Show AN OF SAFETY the nall of st jolt iii A story of alie for runny days the rain had fallen in ceaseless heavy torrents and from every din cllon caino now alio brooks and rushing with unwonted swift til ss anil sending up a deep hoarse murmur which was ant as a musical echo to the boico of tho mighty swollen rivara lu alic liello town of was ciary causo for the anxiety and alarm increasing hourly already was he giant mississippi near which the lay at its greatest height known lit that point and stealthily encroaching nearer anil nearer upon the main whiles tho inhabitants dwelling farther back were thankful for the natural rise in alie land placing them in a safer position Is bot the river very high grandfather asked ruth boynton a timid accent faltering tone she was a young girl of fifteen years busied nt lie fmc with preparations for alib but pausing now as she spoke to look toward ns ho sat beside the window in his largo chair looking anxiously without kalli came nearer lo 10 liim laying her hand on his shoulder docs it not look very very high she repeated and there seem to bo so timbers floating on he waves it is indeed higher ali in I 1 have ever seen it in my eight 5 cars dutli an the old luau in the aico grown feeble town is in danger grandfather asked the oung gitl a slight creeping over her face as she spoke not tonight to night child not tonight to night he answered and tomorrow to morrow may bring brighter skies aye tomorrow to morrow who know lie murmured softly to himself as ruth guined away to iier work again and the old man folded his hands and closed hh eyes in silent prayer to alio god who rules the storm and clouds midnight biad already passed in the thick en shrouding alio silent town and even the most watchful and anxious were at list sleeping heavily when suddenly with a confused thunder of sound rising in crashing din above anc voice of storm or river and seeming to rend heaven and earth asunder the village nestling so peacefully under alio shadow of alio hills wib roused to death and destruction restrained no longer by any former bounds the stream had broken every barrier and now amid he despairing cries of fated human beings was wildly sweeping avay every or building in its widening pathway with the birst wild alarm ruth koyn ton had started and bewildered from iier bed and rushed into the adjoining room also up groping with the nervous tremor of age blindly tor a light in that moment it seemed as though the old man who had been strong for liis eighty years was transformed into a weak and timid child what is it rushic Rul he cried with an imploring piteous glance at alic girl entering with n canalo in her hand what can it be and aliat 0 what hall we do it ii the liver grandfather she answered hurrying to the door the town is flooded and everything is being swept away my god sly tho old man irem LUn in every limb who will save us and what can ado whether it was the sense of appalling danger at door or tender pity in ilus terrible moment for hir companion the voicing firl suddenly imbued with anew heroic tingling in every nerve and with a voice aho said calmly god is still with us grandfather and will surely way of try bobu strong and ariit to liis help kilt even as she saoko fearful crash accompanied by piteous shrieks told of a nearer catastrophe and lluch impulsively laid a trembling hand on the old mans arm come grandfather said alic let ns hasten to alio nearest house alicy may bo there making and will help us ami waiting to exchange tho flickering candle for a lantern tho two helpless ones hurried out into the dark nest of the night but 1 bille were they prepared for the of around only in thodi glimmered moving and with the slow progress alone possible in condition of her companion fell that thuy could never reach the farou far ou only a small strip of land left to them the river behind ami to the right of them while on the left roe hie high sleep bank up which her active feet might have climbed but the old man by her side and not once did the thought of escape apart from him enter alie bravo girls mind with a heart beating wildly with fear aluth her eyes to sly halt breathing a prayer for aid while the trembling onu bc sido iier uttered a helpless groan suddenly a ray of liopo quickened her senses A little higher up un the left somewhat elevated above the path buforo hem stood the old church untouched as et by the water looking in silent pity upon the scene of surrounding it K was possible that safely be lound there even though the waves should reach st not the strong foundation on which it biad stood so long prove invincible iho church grandfather the thiu ch cried ruth in tones of hopy nod encouragement surely wo will bisato there ami lie moment ahoy acro hurrying anvor the short and a resistance si stance in alio old lock alicy soon stood within thu silent church wu it that alio soothing sprit ot prayer still hovered liko about alio place or was it alio thought it alic ever abiding presence of god in tah his house that seemed to impart ft sudden calm to alio weary old man silently ho sank within ono of alic old fashioned pens and giorc all yes here ho could die peacefully if lucli acro gods will the lantern gave but a light in the greit gre it room anit thankful for even this mitigation of tho darkness placed it near and with loving tender caro kucht beside her grandfather still bent on clicc ring and encouraging