The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-03-05

saw q hgufe In the distance. once again
I shouted and waved my shawl vehe-
mently. The figure stopped, waited one
instant, and then I could see it plunge
ually. Oh, the intense relief of that
moment!
By the time the figure (which was that
of a man) reached me I was nearly sur
rounded by water, and five minutes more
would have decided my fate. Before
that five minutes passed was caught by
a pair of strong arms, and was being sup
ported through the water safely and
surely to the beach, where soon after
ward was deposited, a dripping, blue
little Dot" feeling very much smaller
than usual
NV deliverer had scarcely looked it;
I only felt that he was big and strong,
and that I was like a doll in his arms.
Notwithstanding my remonstrances he
persisted in carrying me on to the hotel,
at the entrance of which he gently put
me down. I turned and gave him my
pressions of thanks could muster.
He took them (the hands, mean) in
his warm, big, brown ones. and said in
| deep, sweet voice:
''How thankful I am that I was in
time! A few minutes later, and then
shuddered; he left the sentence un-
finished, and was taking his leave when
I murmured something about my sister
and brother, and how pleased they
would be if he called, but he interrupted
me with
'sI should have been delighted, but
unfortunately leave Biarritz early to-
morrow"
And SO he left me-left me with a little
pang at my heart, such as / had never
felt before.
Was he handsome I know not; I
| only know that pair of dark brown eyes
he'd penetrated into my soul-yes, me,
stupid little "Dot." How often after that
about me, those kind eyes looking into
mine! How foolish am! Probably the
mans married-has half dozen child
rem! One thing is pretty certain, and
that is that / shall never see him again.
gave my sister and brother slight
sketch of the whole affair, and Jack,
dear, good fellow, flies about all over
town to discover and thank my deliverer,
but all to no purpose. Not even did he
get clue to his name, and SO they for
got all about the affair; but so did not [.
''Dot'' was no longer the same ''Dot' as
of yore, but wandered about like the
heroine of three-volume novel, with
the memory of two brown eyes burned
deep into her soul.
January and February were very
agreeable months at Biarritz, and I be-
came more reconciled to the lack of
amusement in consequence of the arrival
at our hotel of the most charming fam
lily, Col. and Mrs. Palisser and their two
daughters. The latter were most ac-
complished girls, and exceedingly grace
full and pretty; and before many days,
Kathleen, the eldest, and myself, formed
an attachment, which, considering how
opposite we were in temperament and
disposition, was the more surprising.
wish I could give you an impression
of her beautiful face; she had that pecu-
liar tint of auburn hair, which, COM
bined with soft brown eyes and a peach
like delicate skin, gives that Madonna
like appearance which one so rarely sees
in real life.
Some people would have stigmatized
her as ''that girl with the carroty hair"
and said no more, but [ admired her as I
loved her, and I trust our friendship
will be lifelong one.
She painted in oils, and accompanied
her on her sketching expeditions. I sit
ting beside her with my book, while she
produced on canvass her sweet effects of
color, combined with truthfulness of
outline remarkable in girl who had
studied SO little as Kathleen.
Eventually, as our frienship increased
and ripened, poured into her sympa-
thetic ear the small romance of my life,
| and, as found she did not laugh at me
or think me ridiculous, frequently re-
ferred to the subject, and unconsciously
it became the object of my thoughts, day
and night.
At the end of three months we left for
England, the Palissers being our travel
ing companions.
Jack had rented snug little place in
Herefordshire called '"The Grange" and
there I was to remain for couple of
weeks with them, before returning to the
parental roof. It was such pretty
place, rather old-fashioned red brick
house, tucked in amongst the most lux
urious foliage you can imagine. The
garden was simply delicious, redolent
with the perfume of roses and carna-
tions, and, indeed, flowers of every de-
scription. 1t was separated only by a
low railing from the grounds of our, or I
should say, rather, Jacks young land
lord, the squire of the place.
We arrived tired, dusty and rather out
of sorts, having had to wait two hours at
junction where there was nothing to do
but to read the advertisements on the
wall of the station, and I think I could
initiate exactly the expression on the
face of the lion caught in the net, and
the old nabob swallowing pickles, hav-
ing studied them both SO long. Jack,
according to his usual fashion, smoked
away like ten chimneys, and Geraldine
we'll, she, I think, only grumbled, and
when we did get home at last the coun-
try looked so deliciously green and fresh
and everything was so pretty at the
Grange, that we soon recovered our
selves, and the following day was spent
in exploring the new territory and CIV
| ing Our several opinions about every
| thing.
About 4 o'clock in the afternoon Jack
came in brimfw of news. First item,
there was splendid shooting to be had
in the neighborhood, and fishing, too,
was good; then he had visited the young
Squire, who was ga laundering good fell
| low, as Jack expressed it, and game
for anything" He had only just re-