The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-03-29

ABOUT eluding the grasp Of the girl, who I
piayiuily tried TO catch him; at length,
when she was on the point OF succeed /
lug, he ran on TO the dock and began to
spring on the end OF loose plank.
On don't ~ screamed the girl in af-
fright, come back; see what a horrid
oid thing IL is; you will fall through -
But the boy laughed teasingly, and
went on with his reckless dancing till
his sister came forward, followed by the
old gentleman, now dOubly testy at the
delay in serving lunch.
Il am coming, sis he shouted, gaily;
but must have some Of these" and
he began cramming his pockets.
81 wouldn't do that" said his sister,
gently; "tbey will be so heavy and un-
comfortable; the baskets will soon be
empty, then you eau fill them with
whatever you like"
"Ill take them out, then" said the
boy; "and they are not very heavy;
they just balance me-"
"Never mind" said the old gentleman;
"twill do him good 20 carry weight;
/ he won't be quite so frisky then"
won't I?' merrily retorted the boy;
'wait and see; I'll be on honor; Pll
take all cam" and, scooping up some
handfuls, be stuffed his pockets, taking
several gymnastic poses 20 settle them.
How his eyes shOue under his white
/ foreheadi
"Now % he said, aud. springing up,
he came down on patch OF weedy
slime, and, sliding of the dock, he sank
like a stone.
The women aud children came run
ming up, though, at first, none took in
the full extent Of the danger; he was
always doing blood-curdling things I;
aud besides, he was such n swimmer;
till his sister cried out in terrified
voice, "He can't rise he is weighed
down 20
She would have sprung after him if
she had not been held back. Those Of
the men who had not gone to dinner
were there in a minute; most of them
ran about in a confused, senseless man
ner; but two Of them soon had boat
on the spot where the bubbles were still
I rising.
at is Of no use," said Miss Morton,
with strange calmness; "yOu must dive
down; he cannot rise, his pockets are
/ filed with stones ~
"Then God help him % said one; 1--WE
are neither Of US much of swimmers,
and il would need a regular diver TO go
down in all that truck" and he looked
down into the water, where little could
be seen except a growth Of water lilies.
John HerndOn heard these words; he
had reached the dock as the boat put
off, be ran to the edge, then stood, re-
membering that he could not swim he
had learned when a young boy, but had
/ given IL up because he was so subject to
cramp that the sailor who was teaching
/ him declared that he would be safer
/ without knowing how to swim, as then
he would be careful how he got into the
water. He thought of that saying now;
be had been working in the sun, too,
then he heard her voice (she had felt
instinctively that he would do more for
her than the others) and turned to meet
the eyes that took a CLEAN OF hope as
they met his.
you will save him, feel it; but go,
gor
She put her hand on his arm at that
touch, all the chivalry which, however
latent, is in every manly heart asserted
itself.
"pll 60" he said, simply; then, recall
ing the memories Of those other days,
be dived into the water. He went down
with unexpected quickness indeed, a
heavy hand seemed pressing on him as
he felt about with hands and feet
among Shiny roots and stones. At last
he touched the boy, just as a well-re-
( membered pang couvulsed him. He
knew that ne must rise at once IL he
would save himself, but he would not
go without the boy. If it must be so,
be could die; but he could not face her
without the boy. With desperate ef-
fort be controlled his limbs, aud turn
ing, he grasped the boys arm.
When the bodies were drawn from
the water, that clasp could scarcely be
lOosened, and even the lady's touch
and voice never stirred a pulse in the
heart Of John Herndon.-IV Woman s Jour
nal