The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1879-07-31

soross tho American desert TO Cali-
fornia, and back again by another
route, your mother had never been
up the East river as far as Morrisa-
mia. IL seemed so absurd to have
neglected this home excursion, that
we determined cpon it ut once. Tho
morning was wet, but We didn't t
mind it. Your mother looked pret
tier in O waterproof and rubbors,
with a shovel hat tied down over her
chin, than most women would in u
ball dress. She wasn't q bit afraid
of rain or mud. She was little
too reckless for, gotting ashore to
see the institution for vaSrant boys,
her foot slipped of tho plank, aud
sho disnppoared.'
Mr.. Steele stopped minute his
voico faltered tue pluInp little hand
Of his wife clipped into his own bo
clutched it. AMI wcnt on again /:
"One minute L saw her as noat
and trim q little figure as over grac~
ed waterproof aud shovel hat, and
tho nest she was gono.
"Gone ~ cried Laura. "Gono
where Z
"Iuto tho water, child into tho
hungry green waves that surged up
TO take her away from the fondost
heart in tho universe and 1t 1T had
not boen for one of those worry vaga-
boud boys. who had been lurking
there for Il chance to escape from
tho islahd, you would have lost us
both, my dear for l made an ago-
nizod plunge after her, though am
ashamed to ray | cannot swim II
stroke, and should have gone to the
bottom like a plumnet Of lead bat
an official standing by caught aud
held me, and cried out that Johnny
Waters had her, safe as trivet
and presently that vdSabond boy
came up with your sweet mother on
the other siio Of tho boat, ana tho
officer cried out He's a regular
water dog, that Johnny Waters |!
aud these wero the very words II
guest here used III relation to John
II minute or 50 ago
john = cried poor bewildorod
Laura, our John. mamma : Was
John the boy l.! Aud il it John, our
John, that saved poor Mr.. Stuyves-
ant ?
"Tho vcry same darling John, our
John /; he is always on hand whom
there is any trouble or danger
"Oh, mamma 4! mamma : criod
Laura, forgetting all tho years that
had passed since the accident, and
crumbling both tho coiileured heads
in the most reckless manuer.
Papa she then said, 'we must
20 and find John l want to tell
him how much--I-
Yes, dear said Mr. Archibald
Steele aud all tho way through the
corridor and into the parlors of the
hotel, with his plump and pretty
wife on one arm and his daughter on
the other, he sailed.
But John was still surrounded b.
the pretty aud sympathetic women,
who had cruelty deserted the blue
blooded descendant of the old Dutch
Governor, lying in his most grace
ful and languid Of attitudes on a
neighboring lounge descendant
not tho Governor and had tiockod,
one and ali, to tho handsome aud
heroic founder of the new school for
teaching people the way to 10 rescu
Cd from drowning.
John was almost hidden in hounc'
co and laces but when his eyes met
Laura's no plunged out of those
costly pillows with his usual ease
and rrapidity. There WAS some-
thing in LaIra's eyes that he had
never seen there before--a tempting
languor, bewitching shyness, be-
wildering splondor that stepped his
soul in u mad, sweet hope.
Laura stopped one moment to
whisper to her mamma, and John
gasped out to Mr.. steele:
IF dared--if l only dared to toll
her.
II have told her myself ! said the
merchant.
That l was pauper, without
homo or friends 7
II told the story in my own way
John, continued Mr.. Steele, and L
llatter myself told it successfully ;
:. II L.