The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1892-01-08

The little girls stood firmly as yet,
though the salt waves just touched
their short walking frocks. They were
closely claspcd together, but did not ut
ter o single cry, for, from the first mo-
rlent the boat was launched, they of
course knew who was its occupant, and
Agnes kept them from despair.
Now the distance is reduced to one
hundred and fifty yards; but, oh, how
fast the tapping waters risel The cur
rent sweeps against the girls broad
skirts and they slightly waver; but
Agnes, whose nerves are now steady as
steel, shouts in a CHEEKY tone: Ethel,
lift Pauline in Your arms, stand fast,
and brace AGAINST the current. shall
easily save you.''
The elder girl at once obeyed, and
the weight thus concentrated gave
greater powers of resistance. The light
sl1iff almost few now, and was within
four or five lengths, when at last Ethel
called out:
'sOh, Miss Graydon, am totter-
ing; the water is up to my waist;
must fall"
Don't give way, my darling. You
re quite safe,s Agnes replied, and the
boat shot alongside at the very instant
the children were swept from their feet
against its gunwale. and the next they
were sobbing on the bosom of their res
euer, who, almost speechless from ex-
cess of joy, could only murmur: 'sOh,
thank Godl thank Godr' as she COW
cred them with kisses. Then, wrap
ping each of the shivering children in
one of the warm shawls, she turned
the bow of the boat up stres,n and,
aided by the tide, very soon reached
the landing at Linwood hall.
There are some things constantly oc-
curing in family histories of charac-
ter so sacred that even the most rever-
eat description would seem profana-
ton; hence, we will not attempt to por-
tray the feelings of Col. and Mrs.
Howard when Agnes entered the room,
where both were sitting, and restored
to them the precious little ones, snatched
by her own heroisnn from the very jaws
the happy parents had, together, cx-
hausted every expression of praise and
gratitude, and,Agnes was about to leave
the room, Col. Howard, after having
written few words on card, walked
gravely up to her, and gently kissing
her fair brow, said: ''NIiss Grayt;on-
my dear Agnes, rather, it is impossible
to pay our debt to you. A lifetime
would not suffice to discharge it; but as
the first installment, go now and tele-
graph in your own words, to Frank,
bidding him come home at once. This
is his address," And thus it happened
that in few minutes afterwards there
had flashed along the wires those six
pregnant words which we have seen
Jack" Digby hand to his friend in
Rome.
This momeEtous event occurred, as
we have said, on Saturday, and on the
evening of the following Tuesday the
master and mistress of Linwood, with
Agnes and the two girls-none The
worse for their adventure-were seated
around the open fire in the library when
they heard, from the front of the house,
sound as of a rapidly y-driven carriage,
then a confusion of voices, and, before
anyone could speak, Frank Howard
himself burst into the room
Father, mother and sisters all rushed
upon him at once and almost smothered
him with earesses; and then he saw
Agnes, who had risen from her quiet
corner and now stood, blusiling ''celes-
tial rosyrcd'--a very goddess of beauty!
Without affected coyness she surren-
dered herself to her lovers embrace,
while Col. Howard smilingly said:
THAT is right, my boy! This dear girl
is all your own now-w:th your parents
hearty blessing"
but, father-mother- what is
it, how did it all come about?" asked
the radiant young fellow, looking from
one to the other.
Then the whole story was told-and,
Ethel being spolzeswoman, it lost moth
ing in the telling.
Later in the evening came the de-
lightful two-mile walk to the home of
Agnes; and it is quite probable that, on
the way, the reunited lovers fully re-
paid themselves for their long separa-
ticn. Mr.. Graydon, happy beyond meas
IRE at the turn affairs had taken, re-
ceived his favorite with heartfelt 10y,
and all past doubts ard fears sA&.aed
but as troubled dream.
v
On lovely June morning some two |
months after the wanderers return
the Lincoln parish church wore an
air of unwonted splendor. The inte-
rior of the edifice was one gor-
geous mass of bloom; rich carpets
were spread from the entrance to
the driving around which, in their |
bravest holiday attire, were groug I'd !
the many scores of tenants and reta u
ers belonging to the estates of Lin
wood, MillbrooS and Mansfield, while |
carriage after carriage deposited its
freight of county gentry, all assembled
to witness a double wedding, in which |
the high contracting parties were
Frank Howard and Agnes Graydon, .,:r
George Mansfield and Lady Louisa
Grafton.
Our old friend, "Jacl" Digby, hav.
ing long ago arrived at an understanding
of that mysterious telegram, was there
in great force, and ably supported |
Frank, while Ethel and Pauline How
ard made the prettiest imaginable
bridesmaids for Agnes.
Those among the spectators who at
taehed any Importance towealth and
title afterward expressed regret that
the ceremony had not taken place a
few hours later, when, in their eyes, it
would have come of with still greater
eclat, for, as the tenantrY were enjoy