Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-02-25
The Mountain Hut.
By MARIE LOUISE FOWLER.

know. He would knew. But how
Why had he dwelt so consistently on
it today? He thought that chapter o.
his life was cl1seo. He had steeled
his heart to The past; he had hardenet
himself to think il was indeed past
and gone for him. He thought the
! bitterness Of il was ended and that
only the old ache remained, which, too.
would wear away in tine. Why had
it returned to tcrnent him, this VAIL
ished past? All the Jain and sorrow
! and bitterness was with him now, eat
ing into his soul. No. The past was
mott never could be dead. Not TN
til the grave should cover his body or
until the waves should roll over him.
Thinking thus he rose. Why not
end it all? There lay the great ocean
stretched out before him. There and
only there was peace. But his atten-
ton was arrested by the sudden dark
ness. In his trouble he had stayed
here much longer thai he thought. OF
was it-wha; was it? With dazed look
around him, he started down the
mountain side. The sea- which had
been so peaceful but a short time be-
fore was beginning to surge and foam.
The sky had darkened and mist had
arisen. A storm was coming up, the
approach Of which could be more easily
seen from the height where he had
been. Sam. migh1 not know. lie
must warn him. His only thought
now was to save his friend.
| Hurrying downward, he was met
half way by Sam, whose countenance
expressed great relief and joy at seeing
him; for Sam had also become anxious
at Halls long delay and had started
! out to look for him. The two now
walked rapidly homeward, while the
storm clouds gathered and the darkness
became more intense. They had hard
ly entered and closed behind them the
door of their simple though comfort
able dwelling when the storm broke in
all its violence. Tho wind moaned and
shrieked, the thunder echoed and re-
echoed from the mountains, the forked
| lightning flashed across the dark
heavens and lighted w the seathing,
! billowy ocean, and the rain came down
in torrents. Hal. was strangely un
easy, and paced rapidly to and fro, his
| face set and white and bis eyes burn
! ing. While Sam, after making light
and starting the fire into ruddy glow
for these summer evenings We're damp
and cool from tie ocean breeze, stood
anXiously watching him, as if he feared
! some sickness or meEtal weakness mad
befallen his friend. For some time they
continued thus, whel Hal. stopped
suddenly in the middle of the floor
and with dilating eyes cried in sharp
| voice
Quick. The lantern and rope,
Some one is drowr.ng."
And, lighting the lantern with ner-
vous fingers, and grasping coil OF
rope, he rushed out iEto the night.
Sam, thinking his friend had certain
ly lost his wits, shouted for him TO re-
urn; Int, receiving no answer, he
sprang through the door and followed
The rain had ahated somewhat and the
wind has lost d little of it's fury. but
the thunder still rolled, the lightning
flashed and the foam-crested pillows
rose higher and higher. AS Sam APP
preached the shore, he overlook Hal,
who grasped Linn eagerly by the arm,
saying quickly:
I'm glad you have come. | hope
we shall be in time. Hurry! Hurry
And dragging Sam along, Hal moved
as swiftly as possible toward the sea
Hal. had been moving the lantern and
peering into the night, when he stopped
and, uttering an exclamation, drew
Sam toward him and pointed into the
darkness. There, revealed by a sud
den flash Of lightning, was a small
boat rocking IN the waves Not mo-
ment was to be lost. The men hailed
the boat, and ran down to the water S
edge, making preparations to do every
thing In their power to cave the occu-
pants OF the small craft. But little
could be done, However, and only
Few moments had ELAPSED, fraught
with fear and anxiety, before the boat
was cast roughly upon the shore. The
men grasped and held 1t firmly, before
the receding wave could tear It back
again into it's erveioring arms.
The boat was found TO contain two
men, seemingly sailors, woman ard a
child-a small colder" haired boy. with
large blue eyes. Tho men were un-
hurt, the woman was unconscious and
seemed to be ill., while the boy chung
to one OF the men with wild, fright
ened look in his face.
No time was los. In CARRYING the
woman and child to the house, wnila
the two sailors buried to the village
for doctor, and to learn news Of the
wreck and If any of the passengers had
been found. The storm had now cease,i
and the clouds were scudding over the
sky. which was fast growing lighter
AS soon as the men had deposited their
unconscious burden the boy SCENE I'd to
recoTer from his shock and told them
all he knew of the wreck. but added
nothing which they bad not previously
heard from the sailors in the first mo
meDts after being cast upon the shore
The wreck had occurred a fav hours