The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1890-11-28

usViae kueW Oh 0ue
nambulic habits of my soma habit
that began In infancy, and that, In
boyhood, made him q cripple Tor life
and now in heartrending tones
called to my friends to MD mo In my
frantic search from garrett to cellar
but to no avail.
Suddenly the belle Of the villogs-a
miss full Of nerves and fancies-came
rushing into the house, screaming:
"a ghostl A ghost!"
"Where?" cried, feeling sure it
was Jamie she had seen.
"Moving in short, slow steps along
the scaffolding of the mill oh, am
sick with fright"
Save him, oh, my God, save him!''
l cried, rushing out to the mill, fol-
lowed Ivy n crowd of awe.stricken
men and women.
Yes. there he was. high up on the
outside scaffolding OF the mill, walk
ing with wide, unseeing eyes nlon9
the moonlitplank. My verylife.blood
seemed clogge,l about my heart:
could not stir nor heseech the men
to go utter him-my tongue cleaved
to the roof of my mouth. On he
came towards plank that was laid
fur out over the deep. sluggish wa.
tiers of tho rnce-the noise OF his
crutches ringing out in the awful 81.
lence as each step brought him near
err to death.
Tramp-tramp-he vas almost to
the end now; yet we dared not move
lest We should wake him and make
death n certainty. Nearer, nearer
every wrong had done him, every
sharp word l had unwittingly given
him, came crowding now upon my
heart and soul like so many accusing
devils, torturing me to agony rs 1
stood there watching him draw slow
ly towards the end of the scaffold-
ing.
One more step will bring him to his
death-oh, my darling! my darlingl
] clutched Toms sleeve-Tom who
stood there, numb and almost
paralyzed. Suddenly over the roof,
with cat like steps, crept the
lithesome figure of q woman,
who came to the edge swung her.
self down to the scnffolding, and
was close upon him rs lie stood up
on the verge of eternity. With won
deriul presence of mind she wrapped
her strong right arm firmly around
II projecting beam, then quickly seiz-
ed him with the other. l knew from
his sudden tremor that he had awak-
ened-I saw him turn confusedly ard
look about him, then down, fur down
into the black line of the deep, slug
gisl race.
With cry he reeled like drunken
mnn, his crutches fell from his uplitted
hands, his poor crippled limbstottered
beneath the unGccustomed weight of
his body, and though SHE strained
desperately to support him, the ono
single left arm was too weak for so
great u burden, and down they fell
he and the woman-down, down in
to the deep, black water. Then /
tainted.
When opened my eyes again the
men were carrying Jamie and Dora,
dripping and water-soaked, but liv-
ing still, thank God, into tho house.
l fell on my knees before them as
they lay glistening with water drops
on the little horselair sofa, and
kissed the dear ones who were saved
for me and cried like q baby for their
forgiveness.
Dora drew my face to hers and
whispered softly in my eur: "Our
mother" and then I knew I
was the happiest old woman on
this fur earth. by and by her
pretty color all came back and
she slipped away from us to change
her drenched clothes for dry one.
And Jamie? When he was warm
and dry he lay upon the sofa, his face
lit up with n smile that glorified the
little room; it spoke voicesly of his
sudden blissful happiness and the eyes
that he turned upon his foolish cid
mother were brim full of tender love
lnd thankfulness.
Thus ended one Thanksgiving Day;
and when the next one came my
daughter Dora was the sweetest.
most sensible little bride that ever
gained her mothers love by her un-
selfish heroism,