The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1891-08-14

ing up me ola uan, ana alter INA
| worked in the mill, farm on the
and in the garden drove .he pro
duce to town. and became more
and more attached to Ben anf
| Martha White and Kitty. How
did love that girl was never
so happy as when listening to the
music Of her voice. | shall never
forget the evenings spent in the
big 'front.' room before The open
fireplace when | was Ben Whites
hired man-BeR and Martha and
KITTY and |. | used to crack hick.
orv nuts and bulternuts on an old
flat iron, and Kitty popped corn.
while The winter wind was whist.
ling outside.
In summer Kitty and | used Ia
9, fishing. Sometimes We would
60 up The pond in a boat, and
sometimes when then mill was not
running we'd go down there and
get inside Of the big wheel and fish
in The deep hole. There's where
we generally got the finest fish.
One day we had just gol our fish
ing tackle out of the mill, and were
hesilating whether to go up The
pond or down in the wheel. We'd
been fishing probably all hour, and
caught some fine ones, when all OF
a sudden down poured the water
from the ilooC-gate above, and The
wheel commenced turning. The
sudden start threw us both down.
| got on my feet in an instant and
helped Kitty get up, and we COM
menced to tramp III The opposite
direction to the way the wheel
was moving. We had to in order
to keep our feet. was calling as
loud as | could, but ii was OF no
use.
The noise made by the falling
wafer the revolving wheel and the
grinding mill drowned my voice.
We couldn't get out. The plank
from the mill had fallen in the wa
ter when the wheel started, and
gone floating down the stream.
The water poured through the
cracks in he old wheel all over US
The deep hole was fell now. There
were two ieet Of water in the bot
tom of the wheel. Tramp, tramp,
tramp. tramp, through two, now
three feet of water. | held
Kitty by the hand, and we kept on
our tramp. / was praying ii might
he a small grisi. NeighborS brought
two bushel bag of corn 10 be
ground in a hurry. thought that
if that was the extent of the gtist
we might stand it. We kept NJ
our march till Kitty gave out. The
water and the tramp, tramp had
numbed her limbs. Her lips NOV
ed, but | could not hear a word
she said. | only knew that she
was sinking down in The water. |
picked her up in my arms, with
one hand put her arms around my
peck and resumed my tramp III The
middle of the wheel.
| believe | felt happier than |
had ever felt in my life. l held
Kitty in my arms. Her arms were
around my neck, though did put
them there. | could feel her
breath OH by cheek. ] walked eaSi-
er now than before, but even with
kiliy in my arms began 10 tire.
My footsteps were more uncertain.
My limbs began 10 feel numb. AT
least | could die with Kitty. |
looked a her face. "Kilty! Kiltyr
Her eyes opened Our lips met.
Her arms drew tighter around my |
neck. My brain whirled. Was |
becoming uucon>cions!
| could feel that | was reeling as
| walked. The water from above
ceased 10 fall. The wheel stopped.
Some one leaped in. | knew no
more.
When | came 10 was lying in
bed. Kitty was sitting by my side
and my hand in hers. | had been
1elirious for a week. AS my eyes
met hers, she said: ALEX. dear
Alex" aud she siooped and kissed
ne. That kiss brought back 10 my
brain the events that
ed TO it. / did not regret them.
Uncle Ben had come down 10 the
mill, ahc not seeing The boat
hought, of course, we had gone up
he pond. He lifted The flood gate
md started the mill In grind a
,mall grist. Finally he chanced 10
zee The boat with neighbor in il
,ut in the pond. He knew that
We sometimes fished from the
and with trembling hands
closed The gate, and rushed down
md into the wheel, to find me reel
ne and staggering like a drunken
nan IN The wafer With Kitty in my
lrms. He got us out, but fell
unconscious.
The next spring treshet carried
he old dam away, and new mills
having been built in JOnesboro we
reclaimed the land where The pond
had been, and the old mill had
zone 10 decay. Kitty and | were
that fall. Father and
mother lived 10 see our children
around the ruins Of The
I'D mill, and died within a month
,f each other.
Now, I've told you The story of |
he old mill, and if you'll come
I'D 10 the house and have a
up Of coffee before You go back to
ogu II; show You the wife | won