rem than by any thought of real danger,
told them to go, and proceeded to help
them get started for home.
Night was dropping down over the
valley. The storm king was abroad
in all his fury. The night gave
promise of being a terrible one.
Joers heart reproved him for not let.
ting the children 90 sooner when he
o...nI .lo 1,~,,,I La,,I Al. .,1I,.
roa which came from the gorge.
He listened sharply.
Ionder came a man on horseback
riding rapidly.
What was the matterp
The rush of waters smote his ear.
The truth flashed over him.
The ice gorge mad given away.
The young mans face grew pale as
he drew the children back into the
house and shut the door. He could not
let them go now. 1t was too late.
A few minutes more and II wild cur
rent of water swept around the build
ing, cutting off all hope of escape on
foot. 1t was now plain that they were
hemmed in.
The horseman. waved his hand
toward them ana then wheeled away to
seek other means of reaching the
school-house. 1t was a trying place for
the young teacher. and some courage
was required to look calmly into the
faces of the awe-stricken children and
try to quiet them.
But in this he had a helper in Nan.
The girls face showed nothing of the
terror Joel expected t o see in her. The
woman seemed to have suddenly come
instead of the rollicking girl. She was
here, there, everywhere, cheering the
younger one in a most motherly way.
How this crisis had transformed her!
Joel noticed more than ever now what
a strong face she had. He had always
thought her pretty; now q look had
come upon her features which indi-
Gated the spirit which makes women
heroic. She had become Il calm, self
possessed woman.
While Joel was thinking of this,
through the dusk came u boat manned
by two farmers. 1t slowly pushed its
way through the current, fighting hard
the wind, ice and drifting wood;
but it was not long before the rescuers
reached the imperiled house. Joel
could no longer open the door without
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