River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1895-08-01


and ever-changing sea II did me good
on such occasions TO note Archie's al
most childish delight in mis- fiancee md
his happiness. After all. he was moth
ing but boy. despite his twenty-seven
years Tie laughed the whole day
long and made love to DOrothy as one
makes love to beautiful spoiled child.
And she? Why. she accepted 1t all
in silent. satisfied sort of way. She
accepted the boys kisses soberly, with
out any show Of emotion and as a
matter of course. / sometimes thought
] would give thousand dollars to see
her tremble or blush. II was easy TO
see that this was her first love. She
was so matter of fact about It all, and
IL was so easy to see there was not
vestige of passion in il for ner. /
could see. too, that she was proud of
her handsome boy lover in a certain
way. As she sat on the sand, looking
so verv lovely in her white dress, with
that far away look in the dewy blue
eyes. she would stroke with her slim
fingers the blonde head that lay so
luxuriOusly on her lap and smile shyly
up at me for congratulation and APP
proval.
And then came the first chapter in
the tragedy.
The three of us had been for a long
ramble along the beach and Archie
had his pockets filed with the shells
and other treasures gained by his
sweetheart. We we're on our way
back. for raiI mad begun to fall
heavily and few rumblings of thun-
der warned Us of the typical Welsh
storm that was in store for us. We
were making short cut up q winding
path through the cliffs when the storm
broke in all its fury.
don't think have ever seen such
lightning or heard such thunder, not
even in the tropics. was leading the
way. and between the awful peals I
could hear Archie encouraging the
beautiful girl he was half carrying,
half dragging along, for she was ter
rified almost out of her wits.
There suddenly came a peal loud
enough to wake the dead. and as il
died away / uttered a yell OF warning
and sprang aside. A huge piece of
rock. fully four feet high, loosened by
the shock, was sliding down the path.
As IL passed me l glanced back and
turned pale with horror, for the pair
were Just at a point where they could
not hope to escape il. They could not
turn to the right or to the left, and i'm
me,iiately behind them was another
rock. irnmoyably fixed. and against
which the homecoming fragment
would grind them, as it seemed. to
pieces.
Ii all happened in an instant was
powerless to help. At the instant, APP
parently. that rock was sliding upon
them. | saw Archie suddenly seize
Dorothy in his arms. below the waist.
and lift her up. Higher and higher he
raised her. till she rested on his shout
der. Then there was a horrible crunch
ing sound that | shall never forget,
and saw the boys face turn ashen,
but he was still pushing the half-faint-
ing girl up and up out of danger. He
also called on me to help MIN. and
did SO, weeping like woman at the
awful thing that saw had happened.
II took strong men with crow bars to
release my friend. BY good fortune
the rock that had fallen was conically
shaped, the smaller end uppermost,
else he would inevitably have been
crushed To atoms. As il was both his
legs were shattered from the knees
down.
No sufferer was ever nursed as Archie
was. Dorothy, whose grief was pitia-
BILE. would never have left his side, if |
had not forced her to do so. Her aunt
was equally devoted. while l, of
course, hid what | could.
For a month he scarcely spoke
Then he whispered to- me one evening:
L suppose it's all up with me-, Jack?"
Nonsense, my boy" | answered
huskily, you're good FOR fifty years
yet"
Il know" he murmured wistfully,
but cripple for life, Ell Jack?"
| could not speak. and left the room.
Had not the great London surgeon told
me on his last flying visit that there
were but two alternatives-ampu
tion of both limbs, or death? The de-
cision, moreover, must be made within
a week.
uutt. vi NtuEScs W the rev
or family of the accident, and then,
one divinely beautiful August night.
Lieut.. Guy Trevor, Archer's elder
brother, came to Rose cottage to see
him
His ship. the NewYork. was at Ports
mouth, and the moment he heard Of the
boys mishap he hurried to him. And
the great big sailor-he was over six
feet, and looked like scTue giant of the
orient, with his splendid proportions
and tanned features-kneIt by his
young brothers bed and spoke to him
with sobs in his deep bass voice.
Through the window | saw the meet
ing between the sailor and Dorothy,
and have often wondered since then
why | did not scent the trouble at the
time.
Both stood for an instant perfectly
still. transfixed by each others won
derful physical beauty. Then Guy in
PRODUCED himself and the two walked
slowly away. talking in whispers of
the calamity that had befallen the boy
both loved so dearly.
Twice during that week / saw the
tears stealing down the cheeks of the
cripple as he lay there, SO still, on his
narrow white he'd. Once he spoke to
me of Dorothy. You must tell her,
old man" he whispered, that release
her Internationally"
she will not hear of t." answered
And then the day arrived for the re-
turn of the London surgeon. He
brought two assistants with him. Guy.
Dorothy and | were present at their
interview with the lad.
Let me understand" said Archie.
in weak tones. but bravely; IF | do
not choose to submit to this-this OPP
GRAFTON it is certain death, is it?'
The great man bowed his head.
what shall | do. Dorothy?" The |
tones were very tremulous now.
oh. Archie,r she sobbed. sinking on |
her knees by the bed. submit TO il for
my sake. IL will make no difference.
| will care for YOU as long as live"
| happened to glance at the giant. |
Guy, and saw that his brouzed face
had turned almost white.
Well" sighed the patient, softly
stroking the bright head of the kneel-
ing girl. lit shall be as you say. Shall !
we begin, doctor?"
Not tonight. my boy" answered