Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1891-08-07
ABOVE THE DAM.

a broad waving field of corn on an Ohio
farm. At the top of a little hill, beneath
group of buckeyes, sits a woman with two
children playing in the grass at her feet.
From the village, behind the hill, comes
family the sound of bell. Its tones are
lost entirely when the breeze falls. The
figure of countryman carrying a scythe
appears at the foot of the hill. He looks up
at the woman and smiles He waves his
hand to the children, and the elder of the
two says to her brother
Father is going to cut the long grass,
let us run and see him"
Hand in hand they pass down the slope,
leaving the woman alone.
With her chin resting upon her breast
she gazes long at particular spot on the
messy carpet at her feet. Her face ex
presses placid contentment; in it there is
not line of care or sorrow She is think
ing of nothing. The faint breeze quckens
and bears with it the notes of the BELL
which now rings out clear and sweet. A
warm, delicious odor rises from below,
where the scythe swshes through the long
grass. Is it this perfume or the laughter
of the unseen children which stirs the
woman's memory?
Her thoughts idly wander back through
the days of her marriage-her motherhood
In review through her mind. They are like
hundreds of modest pearls strung upoL Il
fine wire, so uniform in their sweet dull
ness, their monotony of form and color
She goes back to the days before her mar
riage. The wind is rushing through the
topmost branches of the trees, making a
sound as of water pouring over dam
and suddenly among the white pearls in
the dark recesses of her memory there
CLEANS ruby, red as blood.
There is a beautiful little stream which
winds through the country lying to the
northeast of New York called the Bronx
river In places it is so narrow one could
almost jump from one bank to the other.
Shut in by high wooded hills, the foliage of
the trees meeting and intermingling across
the clear water it is like an imprisoned
part of the Scottish highlands, this lovely
bit of wood and stream in the suburbs of a
great metropolis.
a family from New York were spending
some days in one of the pretty villages neal
the shores of the Bronx There were two
young girls, several children and a visitor
"a girl cousin from tho west-Cora Mar
tin.
The delightful week was drawing to a
close on this summer morning, when the
young people were all out together in q
boat on the river
Tomorrow evening we must say good
by TO all this beauty" said Maria Alex
ander, who was rowing, and she lifted her
eyes sentimentally to an overhanging rock
from which a great festoon of tangled
vines depended
"Yes, we have only two more days" said
Cora.
1.-Two more days-two more days" sans
Tommy from the stern, to the tune o.
"Home Again." rocking the boat mean
while
BE quiet, Tommy. or you'll upset thu
boat" said Maria.
1--WE wouldn't drown II did, sis, ! wen
in bathing right here yesterday-it ism
up to my neck"
81 think we must be nearly to the dam,
said Adelaide. Don't you hear itS'
~ say, Cousin Cora, are you going hom
as soon as we go back to New York;" salt
Tommy.
Eyes, on Wednesday,"
"Have you had a good timer"
"Oh, yes"
isis says you have. She says it's been
great experience for you-being in New
York with us for two months"
Maria flashed an angry look at the boy.
SHE says it'll be something for you t
look back to all your life-something 20
can tell your children about
Maria stopped rowing. Tommy, If 20
don't stop that abominable nonsense
shall put you out of the boat at once"
Her face was painfully red.
Cora, who was sitting beside Tommy /
the stern, said nothing, but turned an
looked up the river
"rheres a turtle on that log-look, 81
ter" cried little Alice.
Tommy leaned over the side of the boz
and stretched out his hand toward IL
turtle. 1t slid into the water and disa
peared.
viii you sit upP" said Maria, angrily
Cora, are you going to live on a far
when you get marriedf What does NJ
Doyle look ikeS Is he very different fro
New York meni Is living on a farm sc
thing down to rural bliss? Maria sa
rather than do that she'd"-
A long, slender hand gripped Tommy
shoulder Take the oars and row, and S
If that will keep your tongue quiet"
Tommy sprang to the oars, and Mari
flushed and warm, sat beside Cora in t
stern.
"Why didn't you let me row in the fiji
placer" grinned Tommy.
Adelaide bent down her head that s
might conceal her laughter behind t
brim of her straw hat
Are we most to the bend Corai" ask
Tommy.
Eyes, and be careful you don't run
into the bank, said Maria. The boat glid
through the narrow channel, around I
bend, and the stream widened At I
same moment the roar of the water POI
ing over the dam was audible
There's a boat in the middle OF /
river with nobody in it," said Alice
"Where" said Tommy, looking arouI
A boat Of light and elegant build "
drifting in midstream. The oars W,
crossed, their blades high in the air.
"Sis, I'm going to get II and get in
then you may row again." cried Tomn
beginning to pull violently on the oars.
you shall do no such thing" said Ma
-"and stop, you are splashing u.s."
As they drew nearer the boat a golC