Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1892-04-15

got tight hold of a young birch tree.
Naomi sprang to the rescue. Eda had
already set her feet upon the doomed
spot. In another moment the rescuer
would have been too late!
With strength at which she herself
afterward marveled, Naomi seized Eda
around the waist and lifted her out of the
morass.
"Do you know" she gasped, ''that
you have been standing face to face with
death? Do you know that you have
wandered out of the road into the Shak-
ing Bogs9"
Eda's face, in the glimmer of the lamp
light, was very white.
"And you have saved mel" she ex-
claimed. "Oh, how can l ever find
words to thank you?"
"Never mind that now," said Naomi,
in the old, brusque way. 'Let us make
haste back to Skene's Corners. It's
showing faster every moment, and your
feet are wet in that awful morass. Look.
Here's where you missed the right road.
OF course you couldn't be expected to
know that this old track was closed up
long ago, and ] didn't remember to tell
you. There are the lights of Skenes
Corners now. Can you see them glistcn'
ing through the snow flurries?"
'But you are coming with me?'
"No. | must hurry back to granny.
But"-she hesitated and flushed deeply
-''you will kiss me just once to-show
-that--we are friends?"
of EIa a,,pfr botl, hap
arms around Naomi Poles neck and
showered n score of fragrant kisses on
her cheeks, lips and brow.
''Friends,' she cried, passionately,
''forev er!"
"It's high time you were here, Naomi, P"
petulantly uttered old Granny Pole,
'when here has John Classon been a.
settin' half an hour before the fire,
waitin' for you to come back"
John Classon colored little as he held
out his broad, sunbrowned hand to
Naomi.
"You see" said he, "Dave came over
to our house to see my Cousin Hessie,
and-and thought it would be a good
chance to tell you what I've wanted to
tell you so long. Can't you guess what
it is, Naomi2"
It was late when Dave came home.
Grandma Pole had long been abcd and
asleep, but Naomi sat before the dying
fire, thinking.
"Hullo, Naomi! you up2" was Dawes
off hand greeting. '1've got -ews for
you. I've engaged myself to Hessic
Holt, and if the crops turn out good
next year, my wife shall have as good a
piano as Miss Edith Stuarti'
Naomi held out her hand; the limpid
black deeps sparkled in her eyes.
'I'm awful glad, Dave" said she.
"I'm sorry was so cross with you to-
night; but my heart was so sore.
thought Miss Stuart had charmed John
Classon's love away"
Sand hadn't she?"
"He has never thought twice of her,
Dave" spoke up the exultapt girl. "Hc
cared for me, and me only, and tonight
he asked me to be his wife"
The brother and sister talked late and
lovingly together, while the clock ticked
behind its screen of asparagus anG the
snow built up feathery barricades against
| the outside of the window panes; and
when Nioaml laid her head on the pillow
her last thought was that Of gratitude
that she had listened to the trumpet
call of conscience and fastened to Edna
Stuart's rescue.
''For after ALL" pondered Naomi,
"she was no rival of mine, and---and I
think it's likely shall be married before
she is"
And as she repeated her prayers, one
phrase fingered sweetly in her drifting
dreams:
"Lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from evil p-Saturday Night.