The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-11-09
Dorothy S Ride

want TO tell you something that
happened many years ago in the old
town Of Nantucket.
Quite on the brow Of the highest
hill stood curious, d-fashtpnej min,
the sails of which were so long that
they nearly touched the ground and
of course they rose almost as high
as the mill, when they were whilled
up by the wind. Near this old mill
the miller lived with his wife and two
children.
John was sturdy sun-browned boy.
two years Older than Dorothy: but he
was good and gentle to her. for he
loved his sister dearly. and spent much
OF the ma II y@ponds Their little craft
were always happy together; and in
sum amer, when the weather was fne,
they used to sail tiny boat on one
OF the many ponds. Their little vraft
was not a French toy with painted
hull and gay Streamers. but a plain
affair which their father had made
them In the long evenings. and II
had a coarse bit of cotton for sail.
The summers few away. until at
last John was old enough to be sent
away to school; and poor little Doro-
thy was left TO play all alone. She
was a helpful little girl, and saved
her mother many steps. Stiil, she found
her play time very dull, because she
didn't care any longer for the little
boat.
AT last she began going with her
father TO the mill. and all day she
fitted about there. as busy as bee
and humming as cheerfully,
Sometimes she would lie on the
grass and watch the mill-saiis as they
swept slowly down and rose gain on
tho other side. thinking all sorts of
odd thoughts about them. One daF,
while she was lazily watching them,
she had bright Idea What fun
Springing up. she waited for the sail
TO come within her reach. and caught
1t, holding on until 1t lifted her off
her feet. and then she let go. and
seized another. and another, until she
was tired, Day after day she amused
herself thus: and, when Saturday
came. she brought john to see her
new sport.
She had become too well acquai nted
with her great friend. the mill. to
have any fear of 1t: and each time
she trusted herself 10 It's arms she
let them carry her a little higher, so
that she began TO see a long way of
over the land and the ocean. What
| heroine she must seem to her brother.
she thought. for he had never
thought Of trying 1t before. Elated
by her success. she sprang upon the
sail for a last ride, as II was dinner
time. Looking back over her shoulder
to see the effect Of her daring on
John, she chung a little longer than
she meant to; and in a twinkling she
found she could see farther away than
she had ever dreamed.
There was the harbor with the white
sails set TO dry. She could look away
down into the town and see the peo-
pie in the streets. There, too, was
Sankaty Light. Now she must he as
high as the tall light house. Thor
oughly frightened, yet not daring to
let go at this dizzy height, she began
to cry, She saw her mother coming
to call them to dinner. and she
thought--poor little girl'--'I shall
never see my dear mother again.
Higher and still higher she flew,
her dress floating out on the wind
and her poor little heart nearly burst
ing with terror and grief. She did not
see John. so pale with fear: nor did
she hear her father cry ooh. my
child will be killed Oh. my poor lit
tie girl She had now only eyes and
ears and thought for that terrible
Journey; and once she wondered II
she were going to heaven, for she was
sure that il could not be much high
err than she had risen. Still, she chung
tightly. and at last she shut her eyes.
The top once reached. slowly the
sail, with its precious burden, began
to descend, How they all watched it,
Nobody spoke. and they badly dared
to breathe. Lower and lower it came,
until, within a few feet of the ground,
Dorothy opened her eyes; and over
come with sudden sense of safety
her little fingers unclasped. and down
she came.
The Lord elects no man to salvation
who declines in advance to be can
iidate.--The Continent
This does not surpass the Georgia