The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1878-08-23

NNN'' '"'i" "oo PoiO hci iitblO Wnltt 0Hnub n
were clasped together, and her musical voice
trembled
oh, papa, mamma, come directly Mr.. Z
Stuyvesant ventured too far, and-and :
WAS drowned?' said Mr. Steele, with a :
qveer combination in his voice of pity and ,
relief.
NO, no /; how can you suppose so dreadful
thing He was rescued, but is very weak
and jill. He has asked for me, and may go ?
Will you not come with me, mamma? Oh,
do /; beg of you. Can't she, papa?'
Her blue eyes filled with tears her little
feet seemed wanting to fly through the cor
ridors.
Certainly not said Mr. Steele, Let him
wait till he is able to come to you or me.
Either the man was drowned or he isn't.
Because he was imbecile enough to risk his
life, that is no reason for your being the
talk of the hotel
Laura raised her eyes proudly.
No danger of that, papa and, besides,
every one is occupied now with the one that
rescued him.
And what mad-man was that p said poor
Mr. Steele, who could not reconcile himself
to the present condition of affairs.
Il don't know-a stranger l believe. |
was so interested in Mr.. Stuyvesant forgot
to ask
"Bah !" said Mr.. Steele getting upon his
feet and walking to the door. cpl 20 and
find out all about it. Do you stay here till
l return"
Before he had gone far Mr.. Steele heard
from the excited guests several different ver-
sions Of the affair; but one and all agreed
that the rescuer could be nothing less than
champion swimmer.
"a regular water dog p' said one gentle.
man to Mr.. Steele and as the merchant had
heard this epthet but once before in his
life, and that on an occasion of vital inter-
est to himself, he sought out the hero of the
hour, and found, to his unbounded astonish.
ment, it was John Waters himselfl He was
quite enveloped in the ilounces and furbe-
lows of pretty and sympathetic women, who
insisted upon knowing every half second if
he was sure he felt strong and we'll, and how
in the world could he buffet those dreadful
waves in that grand, heroic way, and how
did he manage to drag poor Mr.. Stuyvesant
in to the shore?
John, like any other hero of the hour, en-
joyed the adulation, but looked anxiously at
Mr.. Steele when he approached.
Hum growled that worthy merchant, "a
pretty fellow you, to interfere with other
,, peoples plans How do you know he
wanted to be rescued?'
He appeared anxious that way, SIR said
John. He wrapped himself about me like
a devil-fsh | thought one time we'd both
60 down together. There ought to be a
school for teaching people how 70 be saved.
It's the easiest thing in the world :; the water
itself is an accessory, if you manage it
right
oh do tell us how, Mr.. Waters, please,
t chorused the pretty and sympathetic women;
and as John began his lesson Mr.. Steele
t slipped away.
y oh, papa began Laura, how is Mr..
S Stuyvesant?
Il Il don't know didn't ask, he replied
Il was interested in the fellow that dragged
6 him ashore. He's an old friend of ours.
: The way we made his acquaintance was on
such an occasion he saved lady from
v drowning
d why, papa said Laura, he must be a
I splendid fellow
f. Magnificent said Mr. Steele. You see
n we had travelled over considerable of the
world together, your mother and l, while
d you were yet baby and we found it rather
d odd one morning to discover that having
crossed the ocean and the Alps, loitered il
4 the Highlands, travelled thence down th'
q Mississippi Valley, across the American
other route, your mother had never been W
the East river as far as Morrisania.
seemed so absurd to hava neglected thi
home excursion, that We determined upon i
n at once. The merning was wet, but we didn'
y mind it. Your mother looked prettier in
waterproof and rubbers, with a shovel el-ha
'e tied down under her chin, than most womei
I would in ball dress. She wasn't bi
e afraid of rain or mud. She was little to-
Z, reckless for, getting ashore to see the insti
le tuition for vagrant boys, her foot slipped OF
the plank, and she disappeared
$, Mr.. Steele stopped minute; his voic
y faltered the plump little hand of his viii
slipped into his own he clutched it, an
IF went on again.
rt 'One minute saw her so neat and trim
r. little figure as ever graced a water
proof and shovel hat and the next she va
ia gone
- Gone : cried Laura. Gone where?
a Into the water, child into the hungr
green waves that surged up to take her ava
from the fondest heart in the universe an
- if it had not not been for one of those YER
vagabond boys, who had been lurking ther
: for chance to escape from the island, yo
would have lost us both, my dear ; for
q made an agonized plunge after her, thong
10 / am ashamed to say / could not swim
'e stroke, and should only have gone to th
bottom like plummet of lead but an Of
}, fetal standing by caught and held me, an
n cried out that Johnny Waters had her, SAT
n as trivet and presently that vagabon
e boy came up with your sweet mother on tn
d other side of the boat, and the officer erie
out, Hes regular waters dog, that Johnn
Waters ? and these were the very words
d guest here used in relation to John a minut
or so ago.
a John r cried poor bewildered Laura, 'ou
j. John Mamma? Was John the boy
e And is it John, our John, that saved poo
b Mr.. Stuyvesant ?
j. The very same darling John, our John
e he is always on hand when there is any troub
lie or danger
Ie 'Oh, mammal cried Laura, forgetting al