Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1898-11-17


good" And all the hate for May left
her heart, and her love for Ned-her
yearning aching love for him-soft-
ened into a sort of tender memory.
Soon, with her white, well-deyeloped
milk-maid's arms under her head, she
slept, under the canopy of the stars.
At last she began to dream. They
were going to church-May and Ned
and she heard the wedding bells; But
going in at the door she saw, instead
of gayly-dressed guests, mourners all
in black and a coffin before the altar,
| and gave a scream and Weakened.
Bells were ringing, but not wedding
| bells-the bells that tolled if there
were any need of the men of the
| place-if fire broke out or robbers
were heard, or there were any rioting
in the town. What could it mean?
Norah listened A strange surging
sound fell upon her ears. Lights
| cleaned in all the houses. The truth
| flashed upon her. Years before her
old grandmother had told her how the
old sea wall had been washed away,
and a tide had risen and swept in
upon them on that wild coast, carry
ing with it, as it went out, kline and
| fiocl1s, and little dwellings, and even
land itself; and how there was mourn
ing throughout the land for those
that it had done to death-men and
women and children-so that many
| household long remembered it with
woe. This had happened again. The
sea wall was doWn-the foods were
sweeping in. The bells were ringing
as they had rung before in the ears
of those who now lay in their graves
ringing to tell the same tale to those
who were then unborn.
The house in which Norah dwelt
was old and near the sea, far from
all human aid, too; and it's occupants
were two very old people and two
| girls. The only one who would have
aided them was far away, and the
waters were rising even now above
the windows of the lower rooms. She
knew that the old people must be
drowned in their beds If she did not
wake them. She went down into the
room where they slept, and cried out,
as she shook them:
"The tide has risen again! The tide
has risen again! Hear the bells!'
Then she led them, trembling and
weeping in their helpless old age, to
the roof and found May already
crouched there. She was crying also,
and she turned to Norah and clutched
her arm.
| 10 pic
asked. "Shall I be drowned-I who
was to be married tomorrow? Oh, it
can't be, Norah!'
"Others will go with you" said
North ''There are four Of u.s.
"But no others besides me would
have been so happy and 70 proud to-
morrow" May moaned.
The old people shook and prayed,
and cried softly Norah, calm and
silent, KEEP watch. The lights float
ing about told that boats were out.
Help might come even yet, but the
water was creeping up. 1t filled the
house. 1t Tapped the very caves. Still
it rose higher. Those upon the roof
climbed to The very apex of it's slope,
and chung there, but the water reach
ed their feet and May was quite mad
with terror, when a light glimmered
close beside them, and voice said:
"Good folks, there's room for some
here. How many of you are there"
-Four" said Norah.
"We've room for three" said the
voice. SIS it Wilton's folk?"
yes"
Then a stout fellow strobe over the
roof and carried the old woman, and
then the old man, and came back.
well return for the other as soon
as we can," said he; keep up cour-
ase;> and he seized Norah's arm.
''In with your he cried. There's
little time to spare"
And May gave a scream, and cried:
Don't leave me- don't leave me"'
Then Norah, in whose heart Jeal-
ousy had lighted it's fires but an hour
or so before, felt that the angels had
uuenched it with the waters of love.
s'Leave me and take her." she said.
"Im not afraid: I'll wait. And she
is to be Ned Wilton's wife tomorrow.
Save her for his sake
She commanded, she did not i'm
plore. The man who listened hardly
thought of her sacrifice. He obeyed.
May was in the boat.
"Keep courage until we come back!'
he shouted. and rowed away.
Norah clung to the chimney side.
and kept her feet firm on the root,
but they were ankle-deep now
ooh, dear, dear Ned!'' she cried,
you'll have your love tomorrow.
! What's plain Norah to any one!
Who'll miss her but poor old woman.
who'll follow her soon? But she.
May. is half your life, Ned. Oh. God
be thanked that can give myself for
May for your sake!'