Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1907-02-27


that to crop the golden tresses might
be efficacious. After that she would
go down and hold her head in the
brook all day. Maybe the water would
soak in. She started back tu the
house. Obviously the first thing 30 do
was to get pair of scissors and some
soap.
Aggie May crept softly into her
| mothers room. 1t was empty, with
her work-basket lying just within Ag-
gle Mays reach. She turned back
to the orchard triumphantly. b. night
her soul should be clean
Through the orchard. over the
meadow, into the cool darkness of the
woods. Aggie May sped. The brook
was deep in the heart OF the forest
and she had never been there alone
before. but she knew the way. I'm
der the dim aisles of quiet trees tho
child ran swiftly, now one dlrec-
ton, now another until in a maze OF
! bark and trunk she stood. great fear
! arising in her heart. Where was
she? But she went on determinedly.
The brook must be found.
Mrs. Sangster stood d. the door
shading her eyes with her hand. What
can make the child so lLte?' she said.
Her sister glanced up from her
work. Perhaps she has gore to meet
her father" she suggested.
But the mother caught sight OF a
figure moving across the meadow
No" she said there comes Abe
alone. Mag. something has happened
to Aggie May"
She started down the path and her
sister rose, and reluctantly followed
Il last saw her under the apple tree
about three, i should say" answered
Mag.
The three hurried to the spot. half
expecting to find her at play. It was
Aggie MAYS favorite spot to play, to
think or TO pout All the great crises
of her life had been enacted here.
But her swing hung limp and motion.
less.
Mr.. Sangster turned to go, bat his
wife suddenly called him back with a
piercing cry
Look" she said. At her feet lay
a heap of golden curls. and beside
them, thrown upon the ground lay a
pair of scissors-her scissors.
Indians gasped Mag, turning
white.
"Gipsies, ventured the mother. "OlG
Agsie May, Aggie May, where are
you?' she called. wildly
Mr. Sangster said nothing. He
stopped and gathered up the hendful
OF golden kair, and crammed it in his
pocket
Then he crossed the meadow. In the
open space it was still broad daylight,
but in the forest beyond the shadows
were always black.
Meanwhile Agile Mays little feet
sped fast and faster. The shadows
! thickened. How thickly they fell
amid the dense growth of the forest.
Ghosts and COLLINS doomed fantas-
ticaly behind each tree. A sharp
| cracking sound overhead made her
crouch and hold her breath in terror.
1t was a dead branch falling at her
feet With a nameless fear that
! choked Der, she FASTENED on.
/ Suddenly the trees became less
/ dense. and The light grew brighter. as
/ she neared Che open space. She stood
/ in wonder. 1t was not the fairies
after all. She had reached the brook
/ She knclt down beside It, She took
from her pocket the soap, and rubbed
1t carefully on the spot Just behind
| her forehead. Her mamma would be
glad to see her without that black
word on her brow. The little shorn
head bent low over the swiftly NOV.
ing stream, and she caught the reflec.
~
ripples. Suddenly she reeled. the
earth slipped away, she felt the cold
water grip her, and then with n cry
She plunged head foremost into the
. current.
Some Instinct Of motherhood guided
| Mrs. Sangstcr's footsteps. The sound
OF Agsie Mays voice reached her faint.
ly at first, then louder. until il re.
sounded through tho stiffness I'm fran.
tic echoes. Following the sound she
plunged ahead and arrived just in
time TO see a small hand nung out
wildly from the middle OF the brook
then sped onward
10 was not a heroic task 70 stem IN
and rescue the fallen child Mr.
Sangster waded TO the middle 81 the
stream. and in a moment Aggic MAY
was in her mothers arms
Behind them in the forest. lights
were cleaning like HrcAics and tho
arcncd dome Of the forest rang with
shouts of Aggic Mays narle. she Law
very white and scared. while the
water trickIed down IN little rsyulets
from her limp arms and legs Agrie
May fuug a dripping arm cbDr. ro-
mothers neck at was worry cold O."
she said. NESTING -'oted ln in, nro
tectiug arms. "al. ;fr waic- ,.ttol
in my froat but fink 80 must have
coined of They amt no sugar an mr.,
soul now is they. mamrae"
And Mrs Sauss'-r with chok,p-
voice. answered $50. dca-. your s,ui