The Iola register., 1902-02-21
In A TREADMILL
toriglnal.1

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 a little daredevil Cecily was!
Light as n feather on her feet, spry as
a cat, she would go anywhere, every
where. What pleased her most was TO
climb where l dreaded to follow her,
where l 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-timidlty.
The leaves were yellow and scarlet
about the pond; there was an autumn
mist IN the air; summer was ripening,
like the fruit, into winter. Cecily and
l were sitting on the bank near the
mill There is the place though 1t Is
so grown over with brush that we
could not sit there now. We were
quarreling. Cecily had spoken con-
temptuously Of my lack of courage,
and for once | had resented her aspcr-
sions. Presently she got up and went
toward the mill. | said nothing, but
watched her while she passed over a
platform and approached the wheel,
which was still. There saw her gath
er her skirts preparatory to climbing
OH to it.
81 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 it 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, spatterinG
with her hand in the little stream that
ran beneath her.
II 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
ment. | begged her to come up, but
she would not and finally told me that
had not the "spunk" to come down.
'If do, neither of us can get out, y
/ replied, 'for as we climb the whee
will turn"
"Oh, yes, we can. l can climb one
side and you the other"
"I am much heavier than you"
"But, being big and strong, you car
even"
Wishing to cut the matter short ant
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 go up at once we woulC
have had little trouble in reaching ;
safe place, but she saw was worried
and made the most of It by delay
Presently l heard the well known
sound OF the opening Of the floodgat,
above, and down came the water.
1t took some time for the water t
overcome our weight and turn tn,
wheel, during which Cecily and look
ed at each other appalled,, though / an
free to confess l was far more terro
stricken than she. Then the wheel be
gan to turn slowly, and we were oblig
ed to move with it. Cecily, plucky glr
that she was, seeing the necessity o
keeping up a stout heart, began t
hum, Tramp, tramp tramp the boy
are marching" as though the affai
was very funny, while i was thinking
of some way to give an alarm.
would be of ~ use to shout, for tn
noise of the water would drown m,
voice, and as it rose beneath us tn
noise increased. 1t covered our ankles
then our knees and only ceased to ris
when near our hips.
Cecily toiled on beside me while th
water deepened and her strength wal
ed, making merry Of it all till the las
when she gave me look which sal
plainly: II can go no farther. I'm &C
ing to drop" | took her in my arm
and tramped on. | was stout felloV
at twenty, but | knew that my strengt
would give out in time. l cast dc
spairing glance about for some mean
to change the situation. Then for tn
first time l noticed a broken piece O
scantling which possibly l might de
tach and use for lever to stop tn
wheel,
"Can you walk on for a few me
ments, CecilyT asked.
Eyes; have had good rest"
put her down and, clinging to tn
side of the wheel, grasped the scar
Ting. Never before or since have pu
forth such force-a force that no ma
can exert except to save life. The tin
her vialdad md in 0nothar minuta