The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1871-12-21
"As soon as this amiable contention as

"As soon as this amiable contention as
to who should show most alacrity 10
trying to avoid US is ended, perhaps
some one will help me H." she says,
rather sharply and with a certain ele.
Vatlon in air of nose and chin. LeMes.
urier gives her his hand he does not
rush forward to do so, as most men
would in her case does not tumble
over his own legs in his precipitapcy;
like poor Frederick only he is stand
ing nearest her; and therefore he gives
it her.
"Put your foot exactly in the middle,
walk steadily, go to the stern you
had better steer p ho says shortly, aud
rather austerel?.
Half an hour aftcrward, Frederic:
and his green umbrella arc tramping
o'sconsolately along the towiDg-path,
and we are being scullcd upstream by
an unwilling gentleman, upon whom We
have forced ourselves, aud who is long
ing to be rid of US. The sun pours
down in broad golden rain upon the
binding bright river. Through the
viaduct's great arches, towering up
against the June sky, wo see heavens
sapphire eyes looking. The air is astir
with the winged families that live on]y
day, but whose one day is all joy
The 'ombre chestnut-woods tn It darkly
clothe the steep slopes, run down to the
rivers side, as if fastening to drink
white-capped women are kueeliog BY
the edge, washing linen, and beating il
vlclously on stones with wooden .shov.
els; no wonder that there are jagged
holes in ones cotton gov Us when they
come home from the laundress. Long
blue dragon-flies sail slow aud kingly
among the flags aud Towering rushes
that grow along the river-tbat grow
again, the same, only wrong way up,
in the vivid, clear reflections We are
each Ct US rather siIeat, partly because
We are hot, partly because we are none
Of US in very good temper. Leno, e
leans over the side, and drags her bare
right hand through the water, making
our little cockle-shell lurch unpleasant
ly.
"You had better sit straight, Miss
Herrick it takes very little to destroy
the equilibrium of this sort Of boat"
says Mr.. LIE Mesurier, rather dryly.
Lenore does not appear to hear; she
only leans little farther over, and ad-
mires her own slim fingers, that look
unnaturally, lucidly white, seen through
the watery vail.
"For Heavens sake, sit straight !"
cries he, sacond time, but much more
energetically, as the gunwale of the
boat comes almost on level with the
water. Lenore draws herself slowly
up.
"Were you speaking to me?" she
asks, with provoking coolness; chow
could tell ? You said, sit straight,
Miss Herrick.' I am not Miss Her.
rick p
"Niss Lenore, then. I will call you
what you please, only for Heavens sake
sit still"
II wonder you ever 20 in boat, if
you are so nervous,' says my sister,
tartly.
Il am not NERVOUS, as you call it,
when l am with people who behave
nationally y" replies he, coldly "but l
know that mere touch will upset q
boat of this kind, and l also know that,
if 1t did upset, one of you two would in.
tallibly drown, for I could not possibly
save you both"
"One of US? Which of US ?" cries
my sister, and. I see mischievous devil
come into her eyes as she begins to
laugh, and to rock violently from side
to side, II must see which,"
''Lenorc ! Lenore p CRY I, IN an ag
ony, clutchipg the sides Of the boat
'stop, for Heavens sake l beg, i'm
plore. Lenore! i! Lenore p
But all in vain. Lenore only laughs
and rocks the more. Mr.. LIE Mesuries
says nothing, nor can l see the express.
sion Of his face, as I am sitting behind
him ; be only turns the boats head
toward shore, and half dozen vigorou;
strokes of the oar bring US swish
through great company Of stiff bull
rushcs to land. Mr. lie Mesurier jumps
out.
"Miss Herrick," he says, gravelv, "]
shall be delighted to row you home this
evening, but as cannot answer f"r
your life for five minutes, as long as
your sister is in the boat, I should be
very much obliged if you would gel
out now"
"Perhaps I was foolish" reply I
graspipg my umbrella. and scramblint
out on the oxeyed bank, "but have
such horror of drowning."
! CHAPTER VI.
WHAT TIE AUTHOR. SAYS.
"Now, Miss Lenore, I am quite a
your SERVICE" says LeMesurler, resum
ing his seat, taking the oars again, ani
pushing out into mid-stream. Lenor'
hangs her head, and dries her finger
with her pocket handkerchief, but doe
not answer. "It was no doubt yer,
spirited Of you, trying to upset tn,