Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1900-01-04


could, beating against the side of the
chest, but the sounds were not heard
downstairs.
Dilsey had carried down her last arm.
full of garments, and was busy, with
her mother, sorting them into piles fol
the winters use, or to begiven away.
The other servants were sure to be
even further downstairs at that hour
and Alice and Nanny had no doubt
gone to their mothers room.
Katy's cries had died down into a
whisper, and Allen began to find his
efforts to shout very painful.
''It is SO dark, and am SO tired. II
I could only stand up! oh, Allen, dc
you think we will ever get out of this
chest?'
And Katy began to cry.
"Poor little Katy?" said Allen, ten.
derby. "Some one may hear us. Let
us say cur prayers together"
"Will God hear us in this chest?"
asked Katy, growing weak and Devil.
dered.
eyes, indeed
They said the Lords Prayer to.
gether.
II am SO tired" Katy complained.
Sand, oh, it is SO hard to get my
BREATH"
Allen took off his jacket, not with.
out great difficulty, and made pillow
for Katy's head to rest on, bidding her
to lean against him, and to put her
mouth to the keyhole, that she might
get all the air possible to breathe. Even
that small quantity revived her enough
to enable her to say:
''Poor mamma! How sorry she will
be! And Alice and Nanny will be
sorry, too, that they gave us up
SO soon; that is, if we are ever found.'
Meanwhile it was growing SO dark
Mrs. Stewart had asked more than once
where Katy was, but felt no anxiety
since she heard she was with Allen. .
1T is so stupid in them not to show
themselves since we have given them
up" Alice said.
Dilsey had finished sorting the win.
ter woolens, and went to the garnet
to close the windows. In the room
where the red CEDAR chest stood, she
heard faint scratching.
There's a mousse" she muttered.
"Tll soon catch you, my friend, by the
help of the. cat.''
She put down the windows, and just
as she was about leaving the room, she
stopped to set some things right that
the children had disturbed in their
play, grumbling little at the trouble
they gave.
The scratching she took for mouse
still went on, only it was growing faint
er and fainter. 1t seemed to come from
the red cedar chest, although it
stopped entirely when Dilsey went to
it, which made her, all the more conf
dent that the mouse, was there, since
they are always SO quick to hear evon
the smallest sound.
The lid of the chest was down, and
Dilsey hoped to capture the thieving
mouse without the help of his enemy,
the cat.
She put down the lamp, and raised
the lid of the chest cautiously, peering
in to find the mischievous mouse. In
her fright and surprise, old Dilsey
came near dropping the lid, for there
lay Allen white and motionless, as il
dead, and leaning against him, her head
pillowed on his jacket, and her mouth
close to the keyhole, was little Katy,
a faint pink in her cheeks alone robbing
her of all appearance of death.
Dilsey's first act was to lift the win
lows she, few moments before, had
been SO careful to lower. Then she lift
ed Katy out of the red cedar chest, and
laid her on the floor where the night
wind could blow on her.
1t was far more difficult to drag Allen
out of the chest that had nearly proved
his deathbed, but love and fright gave
the old woman strength, and Allen had
the full benefit of the fresh, life-reviv-
ing air.
The color was deepening in Katy's
cheeks, and Allen had sighed and
stirred, when Dilsey managed to be
heard and had their mother called, and
had also sent in hot haste for the near
est physician.
:'You happened to open the old cedar
chest just in time. Five minutes later,
and the game of hide-and-seek would
have been fatal" the doctor told Dr.
sey.
And after that-why, Mrs. Stewart
had spring-locks abolished in the house
as dangerous, and Dilsey found that
she had gotten rid of her great antip-
athy to mice. Indeed, thenceforth she
regarded them very much as those of
the name of Bruce look upon spiders
with the gratitude one feels to deliv-
erer from great peril.-Golden Days.
A Society Graduation,
The lady residing in a History fiat