Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1892-12-15


"They were strangers" he calculated.
"The bridge! They've tried to cross it.
and have fallen through
It took them ten minutes fully to re-
trace their steps, running around the
bluffy timber stretch. They reached
the bridge. Horror eyed. appalled,, they
i the gaping hole, through which the
darkling waters showed twenty feet
| below.
HE went DOWN. saw him in the
water, muttered one of the men.
But the other?"
What other!"
"The g.r..
"Ah, yes! I forgot. There was a
girl with him. Jem, they're gone!
Man and woman both, sure as fate!"
| They glanced far down the river
banks They even lined the stream for
some distance, but found no trace Of
the supposed victims OF terrible mis-
take.
Thus 1t was that rumor speculation
and horror were rife at the little rail-
road settlement that evening, when the
two men returned thither and told their
| tragic story.
This man remembered seeing the two
| arrive on the late afternoon train-that
one described the gaunt, solemn faced
stranger seeking q conveyance to take
them across country. A party was
made up to make search for some trace
OF the bodies Of the unfortunates, but,
after lining the bleak shores of the river
for hours, they returned bootless from
their task at midnight, the swirling
waters and increasing storm bidding
fair to sweep away or cover up forever
more the identity of the man and the girl
who had seemingly met death at the
bridge.
AS the reader knows, Edna Deana's
guide alone had sunk through the broken
planking. Edna herself, frozen with
horror, had remained for a moment
chilled to helplessness by the sudden
disaster. Then, frantic with terror
vaguely hoping to reach some habita-
ton and summon it's denizens to at
tempt the rescue Of her guide, she
dashed blindly from the scene.
Through the heavy snow she ran, the
darkening landscape showing distant
light. Towards it she bent her steps,
lost it as copse interviewed, struggled
on again, crossed a gully, reached
rise in the ground. and then leaned
against tree, painting for breath. and
staring wild-eyed and alarmed all about
her.
Her bedraggled dress, soaked shoes,
chilled frame and arguished heart drove
every sense to vivid suffering. With a
moan of distress she realized that her
companion was past earthly help, that
the river had swept him away. The in
stinct Of self-preservation, the fright Of
the moment dulled her memory of that
terrible scene at the bridge; for utter
loneliness and desoation spread before
her; not habitatiOn, human being or
light showed. She might have been
thousand miles from civilization for all
it's evidences that existed in her imme-
date proximity.
"Oh! whore shall I go-which way
shall turn? 1 am LOST"
Her tones were hollow, the utterance
despairing, affrighted. Nurtured amid
delicate care, scarcely clothed TO endure
the rigors of such exposure, she felt
that her strength and her will were fast
deserving her.
She tried to summon all her fOrtFtude
and calmness. She decided that the
town they had left an hour previous
must lie beyond a level waste bounded
on its farther edge witb ridge of trees
and bushes. In that direction She
started.
Knee-deep in drift, gwaying like a.
reed in the wind she wsgvered, fairly
in the center Of the vast meadow.
Snow was all about hev-earth and
air seemed full Of it. 1t dazzled her
vision, it penetrated sleeve and hood,
it choked and blinded her
A fearful night truly! The noise of
the rising tempest rang OUT like the
waves of angry sea. The storm had
tapped out the baleful light of moon
and stars. In the strength OF a mighty
glee, the wind raved and roaret.j sweep
ing the drifting snow about hey like
shroud.
"I-can-go-no-fur
With a moan that was a PRAYER, the
delicate girl sank down. Her strength
had given out completely. The snow
came thicker, the winds blew faster,
the CHASTITY white stretch befoEsS her
began to be fleeIed with fire, as her
overstrained nerves drove the fever
blood from heart to, brain.
"Oh, the rest-the quiet!" she muir
as she closed her eyes In that
fatal delight which cold and ex-
haustion bring, to lure the dsluded
victim to the last long sleep. Ray
Inolu- tIlGt-ieattASi! Soou-ANsAt'
good night"
A rare. ecstatic smile stole oven her
face. The suffering OF life was merg
ing into the delirium of dreamsand.
She had lain down to desc young, so
fair. so little realizing how near death
grazed her bonny heart!
"Oh! let me rest; l am SO wearyr'
\ rough contact, blast Of warm
breath sweeping her face reused the
benumbed girl to hook up.
Then. with a frantic scream, she
struggled to her feet ard stosd from
blingly staring at an intruder, the shock
happily dissipatins the lethargy that be-
L1>,. h,.i,, har