Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1890-06-06

A fiiofa vivid fash lii Up tho dapkeesa
skies, followed by loud thunder, and tefore
l had time to gather my fast scattering
senses fearful wind storm blew, in ter
rife gusts, over the lake My frail boat
spun rou,lJ! and round like boys top, SO
swiftly that the motion made me quite
dizzy. It is wonderful that l was not up
set, but in less than two minutes the wind
passed away and found myself still safe
In the boat, but-without oars!
And then the rain came. Not in drops,
but in solid sheets, while the binding
flashes Of lightning and the incessant vol
leys of thunder mingled so closely together
that it was impossible to tell which fol-
lowed the other. cannot remember just
what my thoughts were at that time;
was greatly frightened and believed that
the time had come for me to die. But
did not cry out, and know did not pray;
just sat tremblingly still.
Out there, amid that weird storm music,
it would have been quite impossible to dis
tinguish the splash of oars or the sound Of
voices l heard and saw nothing until
felt my boat give sudden lurch, after
which became conscious that I was being
steadily rowed towards the shore. Then
heard voice, which sounded strangely
familiar to me, saying
BE brave, Miss Lennox, you are quite
safe, now, and we shall soon be ashore"
Was l dreaming? Could it be-Ah, yes!
For the lightning flashed that instant and
revealed face which had not beheld since
when, one evening at a country depot, ]
curiously and gratefully gazed upon it
while babe its owner farewell. It was the
face of Charley Champpeys
Soon we were ashore, and at least safe
from the danger of drowning But the
shelter which we were able to secure was
very poor, being only small deserted log
cabin, the door of which had been carried
away and whose one window was entirely
innocent of glass or shutters.
Champneys, cripple that he was, almost
carried me to this welcome refuge which,
poor as it was, served to keep off the worst
of the rain. My rescuer piled up some
large stones npon which we sat down, side
by side.
Strange as it may seem, although we had
not met for two years, we talked very lit
tie; indeed, after the stones were arranged
for our seat, we were quite silent, for the
storm was SO very loud and fierce that con-
versation could only be carried on with
difficulty. And yet as sat there soaked
with the rain and terrified by the light
ming, was singularly content, for knew,
then and forever, that Charlie Champneys
was more to me than an old friend.
Presently the rain subsidized somewhat,
and the peals of thunder became less fire.
quent. It was in one of these short inter
walls of comparative silence that said:
''You remember when we were last to-
gether?"
"Yes,' he replied, and added, "but why
speak of that?"
"Charlie!'' answered, II have felt sorry
not for you alone, but for myself also
ever since. Without once seeing you or
hearing from you, have learned to love
you very much. If you still feel towards
me as you did on that Sunday evening
when you said you loved me, take me,
Charlie, we will love each other and"-
But again the thunder rolled and roared
and cut off the remainder of what said.
When it ceased, Charley began again:
"You must not talk SO, Miss Lenox l
have seen for a long time that was foolish
and selfish to tell you of my love- Yet,
though l am SO unworthy of you, l do love
you truly, and for that reason cannot &C
cept any such sacrifice from you. But oh,
Miss Lenox, oh, Ruth, my darling, if l
may have one kiss while we are here to-
gether will go away contented"
turned my face upward toward his, and
Charlie bent forward to kiss me. But be-
fore our lips could meet, an awful shaft of
lightning struck the hut we were in
struck Charlie-and the man who had
saved my pride from insult and my life
from sudden death, the man whom loved
too late, lay prone ON the floor at my side.
Charlie Champneys was dead.-W. H. S.
Atkinson In Yankee Blade.