The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1894-10-11

cloud, which had swollen till IL filed
nearly the whole sky. As thc haze
vanished objects near the opposite
point could be more clearly distin-
guisbed.
"3ee," cried Mrs. Loring, ''isn't
that the boat pulling out from shore
Oh, why doesn't Rufe stay at the
farm house How can he be so fool
ish -
Pruliette drew Mrs. Larned back.
"The little gal is alone in thet there
boat" she said, in solemn whisper.
"Rufe must a-left her in it when he
went up to the house; an that sudden
wind druv il of the shore. The Ran
dali boat must be away from home I;
fur ! kin see Rufe runnin' up an down
the bank, an il twas there he'd foller
her. The wind is drivin' the boat
right toward MS.
The rain began to fall in torrents,
churning the already vexed water till
it seemed to boil. 1t was one of those
violent thundcrstorms to which Lake
Ontario IL subject duT.ug the hot
season. IL grew dark, and the boat
was hidden. When the rain stopped
n cold hurricane rushed by. and the
panic.stricken water fled before il in
swift, headlong waves. Now the boat
was visible again, tossing about, seem
ing to share the agony of the water.
The women could see Olive cling.
ing to n seat, in constant danger of
being thrown out; the blast carried
her shrill screams to their ears. "See,
the boat may be driven against the
point J" cried one of them. But as it
came they saw the wind would take it
by, outside the point.
An open shed had been built for the
boats on the western side of the point,
where, as was now the case, the water
was protected from the gales that
came up from the south and east Pru-
lictte Kelly ran TO this boathouse, and.
nothing else being there, launched
the canoe. She padded il through the
cnlmer water out to the edge of the
angry sea that swept around the point.
1t was evident that the canoe could
not live for more than moment in
such sea. An instant later the
skiff-Olive standing in it, screaming
and stretching out her hands To her
mother on the shore-came scudding
by the point. Pruliette gave stroke
with the paddle that made the canoe
shoot forward; she grasped the skiff
and, with vigorous push, sent il in
toward the calmer water. This push
reacted on the canoe, which slipped
out still further among the waves. The
old woman struggled bravely, trying
to balance the frail craft and drive it
toward the shore. She had only gained
n few yards when q billow broke over
the canoe, filled it and sank it.
Two of the younger women waded
into the shallow water, dragged the
skill to land and restored the child to
her mother. They saw something
that the waves rolled toward the
shore. They seized it and carried it
from the water. Life was not quite
crushed out from the poor old body,
and after working over her assJ some
time she began to ynlyx signs oi re.
turning consciousness.
Hiram was found, and he and one
of the hired men carried his sister
back to her home. When the doctor
came he said it was doubtful if she
survived the shock; she had never
been n strong woman.
Toward evening Hiram and the doc.
tor and Mrs. Larned aud little Olive 's
mother were in Pruliette Kelly's room,
where she lay motionless ou the bed.
OF sudden she reused, glanced
around nervously, and laid u thin,
withered hand on her brothers arm.
"Hiram, I'm agoin' to let that old
blue hen hatch some chickens. I feel
| amt used her right; fur she hes
wanted to set--lots g times. But [
alters stopped her quick you know
she was my only company, an didn't I
want her off a-settin' an a.bringin' up
chickens. spose she's Jest longed
FUR them chicks" Then, moment
before the end, she spoke again: "Did
Mandy get ashore all safe? Poor lit
tle Mandy; poor-poor thing. New
York Independent.