The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1896-11-26


90 feet of where she was without ventur-
ing on the treacherous grass himself and
SO losing his own foothold But, though
he could have held out stick or impro-
vised a rope that she could reach across
that distance, it would not do to pull her
along the edge without some stay from the
upper part of the slope, and that was fully
50 feet above her.
II could GO for a rope" he said present
", after he had studied the situation
moment, 'but how far away is some
house? l do not know"
sit would take you an hour to go and
get back" said the girl. "Can you not do
something else? If had only little thing
to hold on to, I could crawl back, but 1
''No, no, franklin interrupted the
professor. "You must lie still 1 will
something do -
Opening his knapsack, he fumbled in
side of it for moment and drew out
stout gray flannel shirt This he tore into
strips, and, knotting the strips together,
he had in little while string long
enough to. reach across the dangerous
slope. AS he worked he chatted with the
girl, who was cool enough now that some
one was near to aid LCr.
She had been picking berries, she told
him, and, although she knew the ground
well and understood how treacherous the
grassy slopes were, after the late summer
sun scorched them, she had slipped from
pure carelessness, and, falling she had slid
out of reach of the bushes. Struggling to
rise, she had slipped farther and farther
toward the edge until she realized that
her only chance of safety was to lie still
and call for help.
"And was so thankful when I heard
you answer she said, ''for did not know
but would have to lie here till they
missed me at home and came out to search
for me-
Eyes, it was good that study the rocks
today" said the professor. But now lie
still some more till my rope shall touch
your fingers. Then do not too hard pull
it, for it is not so strong. But it will help
you little, and you can up the hill creep
carefully" And he tied small stone to
one end of the string and slid it down to-
ward her till she grasped it, he holding
the other end
1t was very easy then for her, having
something TO steady her, to make her way
upward to where he stood, at the edge of
the slope, holding the string firmly. All
went we'll till she came within reach of his
outstretched hand, when, as he stopped tc
lift her to her feet, his own footing gave
way, and he fell headlong beside her on
the slippery grass.
He strove in vain to stop himself, grasp
ing frantically at the grass, which broke as
he clutched it. Carried swiftly by the mo-
mentum of his fall, he slipped smoothly
down to the very edge and over it, falling,
with . loud cry, sheer over the cliff.
The girl called out twice, but there was
she should find only lifeless body she
way. to the foot of the cli6. y.l E
he was not dead, a. he found immedi-
ateIy. But when he tried to rise he could
not
my leg Is broken" he said, ''and am
bad hurried on my inside. You must now
to me bring help, for am as you were"
EYES, yes" answered the girl. "Iiwill
GO But how can you stay alonee 1t will
be more than an hour before l can get
anybody here who can carry you to the
house.
"Achi That is bad, =" said the professor
"But will do as can best. II you will
look my knapsack in and give me the little
flask there, can wait, but be not longer
as you can help"
81 will be as quick as can," said the
girl after she had brought the knapsack to
him and given him a drink.
twas a long hour for the poor professor,
and before it was over he had tainted, de-
spite his flask, so that when John Bascom !
came back with his daughter he shook his
head gravely. fearing that his help was too
late He could do nothing, however, but
wait till his son should come up with the
neighbors, for whom he had sent And
when they had carried him to the Bascom
farmhouse and the village doctor had
come and examined him and set his bones !
they found that they would have him to
care for for several weeks.
lit seems kind o. hard it should be so,
Maria, bein as you've got about all to do
t you can stand, said Mr.. Bascom to his
wife, "but ] don't see as 'twould be decent
not to care for him"
why, wt've just got TO, John" said
Mrs. Bascom.a And dear SUI knows we
can't grudge him nothin.. If it hadn't
a been for hin Ella might "a been kill
ed. -
But IL the Bsscom household was poov
In worldly goods, as it certainly was, and
II it was a serious tax on the family purse
to provide the medicines the sufferer noctl.
ed and drain on the strength of the
mother and daughter to nurse him as as
siduously as they did, no hint Of these
facts appeared. The professor was not FL