Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-09-01

told with that rich, racy humor SO rare
OF with a touch Of peculiar tenderness
that convinced one of his large hu
mainly.
1t was near sunset when we turned
our thoughts homeward. The gentle
man, at our movement for preparation
arose, said quietly " Good bye," no
good afternoon, and was gone.
AS we went home Mary said. pleasant
ly, "Well, lIarty, you wanted to sec
strange people; [ think it was WORTH
while coming here to see one such PEG
pie as this man. wonder who he is,
and what's his name. He isn't society
man or introductions would have been
IN order. He is used to good society,
Tor his conversation is distin guished fot
studied elegance"
So do [ wonder who he isl said
absently; and meanwhile I wondered
mentally many other things concerning
the stranger.
| Our new acquaintance bobbed his
head in an odd sort of way of recogni-
ton when we met the next time at the
table. 1t was not q society bow. I
fancy he had never been fought that.
and would have been 10th to initiate any
thing or anybody even if he had. He
did not seek us out at all, nor presume
in the slightest degree upon our &C.
workmanship of the retreat" One
day he met us in the hall as we were
leaving the dinner table, and said, 81
am disciple of Thoreau until dinner
time. am too lazy to cook my own
dinner, and like good one. At meal
time l am social fellow, amiable Ito
the waiters); the rest of the time I am
a hermit OF the woods. That is why a
place like this has charms for me, over
and above camping out There is too
much hard work in the one, and not
much to eat; but lakewood is the hap
piest combination of outdoors and COM
plete cookery that can find.
L made some senseless reply of onr
sympathy with this idea, biting nv
| lips afterward with vexation that r
could not summon spicy reply that
would have continued the conversation.
After dinner we saw him striking out
vigorously with his oars across the lake.
and Mary remarked ''that he was not
too lazy to row and rowed WE'LL"
The following day, the last but one
OF our contemplated stay, the sun rose
through hot, murky atmosphere. At
four o'clock on that memorable morn
ing it was said to be the hottest weather
ever indicated by a thermometer in
Wisconsin. It was the Fourth of july.
and various picnic excursions had been
planned by different parties. The air
was insufferable; not leaf stirred in
the woods, and the demon of darkness
seemed to brood over the usually shin
ing lake. The picnic party which was
to include Mary and myself were in
readiness by nine o'clock, all in as good
humor as the state of the atmosphere
would admit. [ confess to having
looked around as we started on our sail
for the stranger, whose name I had
learned was Anson-a physician, we'll
read, but not practioing, as he could
not compete In any race that was
shackled by any such shams as abound
IN tie common empirical practice of
medicine. He was not of the party.
'much to their loss," / said softly to
myself.
We had nearly reached the opposite
shore of the lake when the darkness
seemed to thicken strangely about u.s.
Some of the boats had reached the laad-
Ing. Ours, with one or two others, was
within few hundred feet of it. Sud
denly the sailor who had command of
our boat said, ''My God, we are too
late +" With the words the sail
snapped and cracked, and the waves in
an instant were lashed into the utmost
fury by the squall. I was stunned aud
81 NV <ho
In a moment [ thought Of everything,
it seemed: of mother, distracted at our
loss; of Mary drowned Oh, why was
she SO good as to humor my fancy, and
come here to meet such fate. It was
not so much matter for me, but what
could mother do without Mary Al
moment of this intense anxiety. and
then l remembered no more.
When consciousness returned T WIS
on the land, and seated by me was DIR.
Arson, who seemed to be giving direc-
tions to number of people moving
about on the shore. He was holding
my hand watching my pulse, as quietly
and unconcernedly as usual. He order
ed me to be taken to house and soon
cry clothes were ready for me, and very
soon l was fully restored to my senses.
but exceedingly nervous. The Doctor,
after assuring me of Mary's safety, told
me how he happened to be near at hand
at the moment of the accident and be-
ing sal expert swimmer he had rescued
Mary and myself, and given orders to
others so as to secure the safety of all
the ladies who were in our boat. Alas.
some Of the boats Jared not SO well
Agonized friends were now, while was
resting IN safety, listening to the doctors
explanations, rending the air with their
cries OF distress at the doom of dear ones
who were brought dead to the bank
Of the lake. The Doctor quietly told
me he smelled the squat but was too
late to give the warning before it struck
us. His matter-of-fact manner was
just the one to reassure me, for was
SO shocked by the disaster as to make
sentimental scene had he not taken good
care that l should do nothing of the
kind. He went on in the most CHEEKY
fashion. saving. "Water has ALWAYS