Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1900-04-19
maid, to dive through those monstrous

maid, to dive through those monstrous
breakers, to ride upon the crests OF
them, to throw yourself backward,
thence with outstretched arms to turn
and tumble and dance till you churned
them to further foam!
She stood looking at the sea with a
fascination that made her needless of
all but her fancies. Then her heart
stood still. A black mountain was adj
vancing toward her. Had the whole
sea heaped into one stupendous wave?
There was the noise of the crushing
of world. \ ~
In his study the vicar looked up from
his sermon.
"What was that?" he said, aloud.
There was silence in the house, and
then a screaming. The women rushed
from their quarters.
''The waters coming up the garden"
The maid who spoke was white to
the lips. Mr.. North went to the door
and opened it. There was sound in the
garden that had never been there be.
fore. It was the rushing back of the
water. It flowed down ia a fiat sheet
to the basin of the sea.
"A tidal wave," said the vicar. 1T
will not occur again. :.
II thought it was the end of the
world,' said the nurse. "It's mercy
the children were in. But where's the
boys and Miss Elsie?"
The vicar threw up his arms.
"Sibyl!" he said. ''Sibyl! Where is
Sibyl? My God, don't tell me she isn't
with you'll" The servants looked at
each other in blank alright. No one
had seen her. No one had heard her
come in.
"Can't you answer?" said the vicar,
turning to them with such a frenzied
look as not one of them will ever for.
get. They shrank back. The nurse be.
gan to sob. =.
Mr.. North ran down the garden,
splashing through the water that had
been left in pools upon the grass. The
sea had fallen back to it's accustomed
place. Their was nothing on the beach
but high up the line of the yellow
foam. The vicar ran hither and thither
on the shore. He seemed bereft of his
senses. The women followed him keep.
ing close together. He stopped and
faced them.
"What shall do?" he said, helpless.
ly. "What shall I do?"
''Where are the boys and Elsie?" said
the nurse.
''Tether's Point. They are safe-but
Sibyl. Oh, dear God, Sibyl, Sibyl!"
He began to sob. His knees shook.
He wore no hat, and his gray hair was
blowing in the wind. His long coat
tapped around him. Some of the
parishioners gathered on the shore.
The servants ran to them. Old Trem-
lin said no boat could put out in such
sea-and if she could, what good?
''But, Miss Sibyl!" he said. 1T can't
be true! The Lord wouldn't let it,
The night was spent in search. Par.
ties were quickly organized and sent
Point came the boys and Elsie.
ut washed up to within a foot of us,
Did you all come out to see it?'
''Was sibyl with you? Have you seen
Sibyl?"
They had not. With white faces they
joined in the search. The pitiless sea
fell back yard by yard, and with the
dawn the wind dropped.
The vicar, stricken man, raised hia
lined face to Heaven.
"Thy way is in the sea-" he said;
''Thy path is in the great waters" and
again: Hitherto shalt thou come, but
no further, and here shall thy proud
waves be stayed. Is it true, o Lord? Is
it true?"
It was many days before there lay
one morning at daybreak upon the
beach that which had once been Sibyl.
1t lay still in the gray light, and the
ripples washed to and fro gently the
hair that looked like seaweed. Then
the waters fell. They had done their
worst and they gave back their play.
thing to the earth.
The post brought little packet to
the vicar on his birthday. He opened
it without interest. But it held Sibyls
photograph.-Chicago Herald.