The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1893-09-21
TAKING TO THE NEW GIRL
A Story Written for This Paper, by
Emma V. Sheridan.

|
! No.
! Whcre is She"
How should / know"
You were together, thougnt:'
| What Of that
Your manner is strange. you ave
fevcri-h what i, it,"
Here Rosa broke down. "Oh. Ralf.
Madge has gone 10 haunted island. She
| should have been back long ago"
| A few fierce quick words and Ralt
urder-t cd. His face grew gray.
What are you going u do" noaned
| Rosa.
Max. the shadows or die trying,"
he Answered through his teeth. y
moment after his horse set the road to
echOjng.
Madsc rowed hard. Her hands We're
blistcred and her arms aching. The
moon shone brightly now. As she
! slowly neatcd her former landing it
seemed - hey that her boat was fast
cned from the run" \ word about
the run" From the rough landing
place bridge Of two plank, was car
ried out on a rickety and high frame
work to the channel. Fishermen could
thus get III at any tide. The bridge
was not two planks all the way: the
/
wide It seemed d jwnriyht cruel that
her boat should thus have been
changed from the shore moc,ing at
which she had left it. 1t was Just
about midway the center length Of the
bridge too Madge mad the choice of
rowing to the shore and from the land
ing making her way To the center of
the bridge. OF Of stopping at the water
end Of the bridge, leaving her borrowed
boat there. and walking the length Of
the bridge 10 shore, taking up the boat
IL she went. At least thi, plan involved
the least rowing.
Madge wcarily made her way to the
ladder that hung from the end Of the
plank ing. fastened the terrible old tub
that had brought her, and prepared to
i climb the ladder. Somehow. it all
seemed drcadfully lonely and Gho>tly
+ the rounds Of the ladder were clammy
and Wet. the sc;lwecd made them slip
| perry. the stiffness almost seemed to
: Shrek, the moonlight wavcrrd on the
water As if alive. \ long white nand
reached in front Of her. She looked
! up. her blood thickcniny Il little. Tnc
; face Of the old man. from whom she
had had her yrudGinG permission to
! take Il boat, hung over he, from the
! plank above.
ooh, thank you. laid Madyr. qu;vrr-
ing y. Il can get up better without
/ help. thank YOU. wish you had not
moved the boat, though. -
She was up now dizzily ia anccd on
the slender pIankny. and in need sad
ly of stead ing hand. The old man
wa, gone. Gone. Ahead of her
stretched the silent length OF bridge,
the moonlight brought every stick and
stone into clear view along the shore.
| \ recent football upon the slender
boards OF the bridge must have set
them to trembling. They were mo-
tiunl"S' only silence, de -olatlon ana
the rlocnlit night were there. Yet
she had seen him. She hal seen him.
hi, face yellow in the moonlight, his
beard streaming down tn" ladder. his
long dreadful hand ha! been within,
reach. Malec turned faint. Then
she shut her teeth.
Nonsense. IT he isn't here now he
wasn't here at all, Of course. | have
got to get that beat. and | have n,
trne TO faint" Madgc spoke aloud,
and the sound of her own voice gave
her courage. She began the journey
along the plank. \ few feet from the
water end the whole bridge began t.
swing with each step. She seemed i,
mid-air: the water far below siinted
and ran with the tide. 1t seemed t,
carry her with il. She thought o
turning back, but it was easier to &C
on than to turn. She stood still ant
slipped off her little slippers. ltwoult
be easier TO keep steady fcotholt
without the heels. Now the doubl.
planks were pas cd. and the single on,
1,,f e.. .rb
made il bend down ut the middle. Hc'
first step set it to swaying under he
feet. She stretched her hands out @,
either side for balance, and her SHADOW
lay up the water, q dreadful, threat
cning thing below her.
Il cant stand it anymore. she sobbc,
To herself, her breath catching.
She was sure some one followed her
Who. What, What could I've benin,
her: She felt the plank rise ana fal
i under step not her OWN. \ han;
graspcd her arm. \ Ing white ham
the hand that had REACHED To her O.
the ladder, the hand If he old fisher
man. N: ...c threw up her Il: N, ~,
fell heavily. TIE drr;u.u! yellow fac
perrinG down at hrr;> she struggled il
the water She caught the glcam Q
It's dead eyes.
half Kali" She cried. and the
rvrrythinG turned: black
Meanwhile. kaIf Vas riding mad
through bush and eve. - 1u"~, Their
was 10 sign of Il shallow where h
forced his hose into the water. Hal
+; swimming. hat p.uHGinG. the bea-
made hi WAY ~ thu island. Gear i
the III ,,:llight 4 cabin hut showed =
she rtchy shore: ovc,' The door Z mar!