Middletown transcript., 1892-09-01

had not recognized until the moment
when it bade fair to be too late.
In the midst of her despairing emo
ton, which Ruth felt must certainly
show itself in her face, she turned
away her head. Suddenly great
cry went up from the crowd. She
turned. Her heart gave a glad
bound as she saw James now in the
lead but few feet from the old
wharf. But why were the people
hurrying to the edge of the water
Why were their faces SO .strick.
en- !?
Ruth ran with them. She saw
Clayton's head sink, 1t srose in a
minute, but blood was flowing from
his mouth. His eyes were fixed and
unnatural. james, intent ON the goal,
needing not his fellow-swimmer nor
the Mortified cries of the spectators,
kept steadily on until his hand,
trembling and exhausted, touched the
wharf's edge. He turned triumphant
ly to look at Clayton, but his express
sion changed to one of alarm as he
saw his ghastly appearance. Back
he pushed, overpowering his exhaus-
ton, and assisted in lifting the all but
unconscious youth from the water and
into the boat-house near by.
A doctor was among the spectators,
and went in with them. Ruth went
in too. unnoticed by all. The physi-
clan bent over the PROSTATE figure a
few nom ents, while the blood con-
tinued to well up in small, bright
stream. Then he shook his head.
"The boys broken large blood
vessel" he said laconically. He
can't live."
Clayton heard the words and slow
ly opened his eyes. &c Are you sure?"
he whispered.
The physician nodded his head sad
ly. The eyes closed again.
"Oh, doctorl'' cried Ruth, push
ing through the crowd, forgetful of all
save her part in the accident. Don't
let him die this wayl can't you do
something?"
"No," said the physician. Moth
ing"
And | was the cause of it all !"
sobbed the poor girl. as she turned to
go away. I'm the one that killed
him I"
CLAYTON opened his half closed
eyes again at the sound of her sobs
and feebly put out one hand toward
her. She threw herself down by his
side and bowed her head upon his
haxd
No sound broke the stiffness save
Ruth's sobs. One by one the men,
awed and touched, went softly out of
the boat house. Then Clayton open.
ed his eyes again.
Ruth" he said, family, prom
{se me something"
Anything, DEAR" she sobbed.
+" It's good deal to ask, perhaps"
he went on, in a scarcely audible
voice, "but I would have won if this
hadn't have happened. You belong
to me by rights.
The girl made no answer, save
renewed burst of weeping.
" Promise me, Ruth, to stay mine
as long as those initials are there"
And he made a movement of the
hand toward the large letters carved
IN the end of the boat house.
81 promise, Clayton" Ruth sob
bed.
Just then the men returned with a
'tretcher, upon which the dying boy
vas placed and carried tenderly home
o his stricken parents. As the shades
If evening feline died. Ruth gave
herself up to uncomfortable grief.
Upon the succeeding events of the
tory we can touch but briefly. For
many months after the fatal race, the |
adness of Clayton's ill-timed death
fingered upon the community. Then,
lowly, in the inevitable way of all |
lurts, the wound yielded 10 the great
lealer, time, and the dead boys |
riends began to recover from the
hook. They did not forget, far from
t, but the sad details came to be seen
hrough the mist of long interval, |
ather than clearly, as before.
And who shall censure Ruth if she,
90, began to recover her wonted
pirits, and to look upon life as, after
II, not all lost. Youth is elsatic.
Ter regret was none the less fervent
md sincere because it yielded to time.
1layton's memory was cherished never
nore warmly, but still she realized
hat James held the chief place in her
cart. Who, I say, shall blame her if,
y and by, this came to be the one
eature of her life ?
Two years have passed. Staunch
8 rock still stands the boat house,
nd boldly as ever shine out the huge
initials, a canstant reminder. The
August sun again shines upon the
uiet little village, and upon the clump
f trees in the meadow where we saw