The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1897-08-06
CHATTER NYII.

rho SIM shone, tho white ice glitteEad
I'm redbreasfs winged their way amid
traes. scarlet berries shone from the
,,craens. the wind stirred the great
49, branches. the blue sky looked down
,onn end calm while the girls grace
Genre darted away With the lightness
a .wiftness of 4 bird. Anice stood quite
In. only heaven knew what was in her
ort-on her face was calm. grimseNpec-
tion the beauty had all gone from it;
ofnl nassion looked out of the dark eyes;
white lips were locked i'll dumb 81
nca. She stood quite calm, silent and
KIN How many minutes passed she never
bow--t might have been hours or days;
o took no note Of time.
But suddenly on the clear air rose ter
bile cry-only one cry, but it seemed to
cave the high heavens and culver in the
S,nlight. 1t pierced her like a sharp
word, but she did not move-no sound
s,ue from her lips. no stir to her limbs.
She looked across the glittering ice:
here vas nothing to be seen-the bend
the water and group of trees hid Pret-
Bay from her sight. Silent and mo-
Eouless she stood there. The cry came
gain: fainter this time, and more despair
ID not reach the high heavens, but seem
H 1o fall over the waters and die under
In icc For the second time. she reeled
udcr the shock. then again stood motion
pss-no sound no movement. The wind
tirred the big bare branches, and the
mnd reused her. With murder in her
lace. she walked round the pool, looking
ki,h mad. frightened eyes at the firm,
White surface.
Il All. there-there in the midst Of Pretty
8Bay the ice WIS broken, and the water
ppoarcd above it; ard there lay q white
handkerchief she knew well. The old
Refrain came to her-"Under the ice. cold
hnd dead; lie will be free to marry me-"
81 Was she there? Was she dead? Let
q assurance be doubly sure. She stood with
&murder in her eyes, listening; but no fur
$thcr sound came, none. The wind swept
.pver the ice; once the water stirred slight
BIZ. bnt the terrible cry. that had risen to
&the nigh heavens was silenced, to be heard
b. more.
Then recollection came to her; a sud
tlen shudder seized her, and turning from
4 sthc spot, she few rather than ran, with
Sn cry for help on her lips.
"lIelp,'- when she knew that the fair
kyoung girl lay dead Help" when she
fEncw that she had compassed her death
1 as surely as though she had slain her
swith her own hand. Help when she
/ knew that no power on earth could lend
/ her aid.
She flew rather than ran; she reached
Ethe ground where group of laborers
were busy at work; she seemed to them
/ 10 spring from the earth.
Help. help" she cried, as she sank eN-
hausted on the ground near them. ''Oh,
for heavens sake, help! My sister was
skating on Ladydeep Pool, and has fallen
through the ice. Help, for heavens
sake
They rushed off, leaving her lying there;
there was life to be saved. and no time
WAS to be lost.
II know where there is Il rope,' cried
one: "nhwaites always keeps one in the
boat house"
They FASTENED, they worked as hard as
men could work. In less time than it
takes to write it, the rope was fastened
round one who dived into the water where
the ice was broken.
There was not sound; the sun shone
on b!,avcly, the lovely, bright morning
mad i'll it no shadow; nature had no SYM
pathy with the tragedy enacting before
her
Three men stood silent on the banks,
while TIE fourth dived beneath the ice.
Once he came to the surface, holding
in his hand cuff of brown fur.
Il have found this he gasped, "but
cannot find her.'
Ance rose from the spot where they
had left her
"IIclp!' she cried again. as she flew
rather than walked to the house.
Lady Pitcairn came first to meet her;
She saw her from the drawing room win
lows.
"Nhat is the matter, Anice?' she cried.
Great heavens, how you terrify meH'
Mamma, send help; Cecile has fallen
through the ice on Ladydeep Pool
There was one cry of startled horror,
one moment of dsmay, then Lady Pit
eairn was herself again. She never for a
moment dreamed of the worst-it was but
Il fall an accident; she hastened quickly,
ordered blankets, ,brandy-everything that
'Hl!d be uSeful-sent men and women. and
then went herself She left Anice lying
where she had fallen on the drawing room
floor.
All help was in vain. The man divcd
three times before he found her. and then,
when the beautiful body was laid on the
bank all life had tleG from it.
Mother, father, friends, servants crowd
ea round; it was hopeless, she had been
0cad for some time before she was taken
from the water. All help was useless all
van. all unneeded: there was nothing to
be done but carry the fair, dead body
nome. through the sunshine. Then they
crowded round Anice, who still crOuchcd
with her wild. white face where they had
ie1l her. How did it happen?
N!anorous grief. wild-eyed wonder: all
asked The same question-how did it hap
pen: She sat up, and looking round Oh
mem, told the same sad story 1t was so
sad. so simple. They had gone together
10 skate on the pool. Cecile went first;
sAr had helped her on with her skates.
80 that she was ready first. and went on
without waiting for her sister.
len, from out that listening, horror
stricken group came Lady Hilda. her face
pale and set. She went up to Anice and
looked at her.
Did YOU give your sister Sir Leofric's
Warnlng:' she asked