The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1905-12-14

much to walk with herr" ......
But she isn't to blame for being SC
old and so yellow, and so disagree
! able, Frank. She can't help it," plead
ed Meta, with an innocent liberation
which made Georgiana TriptOn's fin
gers CULVER to box her pretty little pink
ears.
"She cannot help being so ill-tem
pered and venomous, I suppose? But
come, Meta dear, don't let us waste ou,
precious time talking about such an
old vinegar cruet as she is. Sit down
here in the shade of those fragrant
honeysuckles, and let us enjoy the
sweet air and the bird-songs."
"Oh!' cried Meta with slight start
what changing noise was that?"
"Only the gate Of yonder gray old
vault swinging in the wind" Meta
boked earnestly toward it.
"Oh, Frank, am sure sa1 some.
thing move back there in the shad-
owsr' .....,. -.
Nonsense, Meta! what could posi-
bly, be there but the. dead bones OF
some ancient Dutch burgomaster?"
And Meta could not but join. in the
merry laugh at her own childish folly
and forget it.
They sat there some ten minutes,
watching the sun so down into the
river below, in red panoply of bright.
ness and to Miss Georgiana's intense
disappointment, saying not a word of
lovesick sentiment, such as she had
longed and expected to hear; then they
rose up and strolled away down one
of the broad graveled paths that led
to the eastern gates of the cemetery.
"Poh" thought Miss Tripton, discon-
tentedly. "That wasn't worth listen
ing to-"
But as she essayed to unlatch and
open the iron vault gate, she discov-
cred, to her dismay, that it was fast.
Some CEsee or unsuspected catch in the
iron mechanism of the gate had Gagged
her safely in the recesses Of the dis
NAL old vault. ..... ...
In vain she shook the fastenings-
the stone and iron were too firmly
welded together to admit of any tam
pering with their rivets.
Dear, dear" thought Miss Georgi-
ana, beginning to tremble all over with
sense of the very disagreeable posi-
ton in which she had placed herself.
What shall I do: They can't have
gone. far. I'll scream ..
She lifted up her voice, in femi-
nine scream-"Help! le-e-lpw But
only the rustling of the leaves and the
piping of the summer insects replied.
She screamed again. this time at the
very top Of her voice; still: no answer.
And then Miss Georgiana, forgetting
all her strong-mindedness and self
praise, sank down all in a heap in the
corner of the: vault. and began to cry
piteously. -.
'It's growing darker every minuter'
she whispered, "and I shall have to
stay hese all night, with the ghosts
and the spiders, and the horrid, horrid
dead mems bones. All night! and to-
morrow is Sunday, and the cemetery
gates will be locked, and who knows
but shall die with fright and hunger
before I can get out Of this hideous
place. Oh, dear, dear! I'll never. never
licfo,i Ooipl I,ll lat lfoto -, a r,1, rl,o,,,
she likes, and never interfere, if only
I get alive out of this dismal vault
Why did come here? Why couldn't
have minded my own business? Old
Aunt Polly Parkes always said
should come to grief prying into other
peoples affairs, and her words have be.
come gospel-true at last!'
! And once more, in a paroAysm 0:
despair, Miss Georgiana raised he:
voice and walled aloud for help. ..
Meta Graham, who was pausing at 8
little wayside fountain, where a. crys
tal-clear stream Of water bubbled into
| marble basin, whose edge was nearly
hidden in blossiming water-fags and
aquatic plants, stopped to listen with
the tin cup at her lips.
Frank she, said, gravely, 81 Ger
tainly do hear something" e..
so do II said Mr.. Elles!ie. 81 heal
the water dripping into the fountain
and the sound of the wind rushing
through the treetops, and two black
birds singing in the hedges"'
But I hear human voice crying ou
for help"
"Nonsense"' .....
Meta pursed up her lips and nodded
her head. .-,..
Listen for yourself. Frank" sh'
urged. "Hark! there it is again.
Well, it does sound like a voice
| admitted Mr.. Elleslie. "Shall we e
back? Perhaps some one has lost hi
way in the winding paths, Or" and hi