The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1857-09-10

my pocket!
I felt chilly q this last reflection crossed
my mind. Partly at thought Of the coro-
ner, partly ut the idea Of Mary being unwil-
lingly compelled to wear mourning for me,
in case Of such disclosure Of our engage.
ment. II is provoking thing for girl Of
nineteen to have TO 20 into mourning for .
deceased lover at the beginning Of her sccoud
winter In the metropolis.
The water, though, with my motionless
position, must have he'd something to do
with my chillness. Isee, sir, that you think
l tell my story with great levity; but indeed.
sadasa l.sho1M n aw ss.is;s4s j 2.s IL vssssars
10 hold steadily to the awlalness Of my feel
ings the greater part Of that night. Think,
indeed, l must have been most Of the time
hysterical with horror. for the vibrating
emotions l have rccapitulated did not pass
through my brain even n have detailed
them.
But, a. am now become calm in thought,
summoned up again some resolution Of ac-
ton.
l will begin at that corner (said y and
swim around the whole incl0surc. will
swim slowly and again feel the sides of the
tank with my feet. II die l must let me
perish at least from well directed though ex-
hausting effort, not sink from mere bootlcss
wcariness in sustaining myself till the morn.
ing shall bring relief.
The sides Of the place seemed TO grow
higher a. now kept my watery course be-
meath them. II was not altogether dead
pull. had some variety Of emotion in
making my circuit. When swan in the
shadow, il looked to me more cheerful he.
yond in the moonlight. When I swan In
tbe moonlight had the hope Of making
some discovery when should again reach
the shadow. ] turned several times on my
back to rest just where those wavy lines
would meet. The stars looked viciously
bright TO me from the bottom Of that well
there was such company Of them they
were so glad in their lustrous revelry and
they had such space to move in. was
alone, sad to despair, in strange element,
prisoned. and a solitary gazcr upon their
mocking chorus. And yet there was moth.
ing else with which | could hold any com.
muniOn.
THE CArAsrR0rHE.
turned upon my breast and struck out
almost frantically once more. The stars
were forgotten, the moon, the very world of
which ! ~ yet formed part--my poor
Mary herself was forgotten. | thought
only Of the strong man there persliing, Of
me in my lusty manhood, in the sharp vgor
of my dawning prime. with faculties iliimita.
bic, with senses oil alert, battling there with
physical obstacles, which men like myself
had brought together for my undoing. The
Eternal could never have wilIed the thing,
! could not and would not perish thus.
And ] grew strong in insolencc Of sclf.
trust; and laughed aloud, as dashed the
sluggish water from side to side.
Then came al emotion Of pity Tor myself;
ol wild. wild regret; Of sorrow, oh infinite,
for fate 20 desolatc, doom 90 drcary, so
hcartsickening. You may laugh at the con
tradiction, il you will, sir; but | felt that
could sacrifice my life on the instant 10
redeem another fellow-creatarc from such
place Of horror, from an end 10 piteous
My soul and my vital spirit seemed in that
desperate moment TO be separating: while
one, in parting grieved over the deplorable
fate of the other.
And then ] prayed
praysl, why or wherefore, know not.
II was not from fear II could not have
bccn in hope. The days Of miracles are
passed, and there was no natural law by
whose providential in.crposition could be
savei. did not pray; it prayed Of itself
my sDi within me.
Was the calrnncss that now fl, torpid.
ty--tbe torpility that precelcs dissolution,
The strong swimmer who sinks from cx-
hausion must at last add bubble 10 the
wave M he sutYoc .tes beneath the element
which now denied his mastery, tit were
10, how fortunate was it that my floating
rod at that moment attracted my attention
as il dash d through the water by me.
saw Oh the instant that iish h~l cniangIe,i
himself in the wireno1e. The rod quiver-
cd. pluDgei, came again TO the surface. AMI
rippleJ the water a. il shot in arrowy flight
from side ~ side VI the tank. At last, iriy.
en- towards the southeast corner of the n@r-
yoir. the small ctsi sssmsl 10 have got foul
somewhere. The brazen butt which, every
time the fish sounded, WAS thrown up 10 the
nom, nov sank by its own weight, showing
that the end in,nt he fast. But the corner
ed fish, evdeaily anchored somewhere by
that short wire, Holpiered several times 70
,le surface. before though. Of striking GU,
to the spot.
The water IL low now. and toIersby clear. !
You may sse the very lsigs th.re, sir, in /
yonleS corner, oa which the small end of
my rod rested when secursi that pike with
my hand. did not take him from the slip.
poo-e. however. ba, stsStiing upon the ledge
handled the rod in . wosnanlike manner, ~
! flung thss pound pickercl over the iron
railing upon the Dp q tbe psrsPt. The.
rod. ~ ! have told you, barely reached from
the railing 70 the water. II was strons, I