The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1898-06-14

ence of her told Mrs. Crawford what
was passing in Clara's mind, and
warned her that the attempt to reason
and demonstrate would be little better
than voluntary waste of words and
time. The disposition which she had
herself felt, on the previous night, to
attach a superstitious Importance to
the words that Clara had spoken in
the trance had vanished with the re-
turn of the morning. Rest and refec-
ton had quieted her mind and had re-
stored the composing influence of her
sober sense. Sympathizing with Clara
in all besides, she had no sympathy,
as they sat together in the pleasant
sunshine, with Clara's gloomy despair
of the future She who could still hope
had nothing to say to the sad COM
panion who had done with hope. So
the quiet minutes succeeded each other,
and the two friends sat side by side in
silence.
An hour passed-and the gate-bell of
the villa rang. They both started
they both knew the ring. 1t was the
hour when the postman brought their
newspapers from London. In past
days, what hundreds on hundreds of
times they had torn off the cover
which enclosed the newspaper and,
looked at the same column with the
same weary mingling of hope and de-
spair! There to-day-as it was yester
day; as it would be, if they lived, to-
morrow-there was the servant with
Lucy's newspaper and Clara's news,
paper in his hand! Would both Of them
do again to-day what both of them had
done so often in the days that were
gone?
No! Mrs. Crawford removed the COW
er from her newspaper as usual. Clara
laid her newspaper aside unopened, on
the garden seat
In silence Mrs. Crawford looked
where she always looked, at the col
umn devoted to the latest intelligence
from foreign parts. The instant her
eye fell on the page she started with
loud cry of joy. The newspaper fell
from her trembling hand. She caught
Clara in her arms. ooh, my darling,
ny darling! news of them at last
Without answering, without the
slightest change in look or manner,
Clara took the newspaper from the
ground and read the top line in the
column, printed in capital letters.
THE ARCTIC EXPEDITION.
She waited and looked at Mrs. Cray
ford Can you bear it, Lucy?" she
asked, eff I read it aloud?"
Mrs. Crawford was too agitated to
answer in words She signed impa-
tiently to Clara to go on. Clara read
the news which followed the heading
in capital letters. Thus it ran:
THE following intelligence from ST.
Johns, Newfoundland, has reached us
for publications: The whaling vessel
Blythewood is reported to have met
with the surviving officers and men of
the Expedition in Davis Strait Many
are stated to be dead, and some are
supposed to be missing. The list of the
saved, as collected by the people of the
whaler, is not vouched for as being
absolutely correct, the circumstances
having been adverse to investigation.
The vessel was pressed for time, and
the members of the Expedition, all
more or less suffering from exhaustion,
were not in a position to give the
necessary assistance to inquiry. Fur
Their particulars may be looked for in
the next mail"
The list of the survivors followed,
beginning with the officers in the or
der of their rank. They both read the
list together. The first name was Cap
tain Helding. The second was Lieu
tenant Crawford.
There the wife's JOY overpowered
her. After pause, she put her arm
"Oh, my love- she murmured, "are
you as happy as / am? Is Franks name
| there, too? The tears are in my eyes.
Read for mel can't read for myself
The answer came, in still, sad tones:
II have read as far as your husbands
name. I have no need to read further"
Mrs. Crawford dashed the tears from
her eyes, steadied herself and looked
at the newspaper
On the list of survivors the search
was in vain. Franks name was not
among them. On second list, headed
Dead or Missing the two first names
that appeared were: Francis Aldersley.
Richard Wardour.
In speeches. distress and dismay