Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-06-07

this nonluorative pursuit and to satisfy
the craving in his soul for counterfeiting
the beautiful by comfortable annuity
which he had inherited from his grand
mother.
Ellen Maxey was "a. Since the death
of her parents she had held the proud
though exacting position Of her brothers
housekeeper, than which there was only
one other place in the world she would
have been better satisfied to occupy.
On went the spirited horses, while the
merry bells jingled and the steam spout
ed rhythmically in four evanescent
streams from their nostrils, and the foot
falls beat time on tho hard crust. The
limitless black shadow settled down
slowly over the sea and the land. There
was a growing flush in the east which
might herald coming moon, and fad
ing glow in the west which betokcned
departed sun, but these were but poor
torches for wayfarer cropping in the
dark, and the stars overhead, obscured
by O pale mist, were puny candles
against the obscuration Of the deepening
gloom.
On went the mettled span toward the
faint light in the heavens made by the
distant city, held up to their steady gait
by q tight rein i'll the doctors guiding
hand and encouraged by an occasional
stimulating cry. The ocean, stretching
out from the base Of the cliff into the
darkness upon the right, grew more inky
from moment to moment, and the fading
white landscape upon the left became
exceedingly sketchy and incomplete.
Still the four spouting clouds Of steam
and still the merry jingling Of bells
upon the frosty air.
All at once there is break in the
rhythm Of the hoof beats. From steady,
onward, arrowlike flight the sleigh sud-
denly moves laterally and almost stops
with terrific abruptness, narrowly es-
capes overturning, trembles, jerks, snaps
in every joint and moves ahead again.
"Hi whoa, therel What the deuce
Dr. Lamar was on his feet, and his
strong arms were refining in the fright
ened horses. In another minute he was
out in the snow, running beside them,
clinging to the bride. A plunge, snort,
q shiver, a great jingling Of the bells.
and the sleigh had come to a standstill.
"Whoa, Polly! Gently, Eollyl" said
the doct:c, persuasively etroking the
noses Ct the trembling and greatly
frightened animals, while his two COM
panions, who had jumped into snow
bank, struggled out into the road and be-
gan to put themselves to rights.
"Now, what the deuce do you suppose
made those horses shy so?''
'"There is something back there on the
road, am very positive" said Maxey.
"And II thought I saw somebody
jump over the fence and run across the
field" added his sister.
"What you saw on the road were the
old settees on the edge Of the cliff prob
ably" said Dr.. Lamar. "You know the
Somerset summer hotel is just back Of
us here, and in the warm weather there
is row Of seats just above the bath
houses by the roadside noticed what
I took to be the gangway leading down
to the beach just before the horses
jumped"
''No, no. What saw was In the mid
die Of the road" insisted the artist
"But it's only minutes work to find
out" He turned back.
The doctor calculated: "Pshaw, what
does it matter? We're wasting time!'
"No; I am sure there's something
wrong!' exclaimed Miss Maxey.
"Wrong" echoed the physician.
"What an idea! You surprise me, Miss
Maxey. Ididn't know you were so cas-
lily alarmed"
II was right" called the voice Of
Maxey little TREMENDOUSLY "See this "
They dimly saw him standing in the
road outlined against the sky, holding
up shapeless something to their view.
"What is it?'
IA woman's shawl
Miss Maxey cried out in alarm: "We
must go back at once know something
is wrong. Ifelt it before we reached it. "
"Absurdp' exclaimed the doctor.
But Miss Maxey did not wait to hear
the comment. She had already rejoined
her brother. The doctor saw them ap.
paxently kneeling in the snow, as though
examining the surface Then they sepa'
rated. One went toward the fence which
divided the road from the adjoining
field, the other in the direction Of the
low wall which disjoined it from the
narrow strip Of ground between it and
the edge Of the cliff.
CDR, Lamar! DR.. LamarP'
There was no mistaking the tenor o1
this cry or its imperative nature. Fol
the first time the physician felt vague
sensation of dread. He hastily made the
horses fast to the fence and went bacl
up the road. He saw that both figures
had como together now on the other side
of the wall near the edge Of the bluff
He came up with quick steps,
whats the matter? What is it?'
"Listenp'
The waves washed lonesomely on thu
rocks below. The night wind sighed il
its dismal rounds The breath of the lis
teners came quickly and audibly. There
were no other sounds.
II hear nothing, " said the physician
"but the wash of the sea-"
"Histl What's that?''
A faint cry, rising on the wind, mys
terious, indescribablel
"a childW cried the doctor, "or ,
dog''
Whatever it be, it has fallen owe
the Cliff" said Maxey.
His sister shuddered, but her voic
was very calm. "You forget the foot
steps and the man saw jump over tn
fence and run away. The snow is trod
den and trampled all about us. Their
has been a struggle here where we ar
standing. I am afraid for what you will
find down there. Stay with me, Julian
| and lef the doctor no down ~