Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-09-04

rcse uncomtortably, saying that it must
be time to dress, and fluttered away,
Tom Jackson al his pretty wife follow
ing.
: Then, to my great joy, Helen, seeing
herself left alone, rose to depart likewise,
and was turning the door when Ducie
stopped her.
lone word" he said, speaking with
sort of forced calmness. g Putting this
nonsensical story of Miss Jacksons on
one side, would you cali man a coward
because his courage had failed him sig
nally in one solitary instance"
bit my lip. saw Helen was on her
mettle, and indeed her answer proved me
right.
Decidedly should. | judge mans
heart by what he does, not by what he
says; and the more sudden the call the
more surely he acts according to his nat
ural instincts. One greater than you or I
said of His disciples, BY their fruits We
shall know them and when see
man do cowardly act know he must
be coward at heart. You are making
yourself special pleader in bad cause,
Mr.. Ducie. Pray let us drop the subject
You forget" drawing up her head ike an
offended Queen that my father died be-
fore lucknow, and therefore it is not
likely that his daughter should have any
sympathy for a coward
g am sorry for it, he said, gravely
L should have thought the fact carried
its own punishment heavy enough with
out. Miss Curtis, it wants ten minutes
yet to the dressing bell. May 1 tax your
patience for half the time while tell YOU
IA storv?"
Certainly" she said, and sat down
again with a little air Of offended sur
prise.
L made movement to 90, observing
that | always knew Ducie was an uncom-
monty brave fellow, but now / mad a
higher opinion than ever oil his courage,
since [ saw him venture to brave so very
fiery young lady as my cousin
She smiled and blushed a little at this,
dropping her face like lovely pink lily.
He only made Il gesture to stay me, and
said:
4 would rather you remained, Fred.
You compliment me by calling me a
brave fellow. Miss Curtis paid me sim
liar compliment just now. but [ will
tell you my story, and then you shall tell
me what you call the hero and whether
you could have any kind feelings for such
a person."
He spoke to me, but his eyes were on
Helen; and | saw her whiten and finch
as if some one had threatened her with a
blow.
1.-TWO years ago" Ducie said, "a friend
of mine and his servant were travelling ia
South America. The former went abroad
for his health-Lot that he was i'll when
the anecdote | am going to tell you took
place. You will please not make that
excuse for him-he was perfectly well ;
a,, |, +I>nlr l.:
the lad was so attached to him. such a
faithful, true-hearted fellow that he could
not make up his mind to leave him be-
hind. 1t was scorching hot weather,
such heat as you may expect in a country
which lies on the southern border of
Brazil; and my friend used to 90 every
morning to battle at the PLAYA Ramirez,
large unshetered bay about a mile and a
half from the town. A beautiful stretch
Of sand it was, the best bathing place in
the neighborhOod; and yet a very danger
Gus one; for if you went outside Ger
tain number of yards you were liable to
get entanged in one or two or three con-
ttictlng currents, which in a dead calm
you could see curling about within each
other like harmless sea-serpents; but
which, if they caught you in their strong
embrace, would assuredly carry you out
iiIlO tIlC AtldHllCs tlHftSS YOU Hdf)t}tUtu 10
be a strong and clever swimmer
well, one morning my friend and J ohm
Barton, his servant, went to battle as
, usual about seven O'clock-a late hour in
those climates, Miss Curtis, where most
people start at five, and where the sun is
almost strong enough to roast the brains
in your head by eight. AS natural con-
: sequence they found themselves alone at
the playa, having met most of the Monte
videans returning. All the better. En-
glishmen are not fond of publicity, as
you're aware.
MY friend went in first, leaving Barton
to watch his clothes, lest any Of the small
) fry from the negro hamlet of washer
women above the bay should come down
= and appropriate the articles; and when
he had sufficiently refreshed himself and
emerged on the sands again, Barton went
, in for similar enjoyment
1T could not possibly have been five
minutes later. He had barely got into his
/ clothes when he heard a piercing shrek
from the water, and turning, saw that Bar
, ton had disappeared The next moment,
5 however, the lads head rose to the surface
about dozen yards from the shore, and
he cried out, Master, help! The cramp!
: Helpn before going down like stone.
"Of course you think the master dashed
in and dragged him out 1t was not
much to do for this faithful fellow who
had served him so well, and left his
friends and home rather than leave him.
2 He did no such thing.
5 He hesitated, and his limbs turned to
: ice, and every drop of bloodjn his body
to water. Like wave there rushed over
him the thought that he could not swim
stroke, that he was encountered with his
= clothes, that Barton was a stronger man
: than himself, that once in the current
with drowning mans clutch at his neck,
2 they must both inevitably be swept out to
sea and perish 1t was only moment;
then the lads head rose again, For one
5 second his eyes caught his masters face
in a look of wild, despairing appeal; and,
= maddened by the situation, my friend
rushed-nOt into the water, but up the
bank, shrieking for help to the men who
drive the sand-carts along the brow of the
bay.
Before he had gone two yards-beGore
they had even heard him, Barton sank for
the third time and-all was over
Sheer physical fear, spasm of uncon-
} querable coWardice which he had never
felt before in his whole life, and which,
= finding him utterly unprepared for it,
, completely overmastered the mans entire
l nature, had in that one miserable minute
cost the life of his faithful servant, and
darkcned his own forever.
NOT ,nr,a4 10 toll