Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-02-19

Melissa walked slowly down tho
mountain side 20 her home on tho banks
Of the rushing brook Ab lived farther
up the valley, and ~ he trudgod home.
varl visions Of Tho famo and fortune
that awaited him in the great outside
world lifted before him. Unconsciously I
the tail, ungsiinly boy Strengthened his
stoopine shoulders aud brushed back the |
stuggling hair that foil oyor his brow.
"I'll do It," said Ab aloud; ON do u, |
an when get q FORUM I'll cum back IN !
marry Melissa an tako horn nam with |
mo.
Tho rnindrops began pattoring on the
fallen leaves rs Ab entered his mothers
cabin. The expression on tho boys face
was not s,rnugc to his mother She had
oflcn noticed It since Co.'S had ltft tho
clearing
"Still thinkn y eoin ter Saint Loooy,
air yoi' she asked az her son entered.
"Ycs, an I'm goin ter start next hon-
day, man,
oval Fl yer cot on goin ] reckon
ycr'll go,n was the mothers plilusoplic
remark. and tho Higgins family sat
down to the frugal supper Of corn pono
and bacon.
The storm increased ia fury. and whoa
tho lliggius family WIS ready 10 rotiro
It was raging with unparalleled fury.
Tho wind howlcd wi.i Economical CLEO
and the rnin ION VA Shoots Al opened
the door to look out, but binding fash
Of lightning frightened him and che
driving rain forced him back.
dead run'll be- riyor 'forc mouin,
mut'orod Al. as ho fastened the door.
Dead ran was the stream thIlt flowed
mast tho Rankin clhn Ycnrs before
tho run had oyorllowod it, banks during
u heavy storm aud had carried death
and destruction before It.
81 hopo Il won't storm this way f'r
| long, murinufcd Ab. ns he began %
/ flowly disrob1. Asho throw his patched
/ iacku. ON th, tl0or q sullcn roar greeted
his car. Tho boys laco turned palo, for
/ ho knew only loo well whnt that roar
mcaut Could he get 90 Molissa's home
before tho raging watcrs struck 81
There was no timu TO don the initcr,i
| Jacket Calling TO his mother, tho boy
! disappeared IN tho darkness Down tho
/ path toward Moliaa's cabin he rushed gt
! full spood. Tho ovorhlnWug branches
swopt and scratched his face. Tho
| loose stones cut bis bare feet. and tho
cruel roots rraspcd and hiudorcd him ia
bis flight On, on he ilal, aud lovo and
fear lent speed to hil feet. Down tho
mountain side he stumbled aud rolled.
No fear Of personal safety entered his
mind. His only thought was for tho
safety OF the girl he loved
Would he reach her IN tim0? On no
ran. Another minute would find him
M the cabin. but the illol was close be-
,.hind him. Half staggering, hale run.
ming, ho fell against tho cabin door nul
Il yielded. Melissa and hcrmotAerwcgo
huddloi near the is replace, seemingly
paralyzed with terror.
"Run fer yer lifc" shrichld Ah, as ho
grasp9d Melissa IN his strong arm3 and
rushed out Of the door.
Too late, tho foauing food seized him
and forced him from his feet, but he
never looscncd his hold upon tho girl.
Tho muddy water flung him usains,
trees and rocks as it hurled him down
ward. The sharp rocks cut his hands
and fac0 cruClly, tho trees lurnc along
by tho flood beat and bruised his body
aud sought to tear Melissa from his
grasp, but in vain.
Tho boy chung to his precious burden
with tho strength Of despair. Down tho
valley the two were carried by tho NV.
ful flood. On aud on they were carried
out into tho lowlauds. a friendly oldy
carried ihom 10 one side, and Ab seized
an overhaugiug limb aud dragged him
self and the iainting girl TO safety.
Thon Ab lapsod into isenibility
when morning dawned Hnyious search
cr5 found Melissa striving to revive hcl
lover. Tho cruel iiool had dealt hard
with the boy Ono arm lay limp aud
helpless ut his side. Ono leg had beer
orudhol between two logs, aud another
had cut a cruol cash in HIS head.
Rough but kindly hands made the uf
foror moro comfortable, and in a brip
tiiuo he opened his eyes, As Abs fac
ION upon tho face Of tho girl ho ha,
saved, smile lit up his blood staino,
face and his uninjurod hand cropt slow
ly into hors.
. 81 ain'ta.goin tor Saint Loocy, Mcls7,
| no Nll7ltltu. ZION CITY iAllt ar Way
, amt hurt much. lsGvod yer, didn't |
/, Moliss? Yord died Of it hadn't beol
, fer me-"
Tho effort was too much and ho fol
back spccchcss. Restorntiycs wer
again administered, ard Vt last tho boz
, revived sufficiently 20 say;
, "l-l-can't novor be u hero like Mr.
, Coos told erbout. I--l-can't go to-
SaintLooey now, IN can't never be
, hero like that foller cz fell ontor then
, ostriGn spears. II want material as
!. should DO hero. Kiss me, Moliss, In
, goin. Kiss me, NJ
Abithars head dropped and his eye
closed. He never spoke again.
N Poor boy. His name will not 20 dow
! in history like that Of Arnold Wrinkle
, reid. But in his humble way he was a
true hero rs tho Swiss who opened tn
Austrian rauks at the forfeit of his III
and saved bis country, WIN Nj. Maupi
4 in Omaha Worli-Hegall.
====s===
/ a long Headed Lover.
y Fiipnd--I emit lClr, Nyonlpriup WHY