The Iola register., 1902-07-18
In A TREADMILL
toriginal1

III is the same Old place. The only
change is in the trees, which have
grown from young timber to a splendid
height. The pond, the dam, the mill,
are all as they were, except that the
mill is dilapidated and most Of the roof
gone and now the machinery is silent.
This mill will surely never grind again
from waters that are past" nor would
l have 1t carry me through that scene
so terrible of twenty years ago when
for hours tramped, tramped, as in a
treadmill, every moment thinking that
l must give up the struggle, sink down
and die.
What little daredevil Ceclly was!
Light as a feather on her feet, spry as
cat, she would go anywhere, every
where. What pleased her most was 10
climb where / dreaded to follow her,
where / must follow her to be near at
hand In case she should fall She called
me "Old Prudence" and would often Sc
riously twit me on what she considered
more than prudence-timidity.
The leaves were yellow and scarlet
about the pond; there was an autumn
mist In the air; summer was ripening, r.
like the fruit, into winter. Cecily and
were sitting on the bank near the
mill. There is the place, though it is
so grown over with brush that we
could not sit there now. We were
quarrelng. Cecily had spoken con-
temptuously of my lack Of courage,
and for once l had resented her asper-
sions. Presently she got up and went
toward the mill. said nothing, but
watched her while she passed over
platform and approached the wheel,
which was still. There ] saw her gath
er her skirts preparatory to climbing
on TO It.
II wouldn't do that" called.
She paid no heed to my caution, but
climbed out on to the uppermost part
AS soon as she was on 1t the wheel be-
gan to turn slowly and she sank out OF
sight.
got up, went to the wheel and
stood looking down at her. She was
sitting at the lowest part, SCATTERING
with her hand in the little stream that
ran beneath her.
81 will hold the Wheel" said, "while
you climb up"
Don't trouble yourself. I'm very
comfortable"
didn't like to have her there. The
mill might begin to grind at any mo-
mcnt. | begged her to come up, but
she would not and lnally5old me that
had not the "spunk" to Ubme down.
"If do, neither of us can get out"
replied, "for as we climb the wheel
will turn"
"Oh, yes, we can. l can climb one
side and you the other"
II am much heavier than you"
"But, being big and strong, you can
climb faster. and that will make it
even"
Wishing to cut the matter short and
get her out as quickly as possible,
went down to her. The wheel turn
ed slowly with my increased weight,
but after | reached her soon became
still again. Had she acceded to my
pleading TO 20 up at once we would
have had little trouble In reaching Il
safe place, but she saw was worried
and made the most Of ii by delay.
Presently l heard the well known
sound OF the opening Of the Hoodgate
above, and down came the water
1t took some time for the water to
overcome our weight and turn the
wheel, during which Cecily and look
ed at each other appalled,, though am
free to confess was far more terror
stricken than she. Then the wheel be.
gan to turn slowly, and we were oblig-
ed to move with it. Cecily, plucky girl
that she was, seeing the necessity of
keeping up a stout heart, begin to
hum, Tramp, tramp, tramp, the rvs
are marchingr as though the affair
was very funny, while was thinking
of some way to give an alarm. 1t
would be of , use to shout, for the
noise of the water would drown my
voice, and as it rose beneath us the
noise increased. 1t covered our ankles,
then our knees and only ceased TO rise
when near our hips.
Cecily toiled on beside me while the
water deepened and her strength wan
ed, making merry Of it all till the last,
when she gave me look which said
Swedish Titles.
One of the Old customs is for people
to indicate their business upon their
visiting cards. You will receive the
card of Lawyer Jones or Banker Smith
or Notary johnson or Music Professor
Brown or Grosserer (Which means
wholesale merchanU Furgeson or Geol-
ogist Thompson, and If a man ever
held an office 1t is customary TO indi-
cate that fact upon his card. A burgo-
master Is always burgomaster, con-
sui is always a consul and an alderman
always an alderman. The prefixes
Hon" and "Mr." are seldom used, and