The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-09-04

~ IL AOutu tdAC uC 8Way lTOu
Miss Jennie, ut knew it was a first
good By stsyinx Where was and wishing
day.
/ sat down upon a grassy knoll At the
waters edge and occupied myself by
idly throwing pebbles into the swift cur
rent. The air was warm, and so was /.
A slight breeze came across the water,
ripping it into delicate wavelets, which
Tapped the bank at my feet. l could
hear the clear, futy notes of the black
birds ouF a seed3, willowy island mid
WY in the nye& hred nv head, and
81 Ia \ tmili4<at Sc exquisite peace
md ca{mne8 Vhfch evironed the view.
he s1n5 poi4d it5H just above the
ssimmits Of The disti1t bluffs, breaking
tie deep violet clout jnto great masses
a pink, COLDER, and r1ddy banks. The
west ecmed % bluS1H4t the goodnight
carcsses of tfe day. 3elt as serene and
happy a. . man g. hexpected to feel
who l. desperA &k IN Nc, and who has
1t the same time \ jeasant sensation
q !. sssSYs SvFe E bills" which he
A splashing of oars aroused me, and I
looked out on the smiling river. o,
misery! o, horror! There sat Jennie
and Tom Lee in a brightly painted new
skiff, with outriggers and spoon-oars.
saw at glance that the boat was more
expensive and more stylishly gotten up
than mine. And Lee was rowing 100, 1
with slow and uncertain strokes, To be
sure, but still rowing. My supremacy
on the water was gone-my little Kingdom
was fairly invaded by the enemy.
felt sick at heart; the song of the black
birds and the gorgeous sunset were no
longer needed. | stolidly settled in my
own mind that / would accept the posi-
ton offered by the Democratic committee,
and then walked disconsolatelys down to
the spot where my boat-house stoed d got
my oars and pushed out into the river.
Up or down? Why should ] 90 down.
All, or nearly all, that / cared for IN
the world had taken the opposite direc-
ton, and my skiff was speedily turned
Eup liver T entertained wild thoughts
\ Of running into the other boat under
full head of-of-oars, smashing it, and
then rescuing Jennie from the wreck;
wilder ones of rowing alongside of them,
and after accusing Tom Lee of my
murder, plunge into the current. Of
course l did neither. / rowed along
with quick, nervous strokes, and soon
passed the other skiff, receiving from her,
an angelic smile, and from him a
triumphant one. 'za ga To'
Above this town there are numerous
"sloughs," which are small channels
branching from and Ee-entering the
main river. Many of thee are lined
with large trees, who's f6lisge in summer
meets overhead, this Brning cool
4 arcades within the Sdepthsiof which the
suns rays can scarcely penetrate. To
people not familiar with their windings
these over-arched channels with their
numerous branchings and sidepassaaes
form perfect labyrinth. Many an oars
man becomes bewildered in these sloughs,
and fails to find his way out until morn
ing breaks. / had been caught in them
myself once, and padded around the
greater part of the night without finding
any outlet, and since that time had
made myself perfectly familiar with all
their devious and tortuous channels and
cuL-de-sncs~
/ turned my skiff into one of these
openings and moderated my stroke, feel
ing most utterly miserable and forsaken.
At last l stopped rowing entirely and
laid in the boat to think the matter all
over. Scarcely had / done so when /
heard the sound of oars in one of the
sloughs parallel to the one in which 1
was floating, and presently / heard
Jennie's voice: ...
40, what a lovely flower that is.
Please get it for me, Mr.. Lee" "lia@ . fs
Il "Mr. Leep' Why, l thought she
called him Tom. She always called me
Max. Could it be that '-"
"And now l guess it's about time for
me to start for home" There spoke
Jennie's prudence. 1t was getting far
into the dusk, and she was always care
full about appearances. p
IL Then / heard TomJzR's voice, pom
pous and large IKE IL
i (" Before We start, M ennie, want
5p spsak to YOU bout 81 thing that has
lpng been near NY he We seem to
hitch pretty we'll and think we'll make
xkood team Iwaht yq Tor my wife. y
ETThat 4 can nev6r Eu2Lr. Lee" said
Jennie, insalow voice, 1T firm one.
| go, Jennie, don't say so. Here, on
my knees, /" ..naa ln
Then Jennie's voice broke in, sounding
, as cool as if she were telling the current
: rates on cucumbers: HEt - -
, If you do not stop, Topping around
! in that absurd manner, Mr.. Lee, you
, will upset the boat. wish you would
: stop this nonsense and take me home."s
A Idipped my oars into the water andis
: few vigorous strokes carried me ont oi
? listening distance. l could have danced
{ for Joy. Little versed as / was in love
e matters, / knew that calm, half-motkinf
4 tone did otcome fromone who wasin love
: Lee had made himself ridiculous, ant
s had received very proper rebfke To-
J, his folly. grew fairly arrogant As tn,
!, thought of my improved chances flashed
: across my mind. -s ~
{ Again / lay down in the boat and le
e the soothing influences of Ithe lovely
: glades around steal over me. Grea
n thoughts came into my mind; Thoughts
G of future wealth and power, with Jennie
e by my side to share it all. Under tn,
o influence of such somnolcnt agencies
/ was not long in falling into sfumber q
y gentle and quiet as was the air. .i1'
v do not know how long slept, but a
r last awoke with start and Sigh
r feeling of chilliness, owing to the heav,
v dew with which / was saturated /
: speedily drove away all 'ronianti
l. thoughts and set me to wondering whicl
/ was the quickest way to get out Of th
I maze of channels, counter-chanhels an
n crossings which were all around. Tn
o moon was up, and had no trouble i
n getting my bearings and starting on m
m way towards the river.
a / had not rowed far when a littl
to feminine shrek from q dark, sheltere
"a inlet, arrested me: 40, who's thatw
"a What's the matterT' called out.
~ why, Max, is it you? Come here
!" quickw =. LII. - @ o.
g 1t was Jennie, and the relief tina
- - sounded in her voice caused yer
y benignant feeling to steal over me.
lo pulled into the cove and ran my bos