The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-11-26

breast. The head was Enthusiastically
woman's, but ths gsrb-what was it the
woman wore2
This figure was swaying from side ia
side, with the head bowed, the chin al
most touching the breast.
This poor woman has lost her child"
said the woman of the house.
A sad face was turned to Rose. It was
a beautiful face. but just now it looked
TO Rose as if all the joy had left the poo!
woman forever.
"You two never knew each other, I ek-
pect. told John like as not you'd never
seen each other"
Sorrow makes US cne," said Rose
~imply, as she held out q hand. which
the other woman clasped 1ervent1y, say
ing: :,
wish I was dead. I want TO die"
It was pitiful to hear her. 1t was more
irving to look ut her bowed head. Rose
felt how impossible it was for her to say
anything that could comfort this poor
woman. For the first time in her life she
felt how weak words are-how puerile In
hours of great afaiction.
If could only see my babe-if I did
not touch it, even, but never to see il
again-what have done that I am pun
ished this way?"
THE breakfast is ready now," said the
woman of the house. You two must
eat. Itisn't much we've got to offer-such
as it is I'm clad to give You. You're both
welcome to all We hare" said the woman,
simply. sit up now, my dear, and eat {
bite. John!"
A man entered. Rose recognized thu
face she saw in the night. John wax
middle-a aged. A man with sun-burned
face and horny, wrinkled hands. A man
who elrnad his bread in the sweat" OF
his faco. A very simple
straightforward man.
He sat down at one side of the table,
Rose and the other women sat opposite
him. Then the woman of the house
seated herself, and the man, bowing his
head. asked blessing.
Now, help yourselves, do, said the
woman as the man placed upon theil
plates plentiful amount OF crisp break
fast bacon. There were fresh biscuits
and good butter, and plenty of cream.
The man and woman talked for the pur'
pose of turning the mind cf the womar
who lost her child from her dead. Rose,
realizing this, aided them, and in doing
it, somehow experienced wonderful re
lief.
In this way she learned how she be.
came an inmate of the log cabin, and the
particulars, or all that was known, con-
cerning the young mother, who, after
trying to eat, sat nibbling at q small
piece of biscuit listening to the others.
You gee, it rained awful-it rained
Wednesday and Thursday. never did
hear such rain" said the woman. I told
John-I mean on Friday morning just
before break Of day when I got up
couldn't sleep for the rain-says ]. III
nuIo you, tnere ISM q sneep alive L
they're in the fold That's erik By
this time"
1T was, most" said John. Il had
hard work ssvin' en-.
But we never dreamed of trouble yes.
terdsy, except We knew the meadow waa
ruined with all the sand flowing over it,
the erik came up SO, runnin' all over it.
John, he had his hands full, hardly
stopped to eat q bite, working around
window back of your head there, sitting
Just here, when I seen something un.
usual. I went to the door, and there wal
q
for help. Their screams was awful. III
never forget them to my dying day. John
ran into the barn to get a rope. He
couiun noiu IL minute, the river run
SO fast. The house just then turned
must have happened
and We never saw another live soul near it
There was whole lot Of things all oveI
the river then-everything you could
there were people holding to
logs and everything they could put haEdf
on. John threw the rope to two men,
and they got ashore somehow, couldn't
tell how. There were some near the
shore. Then the erik backed up, and
the drift got up in it-that wss where III
found YOU"
Rose started.
You was lying on lot of boards. Tht
boards were crosswise. Our nelghbor,
just over the hill, they came to see tht
food; by AL by others came-the Sandi
and the Didherts were there, all trying tt
help people who tloated past. An they
saved good many. But they said yor
was dead. There wasn't sign of life
about you. John, he stood on q long
board and leaned out in the eddy where
you were turning round, and then he fell
in. But he held on to the board like
death"
so would you, said John, calmly.
He got on the board again and reached
out for the board nearest him, and pulled
all the boards you we're OH. Jim Sands
he's got his wits always-he waded right
in the erik, an got hold, too, just in timt
before q big tree swung up in the eddy
They got up to you, and brought yor
right up to the house. l said you wer
dead, but Jim Sands lowed you wasn't
he'd seed men brought to after drownin
often. A master hand is Jim Sands.
well, he worked with you, and Mrs. |
Didbert delped, an We oil had our hands |
full; an in little whils We knew jim
was right. But it was gettin' dark b.
that time, and Mrs. Didbert had to 60 bach |
home. She had to hunt clothes for 9
dozen women folks that hadn't stitch OF
them. The men were just as bad-not
one had coat or vest on, an some hadn't |
anything. But We were glad they vert
living"
Some didn't care whether they lived o,
not" said JOHN, 7 never want to ge
through it again"
1T was Jim Sands-if 1t hadn't beer
for his Judgment"
Come, now, Sairy, you helped just o,
much" said John. "You got the warm
lannels, and rubbed, and did just as much
Is Sands"
We'll, anyhow you came to, end We
we're glad of il thels The Sands, they
lad their hands full while Jim was here.
I'll ey saw this woman holding on to the
'oof of house, with her head gust out Of
water. They've big skiff, and they wero