The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-12-31

tu pN lutluucIc. Out litctutAN tue
watchers eye caught sight Of a young
girl splashing and frolicking in the
water Just beyond the rocks. Ii was a
pretty sight, the rounded arms, the
curving shoulders, the swaying. float
ing figure. And perhaps the old woman
recalled with sigh the time when she
was young and blithe too, and had as
CHEEKY a voice as that with which the
fair swimmer hailed her companions in
the distance.
Gazing absently on the smiling scene,
a reyerie fell upon her, and when she
looked again, the young water-nymph
had disappeared: She had probably
swum ashore behind the rocks. The
widow turned away. Rugged her thin
shawl over her shoulders, and thought
that the sea wind was chilly. Hark
What was thatp Surely she heard
cry. No merry shout or ringing laugh
this; it might be the cry Of a wild bird
on lis way to its mate.
She couldn't have got beyond her
depth, that young creature, surely,
But, La what of il if she had? Dying
young, body gets quit of a deal OF
trouble. And Yes. surely. that was
scream. The widow looked sharply
out. Would Tom never come? The
tide was rising, and-and something
certainly was the matter. She called,
she beckoned frantically to the bathers
beyond; they seemed both blind and
deaf.
No one, not one soul, at hand, and
that young thing in peril of life. A
minute she stood still, listening feeble
old woman with haggard, scared face,
TO whom no one would have dreamed Of
looking for help.
"Ican't stand this" she said "Seems
| might pull out that old scow myself
Toni" she screamed with a yell that
held the concentrated energy of ten
years. But no Tom appeared. And il
was the widow herself, with those with
cred old hands that disdained the min
listers kitchen work-it was the widow
herself, who, straining, Juggling, and
with her gray hair tlnttering in the wind,
Embossed the old dug-out from its moor
ings, and trembling, unskillful, armed
with a rude paddle, went spinning out
dizzily over the water 1t leaked, the
old scow; it scorned the broken paddle |
and the heavy oars, but finally il came
drifting out blindly and dizzily to the
object of her search. A plump hand |
with glittering ring upon it clutched |
the edge Of the boat, nearly overseeing I
il. young. eager face, with stream /
ING hair, looked up from the water. and 4
gasping, shuddering, half-drowned, and \
wholly scared, the young w,ter-nymph 4
was presently aboard the old craft.
"Oh, how frightened wasin she
cried IL felt sure was losing all my
strength, and would 90 to the bottom.
Oh. YOU good soul! YOU dear soul, how
ever did you get me in this water-loggcd
craft?r
at has seen its best days. certain"
said the widow, Juggling AT the oars
:. You don't look able for such work,
said the girl.
~ hare seen better days was the
quiet answer.
And then-oh. sufficient reward Of all
her efforts,-this real lady. this fair
young girl with the soft hands and the
pretty bathing dress, actually replied,
II thought So
Here, give me an oar" she added.
still painting. ''But, mydear soul, Wen
never be able to row down TO that point,
where / left my clothes. and / can't
walk TO the hotel; I'm awfully tired.
Can't YOU put me ashore at your place,
and send word for me down yOnder?M
The little dark cabin on the shore
Frightened up with an unwonted luster
A. the widow sheltered her Young
charge, and changed her wet garments
for some of her own.
elf my Tom would only come, I'd
send him for your things
sob. no matter, I'll wrap your
shawl about me and walk down myself
after I've rested bit. I'm net hurt,
you know, only scared. Dear me. how
| was scared My old nurse used to
each me not to scream: but If hadn't
screamed, where should | have been
now, / wonder?''
Mrs Minton would gladly have parted
with the last shred she possessed, and
zone shivering the rest Of her days, to
zee her worn-out gown donned so hand
'omely by the bright lassie
.'They have seen better days, the
.lOthes, miss, and III not deny that !
hey've been in good company in their
lime; but they're not fit for lady ,
low.''
Her companion laughed, pretty, '
laugh. She read the weak ,
hess Of her rescuer, and treated il ten
lerly.
"Whatever a lady has worn i fit for
, lady To wear she said, and forthwith
wrapped herself, smiling, in the old
yray shawl.
And at that moment Tom, with his
ed shirt cleaning in the setting sun,
md string Of fish on his shoulder, :
'tood in the doorway.
He stopped when he saw the guest
standing upon the hearth-stone, a bright ,