The daily morning Alaskan., 1902-07-19
IN A TREADMILL
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 It 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 th' mill is dlapldated and most Of the roof gone and now the machinery is silent This mill win surely never grind again from waters that are past" nor would [ have lt carry me through that scene SO terrible Of twenty years ago when for hours l trumpcd, trampcd. as fin trcadmil, every moment thinking that [ must give up the struggle. sink down and die.
 What a little daredevil Ccclly was! Light as a feather on her feet, spry as a cat, she would go anywhere every where. What pleased her most was to climb where dreaded to follow her where I must follow her Co bc near ai hand in case she should fal She called me "Old Prudence" and would often SC riously twlt me on whut 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 ripenins, like the fruit Into winter. Cccily and 1 were sitting ou the bank near Che mIl. Thcrc is Che place. though it Us SO grown over with brush that we could not sit there now. We were ouarrclinc. Ccclly had spoken con tcmptuously Of my lack of courage and for once 1 had resented her ospcr sions. Presently she got mp and went toward the mlll. said nothing, but watched her while she passed over @ platform and approached the wheel which was stlll. There saw her gath CT her skirts preparatory to climbing on Co it
 'I wouldn't do that" | called
 She paid no heed to my caution, but climbed out on to the uppcrmost part AS soon as she was on it the wheel be gan Co turn slowly and she sank out Of sight
 | got up. went to the wheel md stood looking down at her. She was sitting at the lowest part spatterlng with her hand in the little stream that ran beneath her
 'I win hold the wheel" l said, "whilo you climb up"
 Don't trouble yourself I'm very comfortable"
 1 didn't Ike to have her there. Tn, | mill might begin to grind nc any mo mcnt l begged her Co come up, bus she would not and finally told me that | | hnd not the "spunk" Co come down
 'If do, neither of us can get out | | replied. flor as we climb the wheel will turn"
 "Oh. yes. we can. I can climb ons side and you the other" "I am much heavier than you"
 But being big and strong, you caG cllmb faster. and that will make n | even"
 Wishing to cut the matter short and | get her out as quickly as possible, ] went down Co her The wheel turn cd slowly with my increased weight but after l reached her soon became stil again. Had she acccdcd Co my pleading to go up at once we would have had little trouble in reaching @ safe place. but she saw was worried and made the most ot it by delay l Presently heard the well known sound of the opening Of the Goodgato above. and down came the water.
 It took some tlmo for the water Co overcome our weight and turn Che wheel, during which Cecily and look cd at each other appalled,. though aM ! free Co confess I was far more terror stricken than she Then the wheel be gan Co turn slowly. and wo were obllg cd Co move with it Ccclly, plucky girl that she was, seeing the necessity or keeping up a stout heart began to hum. Tramp, tramp tramp, thc boys are marchingw as though the affair was very funny. while l was thinking of some way Co give an alarm, It would be of no use Co shout. for the noise of the water would drown my voice. and as it rose beneath us thC noise increased. It covered our ankles then our knees md only ceased Co rise when near our hips
 Ccclly tolled OF beside mo while Che water deopencd and her strength wan cd. making merry of it an on the Inst when she gave me Q look which said plainly: "I can go no farther. I'm so. ing to drop" took her In my arms and trampcd on. was a stout fellow at twenty, but knew that my strength would give out in time, ! cast dc spairing glance about for some means to change the situation. Then for the first time I noticed a broken piece Of scantllng which possibly might de. tach and use for a lever to stop the wheel
 "Can you walk on for a few mo ments, CecilyI" asked.
 "Yes; have had a good rest"
 put her down and, cllnglng to th, side of the wheel. graspcd the scan ting. Never before or since have pm forth such force-a force that no mar can exert except to save life, The tim