Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1895-08-09

sAS Vhiy huC iof u nWcct Biri uTonb III
summer-and 1t is scarcely necessary
to say that I surrendered to Master
Archie's fiancee at discretion, mentally
voting him the luckiest young dog un-
der heaven, no matter who she might
DO.
That night, as we sat smoking our
farewell pipes, and with that glorious
odor of roses stealing in through the
open windows, Archie told me his
story. 1t was romantic enough. He
had been riding past three weeks ago
on his bicycle, and had had a bad fall
at the very moment he had been slack
ening speed in order to admire the
beauty of the garden of roses. Dor
othy, for that was her name, had seen
his ungraceful performance and his in
effectual effort to rise. At her COM
mands an ancient gardener had
wheeled him into the house, in ridicu-
lous fashion enough, and the village
doctor had attended to his dislocated
knee. Dorothy's aunt, Mrs Brett, a
sweet old lady with silver hair and
gold-rimmed spectacles, had, in the
course Of the next three weeks, fallen
almost as deeply in love with the
handsome young sufferer as had her
niece. Yes, indeed, / congratulated
Archie over and over again. The Lord
knew he had no need of money with
his wife, and for goodness-well, one
glance into those sweet, honest blue
eyes was enough to tell me of the
beauties of this girls character.
Dorothy and became firm friends
at once. Perhaps it was because
knew myself to be too old and worldly
wise to get into any sort of danger
that led me to associate with this pail
of lovers so freely. The three of u.
took long rambies together through
the meadows and down by the restles.
and ever-changing sea. 1t did me good
on such occasions to note Archie's al
most childish delight in his fancee anc
his happiness After all, he was moth
ing but boy, despite his twenty-sever
years. He laughed the whole day
long and made love to Dorothy as ont
makes love to beautiful spoiled child
And she? Why, she accepted it al
in silent, satisfied sort of way. Sh,
accepted the boys kisses soberly, with
out any show of emotion and as ;
matter of course. sometimes though
/ would give thousand dollars to Sc,
her tremble or blush. 1t was easy +,
see that this was her first love. Sh,
was so matter of fact about it all, ant
it was so easy to see there was not
vestige of passion in it for her.
could see, too, that she was proud o
her handsome boy lover in a certain
way AS she sat on the sand, looking
so very lovely in her white dress, witt
that far away look in the dewy blu
eyes, she would stroke with her sin
fingers the blonde head that lay s.
4 luxuriously on her lap and smile shyl,
up at me for congratulation and ar
prevail.
And then came the first chapter il
the tragedy.
The three of us had been for lon
ramble along the beach and Archi
had his pockets filed with the shell
and other treasures gained by hi
sweetheart. We were on our wa
back, for rain had begun to fal
heavily and few rumblings of thur
der warned us of the typical Wells
storm that was in store for us. w
were making short cut up windin
path through the cliffs when the storr
broke in all its fury.
don't think have ever seen sue
lightning or heard such thunder, nc
even in the tropics. Twas leading tn
way, and between the awful peals
could hear Archie encouraging tn
beautiful girl he was half carrying
half dragging along, for she was tel
rified almost out of her wits
4 There suddenly came peal lou
enough to wake the dead, and as
died away uttered yell of warnin
and sprang aside. huge piece {
rock, fully four feet high, loosened b
the shock, was sliding down the patti
| no ~ pdoSCu liC SidhCOu uoCh Ill
turned pale with horror, for the pa
were just at point where they coul
not hope to escape it. They could ne
/ turn to the right or to the left, and in
, mediately behind them was anothe
| rock, immovably fixed, and again,
which the down-coming fragmer
would grind them, as it seemed,
pieces.
1t all happened in an instant I wa
powerless to help. At the instant, a.
parently, that rock was sliding upo
: them, saw Archie suddenly sell
Dorothy in his arms, below the wais
I and lift her up. Higher and higher /
| raised her, till she rested on his shou
der. Then there was horrible cruncl
ing sound that shall never forge
and l saw the boys face turn ashel
but he was still pushing the half-fain
5 ing girl up and up out of danger. I
also called on me to help him, and
t did SO, weeping like woman at IL
awful thing that | saw had happene
: 1t took strong men with crowbars
: release my friend. By good fortur
the rock that had fallen was conical
q shaped, the smaller end uppermos
| else he would inevitably have bee
h crushed to atoms. AS it was both b
= legs were shattered from the lxne