Year: 1872

Ou GuO HOAAO 0AHOO a esO4SO WeAo III
feited.


By eleven o'clock the gay process
sion of omnibuses, carriages, Wag
ons, and vehicles of every sort, pack
ed with all that was choice in the
way of youth, beauty, and provisions,
was on its winding way out of town.
Along the tortuous road among the
hills it ratified, waking the echoes in
answer to many a merry shout and
song; hating, at last, about two
miles from its point Of departure, in
pine grove, where the ground was
as nearly level as the ground any
where about Gopherton was inclined
to be-perhaps we should have said
disinclined to be, since dispositi IN
to inclination was the predominant
ing one in this romantic region, and
this particular spot was nearly an ex-
cepCion.


As the carriages were speedily
emptied Of their inmates, Miss Mar
ion HALEY stood for a moment in
the door of hers, taking in the
scene, and thinking that it was al
most pity that the holy stiffness
and perfect beauty and grandeur Of
the place should be profaned by the
riotous merriment of all that miscel-
laneous crowd. For Miss Haley
was a poet in sentiment, albeit she
had never strung two rhymes to-
gether in her life. 1t was this poet
ical sentiment which led her soon
apart from the crowd, to a spot
where the soft monotone of the pines
was uninterrupted by its boistrous
merriment. Her light football on
the grass returned no sound; her
blue muslin dress made no rustic.
Only the note of wild bird, or the
chirrup of squirrel overhead broke
in upon the low pleasant murmur,
so like that of the distant sea.


Presently a new sound touched
her consciousness with a sense of
wonder-almost Of albright. Was
lit the moan of human voice? The
pine-cone she was exemining drop
ped out of her hand; her fingers re-
Taxed their hold of the young ferns
and wild flowers. Again that moan
Miss HALEY was genuinely terrified
at the thought of what that sound
might mean, and felt at first rather
IimpeIled to fight. But theheroic in
her nature asserted itself on second
thought; and she determined first to
learn what there was to flee from.
Accordingly she directed her steps
slowly in the direction of the mys-
terious sound, listening meanwhile
for its reoccurrence. When she had
reached clump of naGnzGnitG-bush-
es, growing on the edge Of ravine,
once more she heard the sound, this
time Enthusiastically a human voice,
and almost at Eer feet. Pausing a
moment to recover courage, she
peered beyond the bushes; and there
right upon the edge Of frightful
lprecipice, discovered, stretched al
full length, the form of man.


An instant's observation showed
her a well-dressed man; then, a fur
ther glance q young man, and-WEen
she was quite sure he did not observe
lher-a handsome man; and lastly,
and this handsome, well-dressed
young stranger was either i'll or in
|toxicated. Now, if there was one
vice which Miss HALEY hated more
than another it was drunkenness;


and she certainly suspected the


stranger of being in this condition,


as the only ineligible explanation


of his being in the singular and dan


gerous position he was unconscious
IIy occupying. What should she doi
IShe was half-minded, since he was


drunk, to let him take his chances
and roll over the cliff if he would


But, upon further reflection, she con


cluded that such indifference was


hardly humane; and besides, just


then another grievous moan escaped


the own-bearded lips, finding it'


way straight to the generous hear
under the cool-looking. blue muslin


and the matter was decided in faVO-


of philanthropy.


Miss HALEY first spoke softly tC
the unconscious man, with the in


tention of gently arousing him
But finding that her voice had nc
other effect than to occasion more
moaning end increasing restlessness
lshe next knelt by his side, placing
lher hand on his brow, which she dis
lowered to be burning; and finally
Iconsulting his pulse, which conyinc
led her that to whatever cause the
mans illness might be owing, he
was at that moment exceedingly IL
land suffering. The situation was
embarrassing. Alone she could not
rescue him. If she left him, h'
might move so as to fall down the
Iclif. The more she looked at anc
Ipit1ed this helpless Adonis, the NOR
1.-The trouble grew; but fortunately
when her indecision had grown un


bearably painful, the voices of some
lof the Sunday-school children werl
heard approaching the spot. Mis-


Valley called to them with all he
strength of lung, and happily so al
Ito arrest their attention. That one
gained, the youngsters came rushing
l1ell-meIl, each more desirous thai
Ithe others to be the first on tn
Iground.


led in a breath, 'swe have been look
ling everywhere for you. Lunch i
iali ready, and the swings are put uE
land the dancing floor is put down
land o, everything is so niceP Then
las they came nearer, and beheld tn
form of a man, stretched on tn
earth and unconscious Of his posl
ton, sudden awe came over them
: causing them to be very quiet L
their movements yet all were curiou


enough to gather about and gaze up
lon the stranger, while whispers Q
.Wilo is it?" "Is he sick?' ''How di'
Ibe come hereT and similar queries
buzzed about like bees, and stun;


Miss HALEY while they buzzed.


For with that singular sense o


possession which the first percep
ton of anything gives to all Of US
, Miss HALEY had already begun t.
look upon this poor unconsciou