The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1894-08-22
HE GOT HIS REWARD.

Somewhat distant from one of the
main routes between the Eastern States
and California, following out the scoriac
apex of deep, rugged, conical ele1va-
ton, is the crater of an old volcano.
One day small party of adventurous
ladies and gentlemen, leaving their rid
ing and baggage mules at the base of
the steep ascent, clambered up its jagged
sides to the summit, where an extended
view over picturesque landscape was
their first reward.
One of the party was bright vivaci-
Gus, yenturesome girl, who was both
the pride and the worry of her accom-
panying parents, the latter because she
was SO full of romping, giddy, daring
life.
Ada Widen, quick of motion and
light of foot, so skinned over the rough,
honey-combed surface of the scoria pile
between her and her parents, and now,
instead of needing her mothers call to
come back to her, she began to recede
along the edge of the crater, finally
mounting what seemed to be topping
crag, and standing up clear against the
background of a shimmering sky.
The next moment there came a pierre
ing shrek from the same qnarter and
the treacherous lava and daring girl
went down together to the awful depths
below.
When the fearful spot was reached
nothing of the missing girl could be
seen, but 100 feet below some of the
debris of the fallen crag was visible
along the edge of the black stagnant
water.
"All of us will help. We will do ev-
erything we can!" cried a voice, to
which all the others gave ready as
sent.
The speaker was young man. sup
posed to be very partial to Ada, and to
him the distressed father turned, with
a mournful hope.
at will be necessary to 90 down in
to the water to find her, j" he said.
"Oh, l could not do that, replied the
young man, shrinking back. "The wa
ter might poison ME. Besides, the cliff
here is beetling, and there is no way,
safe or ortherwise, that one could climb
down to the pool"
And this was the young man who had
wanted Ada-if he could secure her
with no more exertion than is required
to pick rose from the parental bush.
But when it came to risking his life
for hers-ah! that was quite different
matter. There were plenty of rose
bushes and roses.
Some of the ladies who had noted the
persistency with which he had thrown
himself into Miss Wilden's company
now glanced at him with the contempt
which gentle women feel for cowardice
in men.
AS for the other men, they looked at
one another. Many of them would
have started to the rescue if they could
have shared the peril together, but soli-
taire is ever so much more difficult to
play in the game of heroism
"Who will venture?" said Mr.. Widen,
wildly.
No one answered.
A minute afterward young hand
some stranger, in the garb of hunter,
with a rifle over his shoulder, was seen
approaching the group with light,
quick step.
The catastrophe was quickly and
eagerly explained to him as he looked
down from the fated spot.
"I'll 60 down and get the body" he
said, in quiet, positive tone.
In few moments the daring hunter
had arranged rope and signals for his
perilous descent.
One end of the line was secured to an
immovable lava rock and the other
about the body of the venturer.
Then lowering the rope, d0uble,
half way, so that il would not have to
slide over the verge as he descended,
young Randolph boldly swung himself
over the abyss amid the catching res
pirations and gulping exclamations of
the ladies, and went quickly down, hand
over hand, his legs and feet also cling
ing to the supporting rope.
As if he saw something that those
above could not see, he stepped back a
few PAGES, gave a running jump and
swung out Of sight under the beetling
cliff.
In fact, he did see something those
above could not see-the fair girl her
self lying still on the little shelf to which
she had bounded when the mass that
took her down struck another in its de-
scent and threw her off.
He swung himself to her and found
her in the act of opening her bright blue
eyes in wonder.
For moment or two she stared at
the strange hunter, then quickly at the
black lake below and her desolate sur
roundings. eXclaiming: