Year: 1871

From that hour the career of Ralph
Moulton was closed to the old moral teach
ings in which he had been reared. He
left our clearinghouse. accusing me Of
conspiring against him. and avowing the
most bitter vengeance on my head. His
unjust suspicious gave me the greatest
sorrow I had ever known.


After this I saw but little Of Ralph. and
I was careful never to utter word that
might injure him. In none Of my letters
home did ever mention what had occur
red.


It was midsummer, and I had accepted
an invitation from Mr.. Hobart to spend a
week at his country house. l had not
seen Ralph for long time, 10 fact l only
heard of him occasionally. He was drink
ing aud. it was said, was very much
changed. To add to his troubles. he had
proposed to Julia Hobart. and she had
rejected him. His life was becoming
more notorious.
had been at Mr.. Hobart's but single
day. when I walked out with Julia to view
remarkable cliff that rose couple of
hundred feet above creek that ran
through Mr.. Hobart's property. She
wore that morning the knot of blue rib
bon in her hair that now lies before me.
We had reached the precipice and were
standing on the brink gazing below, when
gust of wind swept the ribbon from her
hair and lodged it some twenty or thirty
feet down the side Of the cliff on some
tangled vines that grew upon the rocks.
A foolish desire to obtain the ribbon
took possession of me, and Notwithstanding
Julia's entreaties. I united rope which
was used as swing that happened to be
be near at hand. and commenced to make
my descent. There was really very little
danger so long as I had the aid of the
rope; without it could do nothing, and
must inevitably fall.


had reached the shelving rocks and
| had secured the ribbon, which I tied in
the button hole of my coat. when l cast
my eyes upward and saw Ralph Moultou
with knife in his hand running for the
cliG. In another instant he was there
and had commenced to saw at the only
support that preserved me from death,
Julia Hobart caught him BY the arms and
screamed for me to ascend. l saw the
glittering blade as it severed the strands
Of the rope, and already I could see that
he had cut half way through b it. My blood
ran cold as commenced to climb upward.
Every instant 1 expected to be cast head.
long below. If it had not been for julia Z
struggles to stay Moulton's hand l should
not now be writing these lines.


Several times I thought both Ralph and
herself would tumble over the cliff togetb-
pr. Finally. by a sudden wrench Gu
which she severely wounded her hand
she tore the knife from Ralph's grasp and
flung it into the air, and again grappled
him with all her might. He tore himself
away from her. and hurled large stone
at me. which struck me upon the should
der. Her screams had been heard at the
house, and her father and the servants
we're seen running toward the spot. Thank
heaven. had gained the top of the cliff.
not moment too soon. however. for the
rope had so chafed, that it was worn to a
string, and could not have sustained my
weight moment longer.


Moulton cast bitter look at Julia Ho-
bart, and. with horrid oath, ran to the
edge of the precipice and sprang into the
air.


Involuntarily I covered my eyes with
my hand, as I supported myself against q
tree. When looked around again, Mr..
Hobart was tanning Julia, who was lying
on the ground. as pallid as if she had been
dead.
The mangled remains Of Ralph Moul-
ton we're sent to his father aud buried a.
mong his kindred.


Do you wonder now why this faded
knot of ribbon calls up such strange,
sad memory Of the past?