The Faulkland quiz., 1892-06-25
ing his whole formidablel length IN de.-

ing his whole formidable length IN a des-
perate effort to capture the ssairy fairy
thing. By the help OF Hugh and hit
| father the restless boat was ateadied
long enough to secure two OF the love.
ly lilies and the vocabulary of the
Northerners was exhausted In sxcla-
nations OF delight.
Tom Ringgold, pushing his boat
close to the trees, succeeded in gath
ering not only number OF the spider
lilies, but also great bunches of blue
irises and scarlet cardinals.
Eve received them with scream Of
delight and soon called in her mos
| gleeful tor es:
'Look at mel"
With her slender form half buried
in ferns and branches of magnolias
her dark curly head encircled by gar
lands OF cardinal blooms, with the
Spider lily cleaning a stax OF pear
on her pretty forehead, her fingers
clasping against the pale pink dress {
spray OF faint blue ir1ses, her eyes,
like wells of deep blue fire, bubblinl
with roguish laughter, she was indeed
o picture we'll worthy the time and
| place.
"What exquisite artistic sense thai
child possesses;" said Mrs. GAaeme.
SIS she an elf on an UndineP"
All eyes were fixed on this image oi
mirth ard beauty behind them, when
Tom Ringgold's brown face suddenly
turned ghastly White; and as quick ai
light he seized Eve, lifted her high in
his arms, and with lips curled from the
shining teeth as if In agony, leaped
with her into the river.
'ls the boy mad?" exclaimed Mr..
Hillson, as Hugh sprang to the rescue
Of his little sister, and taking her from
the relaxing arms of Tom RinRgold,
handed, her, dripping from the brown
waters OF the Ocklawaha and pale from
fright but otherwise unharmed, to the
keeping OF his father.
In the excitement of the moment,
Grace was the one to call attention to
poor Tom, who lay quiet in tangle oi
reeds and water-plants. Pushing to-
ward him the boat, they lifted into il
his senseless form.
The slender white maiden drew
with gentle touch the helpless
head, regardless of it's ugly color, on her
snowy lap, and pointed to the little
boat floating near them. What did
they see? In the midst Of the beauti-
full ferns and flowers, lay the deadly
moccasin. All was now clear. The
snake had fallen into the boat from an
overhanging tree, and I'om, careless
of self, intent only on saving his little
playmate, had, as was eeen, snatched
her from her perilous position.
The boat was quickly overturned,
throwing into the sparkling waters it's
treasures of life and death, and taking
the oar, Peter followed with 1t, the
now saddened pleasure party back to
their home.
Tom remained unconscious, and al
though, strange to say, no evidence Of
a snake-bite could be found on his
person, he never spoke again.
In few days his sturdy form and un-
attractive face were hidden from sight
in quiet bufyiug ground on the bank
of the Ocklawaha.
In some of those blessed hours when
Earth and Heaven stand silent, hand in
hand, tho the perfumed air is yet
pu'sing with memories of the last song
of the musie-mad mocking-bird, Grace
and little Eve sit in sisterly commun-
ion. And they talk of the wondrous
Hereafter and the holy angels; but
ever and always the eyes OF the fairest
angel, 1.-The sweetest singer nearest
the Throne. are blue and bright and
sunny, like those of their dead hero,
Tom Ringgold.