ddn 1 I link wo arc surely safe here grand papa said alic nestling cleio to him in liebold childlike wiy feeling now having dono all that she could sudden longing for comfort and I 1 trust so my child thu old man iu a tone so strong and calm that it surprised as much as it comforte d tho young girl god lias surely guided and sustained you in this of danger and wo arc now in his hands lie will save or tako us to himself as ho sous best A deep fell upon them then a trembling prayerful silence on part for and nearer camo tho sound of the rushing water a great sense of desolation crept over glicr suddenly a cold dampness seemed to pervade iho room and alic next moman a perceptible tremor pa over thu building causing alio young girl to spring to her feet and aln ip her arms about hor grandfather violently quickly and firmly ho drew her closer to him pressing lier tenderly to his breast bo brave child he said in a voice subdued but calm alic leour of danger lias come but god is with us still again and again camo eliat quiver through llie old building around it could bo distinctly heard alic splash of waves then came one convulsive that seemed violently wrenching timber iroil timber and with a rocking reeling motion tho old church with its living inmates was from its foundations dat ions and floated awaa on the bosom of alio angry 1 ream almost unconscious from fright ruth lay on her grandfathers breast but ai tho movement more regular and steady she raised glicr palo faro and Grand papa arc wo really floating yes my child like alic ark of old answered her grandfather yo arc adrift and god only knows liow long VE c may float or what iho end will be let us not murmur at his will we will perhaps lind many friends who have gone to into alio other world alo gill hid glicr faco again for a moment but suddenly a faint as it were fir oil sound broko alie stillness alio sound of a bell feebly slowly lolling ruth started up 0 listen grand alio cried it is the bell alic church bell tolling with the motion of the waves alic old man started listening intently also and a tear moistened liis eye trickling slowly down his furrowed check aye child it is alio old bell of st johns that has rung out many a chime it is tolling now its long last message lolling its own knell and tho knell of the many ali tonight to night have passed awny iset to kuth alio familiar sound solemn and sad as it was seemed to bear a message of life ami hope and with glicr young taca all aglow alio stalled again to her feet exclaiming grandfather I 1 know what I 1 will do I 1 will climb lie belfry stair and hang alio lantern from its hiigli window and 1 will send out such a peal from alic good old boll eliat help I 1 am sure must come timid for her safely where lio WM brave for his own alio old man anxiously tried tu dissuade her from an effort so perilous at this hour of darkness but scarce wailing for pann ruth had already darted away with alic lantern leaving glicr grandfather in alio llio solemn darkness where he could only wait and pray she was cautiously but swiftly climbing the belfry stair on through the gloom and silence the old church llo ilca when suddenly through alio darkness a bright liblit Ted like a beacon star from n lighthouse tower and above alic din of tho rushing waters 1 ringing peal chuc awakening the startled echoes slumbering on alic river hank cang clang clang 1 lie sound seemed almost to danco along alic waves while alliy bravo girl aloft clung to her support and the old man prayed below tho river had now found a deeper narrower channel with high dry clial a mow on cither side and as eliat strange sound rang out amid alic storm and gloom a group of men ath skins moored high peered up the rushing stream with wondering abc baruck faces Eg adl cried one it sounds like the old bell of st johns can it bo iho timbers of little that hare been ll by tonight to night on came alio llio pealing sound and now the stir like light shone out upon them As 1 ih e cried the same speaker it is alic old chardi allott and that bell could never ring like that from alio motion of alic waves them are living souls lilliin calling for ln lp to the men out with tho and five minutes more and strong bravo fiands were out in alio stream all unknown to thu two ones within heavy ropes acro being fastened to the old building and alio llio bell belill tolling alio llio old church was rapidly towed toward i haven like break in the din s ami suddenly a startling shock it stood still and with a frightened beating gazed anxiously from alio little aindow vin dow could it be possible really alio bank on which they ceru safely moored anil alic and moving s biad god really sent help so boon hastily swiftly she descended alio rickety stairs crying joyfully 0 iro saved grandfather thank god wo aro saved 1 A sudden light in the doorway and iho next moment kindly voices breaking alio held high soon revealed ahe two lonely figure and guided by kindly helpful hands kuth and alic old man soon found themselves bv the hospitable of a lit tic a choit distance back from the dangerous river anil hero alicy mado new friends and a now home did also more than of alic few who were picked up and rescued from tho ruins of N Y observer indies of the rank in en aro again wearing licar hair cut short ind curled tho samo stylo pro vails in journal gold to the amount of 00 OGO is used annually in filling the teeth of american citizens |