Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1898-05-06

fancy, leaning over the I3arappts to gaze
into the awful water. There was a great
darkness underneath, and init be could.
imagine dead faces rising, eyes wide with:
g dxed despair.
Suddenly be started There was thing
gliding pasta woman. s=5.s
With5a strange, rapid motion she wan
-dered to and fro. Her hands were claspedz
as IL In distress Of mind, and her face,
dimly visible IN the starlig hit, looked thin
and haggard "a woman surely with q
ruined life.
Nj. Butterfield could not watch her
calmly. Up till then he had contriyed to
believe himself actuated by an impartial
spirit of investigation, but something in
her gait, in her averted face, reminded
him Of another woman, and that lent a
curious pain to his disturbed regard. At
first be had thought a little whimsically
of bringing this wal f-with a check-to
the Rev. johnson, to be penned in one of
his institutions: Would the parson feel
remorseful when he saw the man at whom
he had glared rerroachfully march up
thus? But the half smile faded, and he
put away the fancy. He could only think
of the woman. .....-s... .5...s
She was leaning over the parapet as be
had leaned, and gazing as he had gazed
(but with, alas, how much more horrible
fascination into the lightless water. How
black, how fatal it was, and yet how quiet!
Watching her, he began to fear that any
instant might find her disappearing into
its awful depths, but if be were to hurry
forward would not alarm and the in.
stinctive terror of being frustrated cause
the poor, mad despairing soul to fling
herself into the river?
Anxiously, prudent]y, he sided along
the wall as if contemplating the rushing
water, with his right hand ready to grip
her arm. He was near at last, and she
lifted her eyes with a wild glance at him.
What should he do if she fought for the
chance of leaving a bitter worldf How
could man unused to violence control a
desperate woman? What if she would not
hear him, would not be rescued and led
away?
There was sound of wheels. If only
Providence would send that late cab across
the bridge! Failing the police, who were
all away, he could enlist that driver. But
had he the wherewithal? Mr.. Buttertield
felt in his trousers pockets and knew he
had. With straining ears he listened to
hear if the wheels were indeet approaching.
The woman grew agitated. She was
getting her arms free of her long black
cloak. Mr.. Butterfeid started forward,
and then she eprang at him and clutched
him by the coat.
He saw her face clearly then. Her eyes
were glistening, and tears were running
down her cheeks.
"Don't despair!" she cried. "Oh, don't
despair! Life is worth living If you will
be brave"
Mr.. Butterf1eld was dumb.
"Oh, am glad came," she went on,
still holding his coat in tight clutch, un-
able to see distinctly through her tears.
II thought at first it was one of the
nights when the bridge Is deserted, and
was going back to my maid, and then I
saw you. Poor man! I watched you, and
I feared-I knew what you would attempt.
But stopped you in time-in time"
The voice and the daring of the expedi-
ton, without the sight of her face close to
his in the starlight, would have told him
it was Miss Lavender. He listened, speech
less, with all his ideas overthrown. He
had been judged, and, though ad1niring
her, he had judged her Also In his utter
establishment a single thought was all
that his brain could hold. After all, she
was the woman a man might want for a
wife.
The wheels had not been idle, and a
carriage came hurrying up the bridge. It
stopped, and lady got impetuously out
and walked toward the two. Surely Mrs.
Chatterton' s eager, excited face!
"Poor souls! Poor souls!" she cried i'm
pulsively. II could not sleep. I knew
there were others houseless in this bitter
night. Life has been hard for you, hard
and cruel, but I will change it, What
money can do-and pity!"
Then Mr.. Butterfeld found speech
Windsor Magazine.