The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-05-04
A JUMP IN THE DARK.
Thrilling and Touching story of "A
Little Girls Faith.
By Edward F. Blgelow.

Little Girls Faith.
By Edward F. Bigelow.
Its almost time for Willie to come
with the cows" said Farmer Adams to
his little 4-year-old daughter Estelle.
We've had a good little play-spell
since papa came home from way down
there in the cornfield, where papa's
been hoeipg-corn-all- Now,
I must 81. for I've got a little work
to do before l milk the cows-and-
and then-after supper, We'll have more
of
Ride a cock horse to Banbury cross"
My foots all tired out now
Now you stay right here-and help
mamma get the supper-and when l
come in, and Willie and 1 eat all the
supper you get for us-we'll play till
you go to sleep, sleep. sleep"
FIe kissed the little one. with a big
hug, and put her down. went out to
the branching posts by the well, took
a pail on each arm, and then stopped
at the bench in the woodshed and took
hammer in one hand and basket of
nails in the other.
In the meantime Willie Daisy and
the cows had gone down the road to
the bars at the west end of the lower
barn, around that and up the steep
hill on the south side of the barnyard,
the upper part of which was under the
barn some 10 feet. For the barn rest
ed on long posts and high bank wall
on the north side.
Farmer Adams went down the road
to the front of the barn, and through
the door to the main floor Then he
took hold of the heavy ring in the
plank floor and pulled up big trap
door. turning ii over back on the floor.
| At certain seasons of the year ii wa
the custom to put the hay through this
| floor opening. for the cattle and cows
fed in the yard, and for the young
stock" kept in a stanchion stable at
one end of the underground depart
Inent.
Then he took the 15-foot ladder lean
ing up against the NOW and lowered
| IL to the rough stony ground below
| and went down the ladder with a pail
| on each arm, and basket with ham
mer and nails in one hand. He set
the pals just at the edge of the barn,
and carried the hammer and basket of
nails to a place on the barn where
one board was off and another loose
about the slanting earth that led up
the incline to the stable door at the
west end of the barn. For kicking
| OK within the stable had knocked off
one of the boards and loosened the
| other, a day or two before. Then he
went back and got the ladder and
placed it up against the barn near the
edge sof the slanting embankment, and
| put in the necessary nails.
In the meantime Willie had gone to
the lower barn to attend to some
chores. Although the sun had not yet
wholly disappeared in the western
woods, it was growing dark in the
barn, where it never was very light,
and decidedly dark in the underground
cellar part of the yard
Farmer Adams had just placed
pail on each arm, and was about half
way. to the first COW, and had Just
started in the usual milking style, half
humming, half-singing, or attempting
to sing (for he wasn't much Of a
singer:
And I'll never see my darling any more
o. my poor Nellie Gray,
They have taken her away,
Papa, papa, where is you? / hear
you, but / tan't see you; it's all dark
here in the barn.
His heart almost stopped beating.
What carelessness. He had left that
trap door open and the ladder was on
the farther end of the barn. He drop
ped the pals and rushed in under the
barn and pleadingly shouted, "Estelle,
kstelle, don't come any farther. Wait
right where you are. Can you hear
papa?"
"Yeth. papa, dear. Why tan't
tome? ! know where you are.
heard the pals go bang. and 1 know
right where you are. It'll tomin'."
But o, Estelle. you wait there"
and he stood below the trap door up
nine feet above his head, peering at
the faint light, for only little light
came in the small door far to the front
of the barn, and the big mows on both
sides shut out all light from the ends
Yes, papa, I'm right here by this
big black piece of tarpet you got on
the floor. What do you have a piece
of tarpet for on your barn fioor?"
THAT isn't a carpet. It's a door in
the floor. Don't go on it,"
II fordot papa-I know now, that's
where you put the hay down for lit |
tie bossy's mother
Eyes, dear you wait''-but what to
wait for was the problem. Should he |
go back and get the ladder? That |
seemed too much risk, for the little |
Estelle might be frightened, or make |
a step to try what seemed to her a |
BLACK carpet" and be dashed on the /
hard, rough, stony ground below. He |
would wait, for he could catch her if |
she fell. There was just light enough |
for him to make oNt the outline of the |
opening. Perhaps Willie or some one
equally dangerous. for it grew dark |
in the barn very rapidly after sunset,
and as soon as there was no faint light |
up through the big hole she might fail
right down by him and he know moth
ing of it till she was killed at his feet.
All this took but moment to fit
through his mind. If she fell now he