Show A SUICIDE HOrDE ST so he had reached the limit of human endurance he was not a coward ile he 1 hd bad faced physical danger many times timea J never flinching ff hor or was he easily cast down he had pressed forward tor for years in the face of almost insurmountable blo obstacles now crashing disaster had overtaken him life bad become a blank his hearts desire had failed his souls ambition was thwarted the darkness of inevitable defeat had settled down dupong allm and there was no way out these are not idle words the maus mans case was desperate he was wa determined to end the struggle he decided to drown himself he was a swim swimmers meri but the river below is a match for the strongest man it a swift turbulent course to a fall beyond which the waters are caught in a swirling maelstrom thail asocks la in every object that comes to its grasp drawing it down relentlessly to certain death from that vortex escape li Is impossible he made ills his final preparations preparation and left home I 1 his way lay jay across fields and along a shady lane ile he passed a cottage where a doctors carriage waited As he drew near the house the feeble wall wail of a new torn infant assailed tits his ears he paused an lastant instant and even smiled as he recognized the sound on his mind busying itsu itself f with the thoughts of the life lust just begun his heart yearned over it that its first articulate I 1 sound should shoud be a wall j crossing a field he saw a flock of meadow larks As he watched them he heard a shot the birds scattered one flew up into and then fell 7 J at his feet where it I 1 lay ay still ile he pick 1 edit up it had been shot through the heart As he held the t be tiny body f still warm in his bis open palm pa im he felt a lk glow of indignation at such wanton ii destruction 0 of life he would have I 1 t given anch amneh to restore the little feath feathered thing to its condition of a i moment before he laid it tenderly down among the stubble and went on he noted the blue sky an and id the gree green n mils hills he reminded himself that he h e saw law them for the last time n he passed close beside a grazing ft horse horsa and laid his hand upon the animals anly mils mals neck with a sense of loving kin fl alp ship he crossed a bridge spanning a deep I 1 10 cut t made ages ago by some upheaval f of df the earths crust it was very deep pat y y ind ilind the rocks below were ragged and e threatening the bridge was a frail structure truc ture halt half way across he stepped tn a board that had become loosened rhe end flew up and he fell rolling jear ilear out to the edge of the bridge I 1 1 jae clutched the rail desperately and kt ae the greatest difficulty swung y iselt back to agaty safety he stood for lac vi in instant panting and breathless tu jae e scrutinized the loose board it ras only a surface board the under structure truc ture was firm and solid but lia jt t was a narrow escape he said to jh itself and shivered 3 then he smiled at the thought of ire ee ale e errand upon which he was bound ild at his anxiety to save himself j zim om a fall ats passed on hit his way 1 I at last he be reached the river it atran ran beep and broad and swift between the loi etine lined bail bailit it it seemed to bid arct li ct ai m welcome he laid his hand with litt a ot leave leate taking upon the re bark of a liveoak the branches atoo u cooped ped gently over aisi hi n as though a he be great reat tree were a beneficent I 1 irit the river called within i to bosom was rest behind waides was des yit ration lon he was about to take the iua ownen when he heard beard voices below on the tha bank A nursemaid and 2 child were coming toward him c A j H he turned impatiently away he t id ek another spot M tahe ie be bad walked several leveral paces when AC e heard a shrill scream jl he hc rusho rosh back to learn its cause i cd 1 flaw the child disappear beneath g 1 if beva alters tars the maid stood upon tho the ink 51 ink screaming and wringing her ends 0 ands i 11 ij 1 without an instants hesitation hel tation he i brew off oc coat and shoes oboes and sprang 4 0 o the rescued I 1 tf 1 ar As the child rose reset to the tha surface he w I 1 grasped la basped it by the tha skirt the carrent neth nem out into the stream and a r vre them downward it was very tl 0 t I 1 ift he H held the childs childe head abor fihe F he water and struck for the shore i till the current bore them downa yard rard he battled with it fiercely the H yater W gatei buffeted him with savage blows t f aind A ind tossed him like a chip upon its en 01 tates he fought his way inch by bc b I 1 tow toward ard the shore the maid d hlll stood there screaming and IV wring ang g b her er b hands a id s k he H had a almost I 1 ost reached the goal ken aea tile the river iver r to sd saied him hi m back into I 1 h he f curre current nt T the be water sparkled and danced in the sunlight ho He returned to the charge lideal like a demon evemy nervo was waa tense every muscle was strained to the uttermost in the effort to reach the shore at length ho be gained the quit quiet close I 1 in under the shade of the live oaks the te b bank ank was wa S high and shelving he rallied his strength for one final effort and raised his burden above his head T the he maid come to her senses grasped the t h e little tt lle one on e the child was saved the swimmer immer sank back into the bo bosom 0 m 0 of art the he river the water closed around h him im and the current bore him swift swiftly lly downward the maid stood upon the bank hushing her crying chang C suddenly she looked down the he s stream trea and screamed to him but bu t the tb e swimmer v minor had passed from hearing |